Day: April 16, 2019

Asnuntuck to Observe Sexual Assault Awareness Month with Series of Events

By
Daily News

ENFIELD, Conn. — Asnuntuck Community College (ACC) invites the public to join the Asnuntuck community in observing Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The college will hold events throughout the week of April 22-25.

On Monday, April 22, the college will host a No More Campaign from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the college’s Tower Lobby. Visit nomore.org to learn more about the organization’s mission to end domestic violence and sexual assault. The college invites the community to come to campus that day and take the pledge.

The Ted Talk “How We Talk About Sexual Assault Online” will run on a loop every 14 minutes in the Strom Conference Room from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23.

On Wednesday, April 24, students, staff, and faculty will participate in Denim Day. This day will promote that “there is no excuse and never an invitation to rape.” The ACC community will be encouraged to wear jeans with a purpose, support survivors, and educate themselves and others about all forms of sexual violence.

The week of awareness will conclude on Thursday, April 25 with a benefit concert. “Our Voices: An Evening Celebrating Women’s Resiliency with the Nields” will be held in Asnuntuck’s new Conference Center. Sisters Nerissa and Katryna Nields perform contemporary music that has been described as equal parts Beatles, Cranberries, and Joni Mitchell. Faith Ward and Kath Pepe will open for the duo. Tickets are free for Asnuntuck students who show their student ID, and $10 for the public. Proceeds will benefit YWCA Sexual Assault Crisis Services. For tickets, visit asnuntuck.edu/donate.

Springfield Partners to Celebrate the Community in Action on June 13

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Partners for Community Action will present a night of celebrating those in action within the community. The Community Action Awards will take place on Thursday, June 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Springfield Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. It will be a night of speakers, awards, handing out scholarships to Community Scholarship winners, and a silent auction for guests to participate in. Ticket purchase is available at communityactionevent.eventbrite.com.

Springfield Partners for Community Action is the federally designated community action agency of Springfield whose mission is to provide resources that assist those in need to obtain economic stability and ultimately create a better way of life. For more information on the event, contact Natalia Arocho at (413) 263-6500, ext. 6516, or [email protected].

Sports Travel and Tours Offers Themed Sports Trips Across the Country and Abroad

By
Daily News

HATFIELD — As the days start to grow longer once again, many sports fans set their sights on baseball season, mapping out how to get to the most anticipated matchups and crossing stadiums off their bucket lists. That’s where Sports Travel and Tours enters the picture.

The Hatfield-based company regularly offers baseball trips from June to August, including several travel packages that take guests to witness the annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y.

“Sports Travel and Tours takes the hassle out of travel,” President Jay Smith said. “All hotel accommodations, transportation, and scheduling are taken care of, leaving the guest to focus on having a good time and making memories that last a lifetime.”

Smith founded Sports Travel and Tours in 1996. Its mission is to offer trip options to sports fans so they can attend games and other events across the U.S. and Canada. Smith and his staff have successfully worked with tens of thousands of travelers while fulfilling dreams and bucket lists worldwide.

Sports Travel and Tours has been the official travel company of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum since 2007. It also offers trips for baseball fans that take them to all 30 major-league stadiums as well as many minor-league stadiums. The company also has its own Stadium Hall of Fame to honor travelers who make it to all 30 parks. There is an induction ceremony for them at Cooperstown every four years; the next one will be in 2021.

Baseball isn’t the only sport fans can take in through the company’s travel packages. Sports Travel and Tours offers themed excursions for fans of basketball, football, golf, hockey, horse racing, rodeo, and soccer.

While many of the company’s travel packages feature destinations within the U.S., Sports Travel and Tours has also branched out to offer international travel packages, including a March trip to Japan that features tickets to baseball games and sumo wrestling matches, and a football-themed trip to Dublin, Ireland in August 2020.

For more information, visit sportstravelandtours.com or call (800) 662-4424.

Lecture to Address Healthcare for Transgender, Non-binary, and Gender-nonconforming Patients

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College will host a lecture focused on “Effective Health Care Practices for Transgender, Non-binary, and Gender-nonconforming Patients,” which will be presented by Dr. Christopher Wolf-Gould on Wednesday, April 24 at 7 p.m. in the Cleveland E. and Phyllis B. Dodge Room (C-F), Flynn Campus Union. This event is free and open to the public.

In his lecture, Wolf-Gould will explore the barriers that transgender, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming individuals often face in healthcare systems, and improvements that need to be made to help reduce such barriers. He will cover topics such as medical training, public policy, and insurance coverage.

A family physician in Oneonta, N.Y., Wolf-Gould is a regional expert clinician in transgender healthcare and an ally of the LGBTQ movement. He is a member of the World Professional Assoc. for Transgender Health and has worked with PFLAG and other human-rights organizations.

Springfield College sponsors for this event include the All-College Gender & Sexuality Alliance; the Student Gender & Sexuality Alliance; the Office of Inclusion and Community Engagement; the Office of Spiritual Life; the School of Health Sciences and Rehabilitation Studies; the departments of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Rehabilitation and Disability Studies; the Health Center; and the Counseling Center.

For more information, e-mail Laurel Davis-Delano at [email protected]. If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, contact Lisa Holm at [email protected] or (413) 748-3050. Springfield College is a smoke- and tobacco-free environment.

For 150 Years, the YWCA of Western Mass. Has Been Helping Survivors Heal

By
Executive Director Elizabeth Dineen
Cover Story

Providing a Light

Executive Director Elizabeth Dineen

Executive Director Elizabeth Dineen

Helping survivors heal. That’s been the mission of the YWCA of Western Mass. for 150 years. Today, the agency does this in a number of ways, some well-known, such as its 58-bed domestic-violence shelter, and others far-less-heralded but still important, such as helping area young people attain their high-school equivalency. In each case, the key is providing these survivors with the tools they need to achieve a higher quality of life.

Azreal Alvarez calls this his third crack at high school, or the equivalent thereof.

That’s how he referred to YouthBuild Springfield, a workforce-development initiative operated by the YWCA of Western Massachusetts, a program that is succeeding where the first two stops didn’t. Indeed, Alvarez said that, when he attended one of Springfield’s charter schools, he was bullied so much, he couldn’t stay in that environment. Later, he enrolled in what he described as an online endeavor that didn’t inspire him in any real way.

That left YouthBuild as a last hope that soon became his best hope. The program is designed to not only help young people get their high-school equivalency, but also become introduced to careers in construction or healthcare.

Alavarez, 18, who wants to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a scaffolder, described the program this way: “For some people, this is their third chance or their second chance; for others, it’s their fifth. There’s really not much hope for them, so they come here, and they find a light that no one else can explain.”

With that, whether he knew it or not, Alvarez neatly summed up the first 150 years of the organization now known as the YWCA of Western Mass., the 10th-largest YWCA in the country and one of the oldest as well. Since Ulysses S. Grant patrolled the White House, it has been helping people find a light that, yes, is often hard to explain, but very often leads to a higher quality of life.

“I love this job because we’re able to serve women and children who are desperate to receive professional services, so that they can move on with their lives.”

And that light comes in many different forms, said the agency’s executive director, Elizabeth Dineen, a former prosecutor and supervising district attorney in Hampden County who spent more than a quarter-century handling special-victims cases including those involving child abuse, sexual assaults, domestic violence, and murder, and was recruited to lead the YWCA by several of its board members in 2016.

It might simply be a voice at the other end of a hotline that operates 24/7 and handles more than 10,000 calls a year, she told BusinessWest. Or it might be the peace, safety, and opportunity to start a new and better life that all come with a room in the 58-bed domestic-violence shelter. Or it might be the enlightenment gained through one of the agency’s newer counseling programs, called Children Who Witness Violence, an ambitious undertaking aimed at preventing domestic abuse, sexual abuse, and other forms of criminal behavior from becoming generational.

Or it might come in the form of exposure to a career in the medical field or construction, something a young person might never have considered as they were struggling with traditional high school, said Dineen, adding that YouthBuild and related programs are solid examples of how the YWCA has evolved and expanded well beyond its original mission and even the ‘W’ in its name.

All of this is what the agency is celebrating as it marks its sesquicentennial, an ongoing story that is driven home by the case of Linda Anselmo, who came to the agency last year at a time when she had nowhere else to turn.

A recent transplant to the area, she found herself the subject of intense and relentless verbal and emotional abuse from her partner, who, among other things, “threated to commit suicide and take me with her,” said Anselmo, noting that she was lost and alone when she found the YWCA, but never after that, thanks to the agency.

“I was completely lost — I had just moved to Massachusetts and into this relationship, and things got bad very fast,” she explained. “I didn’t know anyone, I had no family up here, nothing.”

Fast-forwarding, she said the agency helped her find temporary housing in a shelter and then transition to permanent housing in a community she chose not to disclose. More importantly, perhaps, the YWCA helped her move on from what happened to her emotionally.

“I had to heal,” she said. “I didn’t know how, but they showed me how.”

Helping people learn how to heal would be a good way to describe what Dineen and her staff of 150 do 24/7/365. For this issue and its focus on area nonprofits, BusinessWest takes an in-depth look at how the agency does just that.

Answering the Call

‘Survivors.’

That’s the word those at the YWCA use when referring to the various constituencies they serve. It works much better than ‘clients’ or ‘residents’ or any other collective that might come to mind.

That’s because all those who come to the facility at 1 Clough St. (or who simply call the hotline number) are survivors — of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, bullying, human trafficking, stalking, or a combination of the above.

They find this YWCA, which serves communities in both Hampden and Hampshire counties, because, while they have survived what has happened to them, they are still in need of a great deal of compassionate help as they seek to put their lives back together. Providing that help has essentially been the mission of this agency for the past 150 years.

“I love this job because we’re able to serve women and children who are desperate to receive professional services, so that they can move on with their lives,” said Dineen, who has made a very smooth transition from the courtroom to the classroom (she chaired the Criminal Justice department at Bay Path University for several years after leaving the DA’s office) to the challenging world of nonprofit management.

Indeed, while the work address and the title on her business card are different, Dineen is, in many ways, continuing the work with survivors that marked the first 25 years of her career, work she described as both extremely rewarding but very challenging.

Azreal Alvarez says the YWCA’s YouthBuild Springfield program is his third crack at high school, and his best chance to succeed.

Azreal Alvarez says the YWCA’s YouthBuild Springfield program is his third crack at high school, and his best chance to succeed.

“When you win a case, it’s very rewarding, but when I lost a case, it was excruciating, because you knew the person was going to be released to the community and would re-offend,” she explained, providing some unique insight into a realm few really know and understand. “Overall, these are some of the most challenging types of cases to prosecute.

“Children who testify in these cases are usually testifying against someone they loved, respected, and admired; it could be a coach, a parent, a teacher, or a relative, so it’s very hard to go into a courtroom and testify against them,” she went on. “And with regard to domestic-violence cases, very often the person they’re testifying against is someone they loved or still love,” she went on. “And when you’re dealing with adult rape cases, whether the survivor is male or female, it’s very challenging; people have to talk about an extremely horrific, traumatic experience.”

Dineen said her work in the DA’s office, which focused on high-profile cases including child-abuse murders, domestic-violence murders, and sexual-assault cases, has benefitted her in a number of ways as she guides the YWCA. For starters, she has a number of connections with area law-enforcement agencies and the legal community, connections that ultimately help her and her team better serve survivors.

Meanwhile, her time in law school and then as a lawyer has certainly helped her handle all the contract work that is part and parcel to managing a nonprofit these days, and especially this one.

But the greatest benefit from her work as a prosecutor is gaining a deep and unique understanding of what survivors go through — and what services they need to move forward with their lives.

This perspective has helped in the development and refinement of a number of programs and initiatives, and it comes across clearly as she talks about facilities such as the domestic-violence shelter, which is filled 24/7 as evidence of what she called an epidemic in this country and this region. She knows about the women and families who come there because she’s operated in their world throughout her career.

“When women come to the shelter, they come very often with just the clothes on their back,” she said, adding that only those deemed to be in eminent danger are assigned rooms. “If they bring anything for their children, it’s usually some kind of comfort object like a blanket or a toy.

“Many women come here right from the hospital or a police station, or they come here when there’s an opportunity to flee their abuser,” she went on. “The person might be going to work or to the supermarket, and there’s a window of opportunity that the woman has to literally flee their abuser.

“When you come to the shelter, it’s not uncommon to see people who might have a black eye, might have chunks of hair removed, might have a cast on their arm or leg,” she continued. “These are women who have experienced and endured, in some cases, long-term physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.”

Forward Progress

Thus, when they arrive, they need a full array of services, said Dineen, listing everything from direct counseling to getting children into schools or daycare as soon as possible, for their benefit, but also to help staff members focus on helping mothers prepare for the day when they will leave the shelter; from work to secure, permanent housing to assistance with entering or re-entering the workforce.

To accomplish all this, the YWCA works with a host of partners, from area school departments and daycare providers such as Square One to Way Finders (for housing and employment services) to Dress for Success (to ensure that women have suitable clothes for an interview or the first day on the job).

“Everything we do with women once they enter the shelter is designed to make them self-sufficient and independent,” she explained. “We’re trying to create conditions of success so that when they leave, they can thrive.”

This independence and self-sufficiency almost always comes through employment, Dineen went on, noting that many who come to the shelter have been out of the workforce for some time and thus need help to re-enter it. Thus, the YMCA has a computer lab and services to help survivors write a résumé and cover letter, apply for jobs online, and conduct themselves at an interview.

“No one is sitting around the shelter,” she told BusinessWest. “When you first come here, yes, you want to breathe and maybe have a couple days of just feeling safe and being able to sleep through the night without fear, but after that … everyone is assigned a case manager who will work with this person to figure out how to get her back on her feet, get her a job, get her to be economically independent, and think about where she wants to live.”

While the domestic-abuse shelter is perhaps the best-known of the programs and facilities operated by the YWCA to assist survivors, it is just one of many, said Dineen.

The YWCA facility on Clough Street

The YWCA facility on Clough Street offers a number of services and programs — all of them designed to help survivors heal.

There are other residential programs, including a transitional housing program in Springfield and teen-parenting residential programs in Springfield and Holyoke, she said, as well as a human-trafficking initiative undertaken in partnership with the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Homeland Security Department, and other local, state, and federal agencies, and a host of community programs.

These include the hotline, which Dineen called a critical service to the people of this region and even some who have moved outside it and call the hotline for tips on how to locate services in their new place of residence.

“Each one of those phone calls to our hotline is a cry for help,” she told BusinessWest. “So we try to be as incredibly supportive as possible; if we don’t have a bed available, we’ll try to help someone find another bed within this state. We try to make sure that everyone who calls knows the resources available to them.”

Other services and programs include medical advocacy at hospitals for sexual-abuse victims, sexual-assault and domestic-violence counseling, SafePlan court advocacy, services for young parents, and many others.

They are all designed to help people, like Anselmo, with what can be, and usually is, a complicated healing process.

Complicated, because survivors often try to blame themselves for the abuse inflicted upon them, which is not conductive to recovery.

“I can speak for all women when I say that we go through something traumatic … you’re lost, you’re scared, and you think ‘what did I do?’” she told BusinessWest. “That’s one of the questions that each and every one of us asks ourselves. We have to realize that it’s not us.

“The YWCA gives you tools so you can understand that domestic violence isn’t just physical,” she went on. “It’s mental, it’s emotional, and those two are really hard to heal from; the bruises, they fade, but the emotional and verbal abuse really tears you down a lot.”

Courses of Action

One program that is gaining traction — and results that may be difficult to quantify but certainly can be qualified — is the counseling service for children who witness violence, said Dineen, adding that it is designed for children ages 3 to 18 and provides tools to help those who have experienced violence firsthand, or witnessed it, to cope.

They attend nine to 12 sessions, at which they are encouraged to identify their emotions and learn how to talk about what’s bothering them rather than resort to their fists or cruel words to vent frustration.

“They talk about their feelings, and they talk about what makes a healthy relationship,” she noted, with the goal that such experiences won’t be repeated and won’t become generational, as so often happens.

And, as noted, while she doesn’t have any statistical evidence with which to show progress, she has anecdotal evidence.

“When I see kids come into our shelter and I meet and talk with them, I can see how aggressive some of them, and especially the boys, are,” she explained. “And I see how they talk to their siblings, especially their female siblings, and their mother. They can be very disrespectful and bossy; they’re repeating what they saw.

“And as I see kids go through the Children Who Witness Violence program, I can see a sea change in terms of how they interact with their moms and other females in authority,” she went on. “The moms will say, ‘thank God my child had an opportunity to participate in this.’”

As for the YouthBuild and GED workforce-development programs, they are helping young people like Alvarez get a second, or third or fourth, chance at not only finishing school, but developing self-esteem and perhaps finding a career.

The program has existed for several years, said Dineen, but recently it was retooled (a new director was hired) and expanded to include not only a construction track, but one in healthcare as well, a path more attractive to most of the young women who participate.

“They have a week on campus here where they’re taking academic classes, everything they need to pass their GED,” she explained. “And the other week they’re either doing construction — we’re partnering with Habitat for Humanity — or they’re going to Baystate Health and learning to become a certified nurses’ assistant or a phlebotomist.”

The program is starting to generate results, she said, and it is becoming a last/best option for students who have not enjoyed success in a traditional setting. And, like all the other initiatives at the YWCA, it’s focused on giving people the tools they need to succeed after they leave the agency’s programs behind them.

With YouthBuild and each of the other programs, there are measures of success, some more obvious than others, said Dineen.

“I measure success when my hotline is ringing off the hook — that shows people are using it,” she noted. “I measure success when people stay in our shelter, get the services they need, and then leave — and when they leave, they leave having a job, having safe housing, and having been through counseling so they can understand their own self-worth so they don’t need to get involved with a jerk.

“When I look at YouthBuild, I measure success by how many kids get their GED, by how many kids get a job, by kids getting certified in construction or to be a CNA,” she went on. “And I measure success when people have the courage to pursue prosecution and hold someone accountable for what they’ve done. And in all those areas, we’re seeing progress.”

Seeing the Light

Alvarez and other participants in the YouthBuild program recently traveled to the State House. There, they met with members of the Western Mass. delegation and got some impromptu civics lessons. But this wasn’t just a learning experience.

Indeed, while there, the students were also advocating for the YWCA and programs like YouthBuild, an assignment Alvarez undertook with considerable enthusiasm, telling legislators the same thing he told BusinessWest — that YWCA programs can provide light to someone who has been experiencing dark times and needs an opportunity to heal.

It’s been doing this for 150 years now, and that’s truly worth celebrating.

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

Cannabis Businesses Benefit Communities in More Ways Than One

By
Features

Hopes Are High

After recreational marijuana use became legal in Massachusetts in 2016, the expectation was that retail stores would pop up quickly within a couple of years. That hasn’t happened, as the state — and host communities — have taken a deliberately measured approach to permitting. But with early returns strong from a few shops, and towns reporting solid tax benefits and no real community disruption, the pace of openings should begin to increase — and so will the economic benefits of this new industry.

If Western Mass. was full of people who thought the sky was falling when recreational marijuana was legalized, well, Mark Zatyrka thinks fewer of them are saying the same thing now.

“I knew it would change. But I feel like it’s changed at a more rapid pace than I would have expected,” he said of public perceptions about the new access to cannabis products in the Bay State. “When we held our public meetings, we had a few folks who thought we were going to destroy the world and everything would come crashing down once we opened. But the opposite has been true.”

Take the location of INSA, the cannabis dispensary he owns in Easthampton, which has sold marijuana for medical purposes since February 2018, but began selling for recreational, or adult, use in December. Tucked beside Eastworks at the rear of the Keystone Mills building on Pleasant Street, he said some may have worried about INSA’s proximity to a nearby park where people hike.

“But, really, we bring more people to the area, we have cameras all over the place, it’s well-lit, so it’s actually a safer place to be,” Zatyrka said. “If the perception was that customers are hoodlums who come in, go out back, and get high and do crime, well, look around — we serve almost every demographic you can imagine, from seniors to millennials, rich and poor, and they’re not violent criminals. They’re not here to cause trouble. Yeah, the perception has changed pretty rapidly.”

Perceptions — pro and con — of this new industry have undoubtedly shaped a permitting process, on both the state and local levels, that has moved more slowly than first expected when recreational use became legal in 2016. The state’s first adult-use retail shops were expected to be open last July, but instead, the first two opened in November, and the pace of new shops since then has been leisurely at best.

But they’re coming. And the ones that are open are changing those worst-case perceptions.

Mark Zatyrka says INSA has attracted a diverse array of customers

Mark Zatyrka says INSA has attracted a diverse array of customers since starting recreational sales in December.

Take New England Treatment Access (NETA) in Northampton, the Bay State’s first retailer of cannabis products for recreational use.

“For us, it’s been a positive experience,” Northampton Mayor David Narcewicz told BusinessWest. “We’re starting to see some of the economic benefits in terms of taxes, and I know our local businesses have been creative in embracing the new industry. Businesses back in November were offering specials to people who came into town and showed a receipt for shopping at NETA. If anything, I think the business community has been receptive.”

He noted that Northampton’s voters were among the most enthusiastic in their support of legal cannabis, both during the 2012 statewide vote to legalize medicinal marijuana, then for adult use in 2016. As mayor, he said, his approach has been to respect the community’s voice.

“So we’ve been very open and proactive; we created zoning regulations that essentially treat this new industry like any other business, and we did not impose caps on the number of retailers like many communities did.

“We also had the experience of having one of the first medical dispensaries in the state,” he added, speaking of NETA’s original business plan. “We had a track record of seeing how they had operated and had the chance to see what the potential impacts were. They’ve been a good member of our business community; they worked with us to make sure their opening went smoothly, and have been working with surrounding businesses to make sure there’s no disruption.”

Stories like this are why, despite the slow rollout of pot shops so far — and state tax revenue well under early projections — proponents are confident that the trends toward greater public acceptance of this industry, and tax revenues to match, will soon accelerate.

“As an industry, we’ve done a good job to ensure that things are done correctly, and the state’s done a good job putting measures in place to help ensure it is a safe industry and people are getting a safe product and it’s dispensed in a safe way,” Zatyrka said. “The state did a lot of things right, which is why we’re seeing a successful rollout. I know some people wish it moved quicker, but I understand why it didn’t. There are thousands of applications, a lot of inspections, a lot to oversee. It takes time. It’s a new industry for everybody.”

Green Growth

As part of its new marijuana laws, Massachusetts imposes a 17% tax — a 6.25% sales tax plus a 10.75% excise tax — on cannabis businesses, while cites and towns take another 3%, plus whatever else they may choose to impose as part of their host-community agreements.

In Northampton’s case, that’s an additional 3%, called a ‘community-impact fee.’ The city received two checks recently: $449,825 from the Department of Revenue representing the 3% tax rate for recreational marijuana sales in November, December, and January, and $287,506 from NETA itself, reflecting the 3% community-impact fee on recreational sales for December and January.

“When we held our public meetings, we had a few folks who thought we were going to destroy the world and everything would come crashing down once we opened. But the opposite has been true.”

Other towns are seeing their coffers benefit as well. Theory Wellness opened in Great Barrington in December, paying $90,000 in taxes to the town in its first month.

“They opened to long lines, which should level off as they get more competition,” Ed Abrahams, vice chair of the town’s Select Board, told BusinessWest last month. “This is new for all of us, but so far, there have been logistically few problems.”

Southern Berkshire County communities that embrace the cannabis trade are sure to benefit from the continued illegality of the drug in both Connecticut and New York, though leaders in both states have been talking about whether that should remain the case. Brandon Pollock, CEO of Theory Wellness, told the New York Post last week that about 15,000 New Yorkers have made purchases there since its Jan. 11 opening.

“I’d say we get dozens, if not hundreds, a day from the greater New York City area,” he noted. “We get people coming up in Zipcars, people carpooling, people who say they hardly ever drive at all — but will drive to purchase cannabis.”

That sort of consumer response is intriguing to towns that see this industry as a new economic driver.

“Some cities have been great to work with, some a little more difficult to work with,” Zatyrka said. “Easthampton is very progressive city, and early on it was very obvious they wanted us here.”

That’s important from a competition perspective, he said, because the application process is already time-consuming, and communities that want to make it even more difficult to move through permitting and craft a host-community agreement can tie up a project for years, while other shops in more amenable towns are opening and picking up crucial market share and customer loyalty.

“Easthampton was great,” he went on. “Everyone wants to find a solution instead of putting up roadblocks. They want us to be successful, to get their name on the map, and they saw the benefits early on.”

He’s seeing a gradual shift, too, in where proposed projects will be located, noting that, when INSA started cultivating marijuana for medical use, most such outfits were setting up in old mill buildings or industrial parks. “Now it’s not so restrictive — people can open up on Main Street, and wind up in locations that are made for retail use, for people to come visit.”

That’s certainly the goal in Northampton, which is looking at myriad applications from cannabis manufacturers, cultivators, testing labs, and retail establishments, Narcewicz noted. It welcomes them because it sees value in how NETA, which isn’t even located downtown, has impacted business.

“NETA has created good-paying jobs in the community, and it’s an important way to expand our tax base and grow our local economy,” he said. “We have a local economy focused on retail, dining, entertainment, and a very vibrant cultural economy. And I think this complements it.”

There have been traffic and parking challenges, he added, “but if you talk to most retailers, downtowns having too many visitors is never a bad thing. We’re kind of equipped to handle a lot of visitors. And NETA has been very responsive in terms of renting additional parking from neighboring businesses, which helps them as well by providing an income stream. So far, it’s been a very positive experience, and there’s no reason to believe that’s going to change.”

Making a Name

BRIGADE has certainly benefited from this new industry. The Hadley-based brand-services company has worked with INSA extensively, including the creation of the designs for all its products and marketing.

“Everyone calls cannabis the wild west, and it is from a branding and design perspective, too,” said Kirsten Modestow, BRIGADE’s owner and executive creative director. “The rules for a whole category are being written overnight. That’s challenging, but it’s also some of the most exciting stuff we’ve ever worked on.”

With some cannabis businesses coming out with 100 or more products, it presents a unique branding challenge, she added, because the goal is not only to create a memorable look, but to help customers, many of whom have little experience with marijuana, navigate the products.

“One of the upsides of this industry is the impact it’s having on our communities, and it’s providing a lot of new opportunities and jobs,” she said. “It’s providing a lot of work for people, even tapping into farmers and other people who have services to offer and know what they’re doing.”

The education aspect Modestow touched on is one that continues in the store, Zatyrka said. The sales associates — he prefers that title to the flip industry term ‘budtenders’ — are the same ones who have worked with medical patients for a long time, and they have the training to dig deep into the science behind the products, so they can effectively explain them.

“We understand it’s a product that needs to be consumed safely, and we take that seriously,” he said. “We don’t want to be liable for someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing and eats an entire chocolate bar and has to go to the ER. We do all in our power to prevent that from happening.”

The coming months and years will see more education (and more tax revenues) as pot-shop openings pick up the pace — including Evergreen Strategies, LLC, which recently inked a host-community agreement with Belchertown to bring a facility to that town as early as this fall.

The Boston Globe recently cited industry analysts who say Massachusetts has a much slower local approval process and a more complex system to navigate than other states, and the state Cannabis Control Commission has placed a premium on an adult-use regulatory structure that supports public health and public safety. The measured pace ensures that stores pass inspections, sell lab-tested products, hire vetted workers, and track their products.

“It’s a growing industry, and will continue to grow,” said Zatyrka, who plans to open an adult-use dispensary in Springfield and has a cultivating and manufacturing license in Pennsylvania as well. Meanwhile, INSA is doubling its cultivation — located directly above the Easthampton store — and is looking to triple it in the future. “We’re still a few years out before we can meet the demands of the state. So it’s going to be hard work until then to keep up our supply with demand.”

The work is rewarding, though, especially for someone who treated his chronic pain for more than 15 years with oxycontin, oxycodone, morphine, and methadone, and suffered side effects that drastically outweighed the benefits.

“Thanks to cannabis, I was able to stop taking them,” Zatyrka said. “Cannabis helped with the withdrawals, and now I only use cannabis to treat my chronic pain, and it works 100 times better than all the opioids. I know firsthand the power of cannabis versus painkillers.”

He tells that story not because it’s unique, but because it’s representative of many people he comes across, with stories about how cannabis has helped them with seizures, Crohn’s disease, arthritis, and multiple sclerosis. And if legal adult use is helping to tear down the last bits of stigma around cannabis, he’s all for it.

“It’s incredibly gratifying to hear the stories and how grateful people are,” he said. “They’re able to get benefits from cannabis, and don’t have to hide it like they once did.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]m

United Personnel Aims to Make Life Easier for Clients

By
President Tricia Canavan
Employment

More Than a Job

President Tricia Canavan

President Tricia Canavan

At its core, the mission of a staffing agency is to connect employers with job seekers — a task United Personnel has tackled with success for 35 years. But creating those matches doesn’t occur in a vacuum. Rather, building a healthy workforce is a region-wide effort that makes demands of employers, colleges, training programs, K-to-12 schools, and lawmakers. United Personnel President Tricia Canavan recognizes this big picture — and her firm’s role in closing the gaps.

Tricia Canavan’s job is to help people get jobs, and to help companies find those people. It’s that simple — only, it’s not.

“Workforce development and education are things I’m really passionate about and involved in in a variety of ways,” she told BusinessWest. “We’ve heard about the skills gap and the disconnect between people who are not working or are underemployed, and employers who are saying they can’t expand because they don’t have the staff they need, and they have to turn work away because there’s not enough employees. There’s a real disconnect. So, what are the strategies we can use to be able to bridge that gap?”

As president of United Personnel, Canavan connects job seekers to regular paychecks every day. But the challenge of doing so runs far deeper than many might assume. In fact, for many, it starts well before kindergarten.

“I think we need to be really comprehensive and innovative in how we look at workforce develoment and education, even K to 12. They call it cradle to career — you want to start kids with a really good background to enter kindergarten.”

Consider, she said, that only 7% of Springfield children are considered kindergarten-ready when they enter school, and if they don’t hit reading proficiency by third grade, it sets them on a never-ending pattern of playing catchup.

“It’s said that, from kindergarten to third grade, you’re learning to read, and from third grade on, you’re reading to learn,” Canavan said. “So if your reading-comprehension skills are not where they need to be, it’s a very tough thing to make that up. The gaps start young, and they persist, and continue through high school.”

Beyond high school, in fact, contributing to what are commonly known in the employment world as skills gaps. Which brings her back to her daily role, one she tackles with a decidedly big-picture view.

“I think the disconnect and the skills gap we see is not only a challenge and a missed opportunity for local residents, but it also is an economic-development concern,” she said. “Ultimately, employers need the skilled workforce to be able to grow, and if we, over the long term, or even the medium term, are not able to produce better results at a time when Massachusetts population is pretty flat, we’re going to have a problem. It’s critical that we’re engaging as many of those residents as can work and want to work, and making sure they have the skills they need to be successful for themselves and their families, too.”

In today’s reasonably healthy economy, Canavan said, good jobs exist. She knows, because she’s got a large roster of clients that want to fill them.

“If we cannot access candidates that have the skill sets that employers need, we will not be viable as an organization. So we have some serious skin in this game,” she went on. “But I also see it as a social-justice issue. If we can do better in these fields of education and workforce development, if we can connect people with the opportunties that exist in ways they had not been connected before, that can be a game changer.”

“I think the disconnect and the skills gap we see is not only a challenge and a missed opportunity for local residents, but it also is an economic-development concern.”

For this issue’s focus on employment, BusinessWest sat down with Canavan to talk about the ways her 35-year-old firm continues to close the gaps between job creators and job seekers, and the myriad ways that task is complicated by a lifetime of factors.

Steady Growth

Jay Canavan, Tricia’s father, transitioned from a career as president of Springfield Museums to launch United Personnel in 1984; his wife, Mary Ellen Scott, joined him about six months later, eventually serving as the company’s long-time president until eight years ago, when Tricia took the reins.

Jay and Mary Ellen opened their first office in Hartford, specializing in professional, administrative, and finance services. A few years later, they opened a second office in Springfield, focusing on support to the light industrial sector. Today, the firm also boasts offices in Northampton, Pittsfield, Chelmsford, and New Haven.

Meanwhile, its roster of specialties has grown to include manufacturing, hospitality, information technology, nonprofits, medical offices, and even a dental-services division, which has proven to be a significant growth area.

“Then we continue to focus on some core competencies,” she noted. “We do a lot of vendor-on-premises account management, where we provide turnkey human-resources support for our clients.”

One example is Yankee Candle, a business whose staffing level fluctuates through the ebbs and flows of the retail seasons. “Back in the day, people would hire and lay off, hire and lay off, Now, using a vendor-on-premises model, we partner with their human resources and production teams, and we manage seasonal staffing for them in a turnkey way. We have management on site 24/7, so their human resources and production teams can focus on their core business, and we supplement those activities.”

Cavanan said she enjoys working in partnership with clients because it allows United to become a part of their business and operational strategy and provide real value.

“Because we deal with such a wide variety of clients, we’re often able to take best practices and lessons learned and apply them to new clients. It’s almost like a knowledge-sharing service that we offer. And we’ve been really pleased with the results of some of that expertise we’ve been able to implement.”

Whether it’s helping clients with continuous improvement, staff-retention strategies, or joint recruiting events, she said United does its best work when it’s able to take on that level of partnership.

“If clients are open to this, we’re able to take an advisory and consulting role where we share with them, ‘here are some things we’re seeing in the marketplace.’ Oftentimes, it’s even current employment law,” Canavan said, noting that, just last week, United showed a client that one of its incentive programs was no longer legal due to changes in the law.

“We’re really proud of being able to serve as subject-matter experts in terms of recruitment, but also often in terms of human-resources compliance,” she went on. “We’re not attorneys, but because of the nature of what we do, we frequently have a very good finger on the pulse of what’s happening in compliance and employment law.”

Those various human-resources services are often crucial to smaller clients that may not have an in-house HR team or, at best, have one person handling everything from benefits and compliance to performance management and recruitment.

“To recruit well and comprehensively in a very tight labor market is extremely time-consuming,” she said. “Not only are we doing it all day, every day, but we have the infrastructure to find not only candidates that are actively seeking employment, but also candidates who might be open to considering a new job. And being able to partner with small and medium-sized customers allows us to bring them support with services they likely don’t have time to do. We’re really proud of that aspect of our work.”

Work Your Way Up

But Canavan is also proud of the big-picture view United takes of the region’s jobs landscape, citing efforts like the Working Cities grant that aims to better align workforce-development efforts and produce positive results for both job seekers and employers. “The economy is good, so let’s use this time to focus on training those who need it.”

Many well-paying careers, she noted, are in reach without a college education for those who are willing to access training, start small, and work their way up — in advanced manufacturing, for instance. The MassHire career centers offer training programs in that realm, but the classes aren’t always full. “How do we do a better job helping people build awareness of those opportunities, connecting them to those opportunities, and supporting them through it?”

United Personnel has been headquartered in Springfield

For most of its history, United Personnel has been headquartered in Springfield — currently on Bridge Street — but its reach expands far beyond this region.

There are institutional barriers as well, such as the so-called ‘cliff effect’ that throws up financial disincentives to people on public benefits who want to work. She said a bill currently making its way through the state Legislature would address that scenario through a pilot program that would help low-income Springfield residents access jobs while reducing the need for public benefits.

On an individual level, part of United Personnel’s mission is to dismantle as many roadblocks to employment as it can, Canavan explained. For example, employers typically prefer to hire someone with at least six months of recent, steady work without gaps. But, realizing there are reasons those gaps exist, United offers myriad short-term jobs to help people build a portfolio and references and prove they can handle something more permanent.

“It’s not that hard to be successful. It’s being on time, paying attention, staying off your phone. And, if you’re successful, you’ll find lots of opportunities for career pathways.”

“We’re really proud of being able to serve as subject-matter experts in terms of recruitment, but also often in terms of human-resources compliance. We’re not attorneys, but … we frequently have a very good finger on the pulse of what’s happening in compliance and employment law.”

She understands that some job seekers, especially younger ones, often struggle with those ‘soft skills.’

“It may be a lack of awareness, or not being super engaged in the work they’re doing. Entry-level jobs can frequently be boring or repetitive — it may not be the most exciting day you’ve ever had in your life,” she went on, noting that one of her first jobs out of college was a temp role in Chicago, doing numeric data entry all day. “It was terrible. But we’ve all had those jobs.”

The idea is to use every opportunity — whether a temp job or a training program — as a chance to move up to something better. And when job seekers do just that, it’s especially gratifying.

“It’s not our success, it’s their success. We just helped them get a foot in the door,” she said. “A lot of people don’t realize the opportunities that come from working with a staffing firm. We can be your advocate. We can help you. Lots of jobs are available — start small, and you can work your way up.”

Community Focus

United Personnel has certainly worked its way up over the past 35 years, not just in helping people find jobs and helping clients run their businesses more efficiently, but through a culture of community support. Team members are encouraged to volunteer and serve on boards, while the company itself offers financial support to numerous organizations in areas like workforce development and education, women’s leadership, community vitality, and arts and culture. One program is an endowed scholarship at the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts for first-generation college students from area gateway cities.

“We’re interested in leveraging what we do and whatever financial resources we have available to us,” Canavan told BusinessWest. “We consider it a privilege to be able to do that. We don’t just want to be here to do business; we want to be a part of the community. We are all very cognizant of the fact that we are successful because of our community.”

That said, she noted that legislative mandates from Boston continue to burden employers and make it more difficult than ever to do business in Massachusetts. Which makes it even more important for her to make clients’ lives a little easier.

“We feel honored to be able to do this work with our customers and candidates that come to us. When a client is happy with what we’ve done, or a candidate comes to us with a table-sized box of chocolates to say ‘thank you,’ that’s rewarding. It’s a privilege to help people find work and help companies find that talented staff they need to drive the success of their organization.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

VA Hospital Nears a Century of Service to Those Who Have Served

By
The oval at the VA complex
Health Care

On the Front Lines

VA Hospital in Leeds, Mass.

Early aerial photo of the VA Hospital in Leeds, Mass.

Gordon Tatro enjoys telling the story about how the sprawling Veterans Administration facility in Leeds came to be built there.
The prevailing theory, said Tatro, who worked in Engineering at what is now the VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System for 20 years and currently serves as its unofficial historian, is that the site on a hilltop in rural Leeds was chosen because it would offer an ideal setting for treatment and recuperation for those suffering from tuberculosis — one of its main missions, along with treatment for what was then called shell shock and other mental disorders.

And while some of that may be true, politics probably had a lot more to do with the decision than topography.

“President Warren G. Harding came out and said, ‘stop looking for places … we’re going to put it in Northampton,’” said Tatro, acknowledging that he was no doubt paraphrasing the commander in chief, “‘because Calvin Coolidge is my vice president and he lives in Florence, and we want it to be in or around Florence.’”

Nearly 95 years later — May 12 is the official anniversary date — it is still there. The specific assignment has changed somewhat — indeed, tuberculosis is certainly no longer one of the primary functions — but the basic mission has not: to provide important healthcare services to veterans.

Overall, there has been an ongoing transformation from mostly inpatient care to a mix of inpatient and outpatient, with a continued focus on behavioral-health services.

“We’re more of a managed-care facility now,” said Andrew McMahon, associate director of the facility, adding that the hospital provides services ranging from gerontology to extended care and rehabilitation; from behavioral-health services to primary care; from pharmacy to nutrition and food services. Individual programs range from MOVE!, a weight-management program for veterans, to services designed specifically for women veterans, including reproductive services and comprehensive primary care.

Andrew McMahon says the VA facility in Leeds is undergoing a massive renovation

Andrew McMahon says the VA facility in Leeds is undergoing a massive renovation and modernization initiative scheduled to be completed by the 100th anniversary in 2024.

“When this facility was established, the mission of the VA was much different than it is today,” McMahon told BusinessWest. “We were a stand-alone campus in a rural part of the state that had 1,000 beds and where veterans went for the rest of their lives.

“Now, we are one facility within a network of eight serving Central and Western Massachusetts. We have this beautiful, 100-year-old campus, but the needs of today’s veterans are changing — they need convenience, primary care, and specialty care, and we’re trying to establish those services in the areas where the veterans live, primarily Worcester and Springfield.”

Elaborating, he said that, as the 100th anniversary of the Leeds facility in 2024 approaches, the hospital is in the midst of a large, multi-faceted expansion and renovation project designed to maximize its existing facilities and enable it to continue in its role as a “place of mental-health excellence for all of New England,” as McMahon put it, and also a center for geriatric care and administration of the broad VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System.

By the 100th-birthday celebration, more than $100 million will have been invested in the campus, known colloquially as ‘the Hill,’ or Bear Hill (yes, black bears can be seen wandering the grounds now and then), said McMahon, adding that an ongoing evolution of the campus will continue into the next century.

“President Warren G. Harding came out and said, ‘stop looking for places … we’re going to put it in Northampton, because Calvin Coolidge is my vice president and he lives in Florence, and we want it to be in or around Florence.’”

Round-number anniversaries — and those not quite so round, like this year’s 95th — provide an opportunity to pause, reflect, look back, and also look ahead. And for this issue, BusinessWest asked McMahon and Tatro to do just that.

History Lessons

Tatro told BusinessWest that, with the centennial looming, administrators at the hospital have issued a call for memorabilia related to the facility’s first 100 years of operation. The request, in the form of a flyer mailed to a host of constituencies, coincides with plans to convert one of the old residential buildings erected on the complex (specifically the one that the hospital directors lived in) into a museum.

The flyer states that, in addition to old photographs, those conducting this search are looking for some specific objects, such as items from the old VA marching band, including uniforms and instruments; anything to do with the VA baseball team, known, appropriately enough, as the Hilltoppers, who played on a diamond in the center of the campus visible in aerial photos of the hospital; any of the eight ornate lanterns that graced the grounds; toys made by the veterans who lived and were cared for at the facility; copies of the different newspapers printed at the site, including the first one, the Summit Observer; and more.

Collectively, these requested items speak to how the VA hospital was — and still is — more than a cluster of buildings at the top of a hill; it was and is a community.

The oval at the VA complex

The oval at the VA complex has seen a good deal of change over the years. Current initiatives involve bringing more specialty care facilities to that cluster of buildings, bringing additional convenience to veterans.

“It was like a town or a city,” said Tatro, noting that the original campus was nearly three times as large as it is now, and many administrators not only worked there but lived there as well. “There was a pig farm, veterans grew their own food, there were minstrel shows, a marching band, a radio station … it really was a community.

“In that era, everyone had a baseball team, and we played all those teams,” he said, noting that the squad was comprised of employees. “The silk mill (in Northampton) had one, other companies had them; I’ve found hundreds of articles about the baseball team.”

This ‘community’ look and feel has prevailed, by and large, since the facility opened to considerable fanfare that May day in 1924. Calvin Coolidge, who by then was president (Harding died in office in 1923) was not in attendance, but many luminaries were, including Gen. Frank Hines, director of the U.S. Veterans Bureau.

He set the tone for the decades to come with comments recorded by the Daily Hampshire Gazette and found during one of Gordon’s countless trips to Forbes Library on the campus of Smith College. “President Coolidge has well stated that there is no duty imposed upon us of greater importance than prompt and adequate care of our disabled. And every reasonable effort will be made in that direction. I consider it the duty of those in charge of the veterans’ bureau hospitals to bring about a management and an administration of professional ability in such a manner as to recover many of those whose care is entrusted to them.”

“It was like a town or a city. There was a pig farm, veterans grew their own food, there were minstrel shows, a marching band, a radio station … it really was a community.”

The facility was one of 19 built in the years after World War I to care for the veterans injured, physically or mentally, by that conflict, said Gordon, adding that the need for such hospitals was acute.

“There was a drive in Congress to get the veterans returning from World War I off the streets,” he said. “They were literally hanging around; they had no place else to go. Public health-service hospitals couldn’t handle it, and the Bureau of War Risk Insurance couldn’t handle the cost, and I guess Congress just got pushed to the point where it had to do something.”

That ‘something’ was the Langley bill — actually, there were two Langley bills — that appropriated funds to build hospitals across the country and absorb the public health-service hospitals into the Veterans Bureau Assoc.

The site in Leeds was one of many considered for a facility to serve this region, including a tissue-making mill in Becket, said Tatro, but, as he mentioned, the birthplace of the sitting vice president ultimately played a large role in where the steam shovels were sent. And those shovels eventually took roughly 12 feet off the top of the top of the hill and pushed it over the side, he told BusinessWest.

As noted earlier, the facility specialized in treating veterans suffering from tuberculosis and mental disorders, especially shell shock, or what is now known as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In the early years, there were 300 to 500 veterans essentially living in the wards of the hospital, with those numbers climbing to well over 1,000 just after World War II, said Tatro.

Gordon Tatro, the unofficial historian at the VA hospital

Gordon Tatro, the unofficial historian at the VA hospital, says the facility is not merely a collection of buildings on a hill, but a community.

With tuberculosis patients, those providing care tried to keep their patients active and moving with a range of sports and games ranging from bowling to swimming to fishing in ponds stocked by a local sportsman’s club, or so Tatro has learned through his research.

As for those with mental-health disorders, Tatro said, in the decades just after the hospital was built, little was known about how to treat those with conditions such as shell shock, depression, and schizophrenia, and thus there was research, experimentation, and learning.

This added up to what would have to be considered, in retrospect, one of the darker periods in the facility’s history, when pre-frontal lobotomies and electric-shock therapy was used to help treat veterans, a practice that was halted in the late ’40s or early ’50s, he said, adding that this is one period he is still researching.

Battle Tested

Over the past several decades, there has been a slow and ongoing shift from inpatient care to outpatient care, said McMahon, who, in his role as associate director, is chief of all operations. He added that there are still inpatient wards at the hospital, and it retains its role as the primary regional provider of mental-health services for veterans.

But there is now a much broader array of services provided at the facility, and for a constituency that includes a few World War II and Korean War veterans, but is now dominated by Vietnam-era vets and those who served in both Gulf wars.

Overall, more than 28,000 individuals receive care through the system, which, as noted, includes both Central and Western Mass. and eight clinics across that broad area. The system measures ‘encounters’ — individual visits to a clinic — and there were more than 350,000 encounters last year.

The reasons for such visits varied, but collectively they speak to how the hospital in Leeds has evolved over the years while remaining true to its original mission, said McMahon.

“We haven’t really downshifted in our inpatient mental health — that’s an area of strength for the VA, and we continue to invest in that area,” he explained. “But in geriatrics, we’re looking to expand our nursing-home footprint, and hopefully double the size of those facilities by the time the 100th comes around — we have 30 beds now, and we’re looking to add maybe 30 more.”

McMahon, an Air Force veteran, said he’s been with the VA hospital for more than seven years now after a stint at Northampton-based defense contractor Kollmorgen. He saw it is a chance to take his career in a different, more meaningful direction.

“To get over into this area and serve the veterans … it’s a job that has a mission behind it,” he told BusinessWest. “It’s more than a paycheck.”

That mission has always been to provide quality care to those who have served, and today, as noted, the mission is evolving. So is the campus itself, he said, adding that ongoing work is aimed at maximizing resources and modernizing facilities, but also preserving the original look of the campus.

Current projects include renovation of what’s known as Building 9, vacant for roughly 15 years, into a new inpatient PTSD facility, with those services being moved from Building 8, an initiative started more than two years ago and now nearing its conclusion.

The new facility will be larger and will enable the VA hospital to extend PTSD care to women through the creation of a dedicated ward for that constituency.

Meanwhile, another ongoing project involves renovation of a portion of Building 4. That initiative includes creation of a new specialty-care floor, a $6 million project that will include optometry clinics, podiatry services, cardiology, and more.

Set to move off the drawing board is another major initiative, a $15 million project to renovate long-vacant Building 20 and move a host of administrative offices into that facility, leaving essentially the entire ‘Hill’ complex for patient care and mental-health services.

“We’re going to get HR, engineering, and other administrative offices down to Building 20 and expand our mental-health facilities around the oval,” McMahon said, referring to the cluster of buildings in the center of the campus. “There’s $40 million in construction going on at present, and by the end the this year, we expect that number to be closer to $60 million.

“There’s a lot of construction going on right now,” he went on. “But things will look good for the 100th.”

That includes the planned museum. The search goes on for items to be displayed in that facility, said Tatro, adding that he and others are working to assemble a collection that will tell the whole story of this remarkable medical facility that became a community.

Branches of Service

Tatro told BusinessWest he’s been doing extensive research on the history of the Hill since he retired several years ago. He’s put together thick binders of photographs and newspaper clippings — there’s one with stories just from the Gazette that’s half a foot thick — as well as some smaller booklets on individual subjects and personalities.

Including one Cedric (Sandy) Bevis.

There’s a memorial stone erected to him in what’s known as Overlook Park, created with the help of that 12 feet of earth scraped off the top of the hill. Tatro found it while out on one of his many walks over the grounds, and commenced trying to find out who Bevis was (he died in 1981) and why there was a stone erected in his honor.

But no one seemed to know.

So Tatro commenced digging and found out that Bevis was a Marine officer who served in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot. He had been shot down more than once but survived. After attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel, he left the service in June 1971, married, and settled in the Florence area. As a Marine Reservist, he got involved with a Vietnam veterans organization called ComVets (short for Combat Veterans) at the VA Hospital and was elected its first president.

“He was honored for his impact on other Marines who were part of ComVets, and they initiated and obtained a plaque for him,” said Tatro, adding that the saga of Sandy Bevis is one of thousands of individual stories written over the past 95 years. And those at the VA facility are going about the process of writing thousands more.

The last line on Bevis’ plaque reads, “He served when called.” So did all those all others who have come to the Hill since the gates opened in 1924. That’s why it was built, and that’s why it’s readying itself for a second century of service.

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

It’s Not the Golf Business Anymore

By
Attilio Cardaropoli displays one of the new four-passenger carts
Sports & Leisure

Diversity, Revenue Streams Are Key to Clubs’ Success

Attilio Cardaropoli displays one of the new four-passenger carts

Attilio Cardaropoli displays one of the new four-passenger carts at Twin Hills Country Club, one of many steps taken to make the game more enjoyable.

The golf business has never been entirely about golf. There has always been a need a diversity in the form of food and beverage, weddings and other events, and even cross-country skiing in the winter. But at a time when clubs are being challenged by declining play and rising expenses, the need to create revenue streams and put all their facilities to use has never been greater.

The ‘10-year challenge.’

That was the social-media phenomenon that started in early January and fizzled out … maybe in mid-January. You remember. Everyone was posting photos of themselves from then and now in an effort to judge who fared best over the ensuing decade.

People did it. Internet companies did it. If Twin Hills Country Club in Longmeadow did it, it would certainly have fared well against like facilities. Indeed, a decade ago, it was almost a casualty of a changing golf business and a new subdivision in a town that hadn’t seen one built in decades.

But Attilio Cardaropoli, a Twin Hills member who thought the club’s day hadn’t yet come, bought it and commenced writing a remarkable turnaround story. There were 85 members when he acquired it; now there are north of 300, and the number is holding steady. Back then, the course was tired and needed a facelift; same for the clubhouse. He’s done all that work and continues to make improvements every year inside and out, a formula that is certainly working.

“We keep making improvements — every year, we designate some area that needs some attention and improvement, and we continue to do that,” he explained. “Our members like to come in every season and see something new that’s been added on. It’s been a big factor in our success.”

But not many golf operations would have fared nearly as well with the 10-year challenge. The past decade has been a continuation of challenging times that peaked with the Great Recession and improved only slightly in the intervening years.

The story has been told many times. It’s about a falling level of interest in the game, especially among young people, families putting their time and money into avenues that don’t include the local country club, some closures among the area’s large roster of courses, and intense competition among the courses that remain for a shrinking pool of golfers.

And then, in the summer and fall of 2018, the story got even worse, as seemingly relentless rain, a lot of it coming on all-important weekends, erased days from the calendar, robbing clubs of revenue they couldn’t recover.

Dave DiRico, seen here with his son-in-law, Drew Michael

Dave DiRico, seen here with his son-in-law, Drew Michael, says both public and private courses must be diverse operations with a number of revenue streams.

“We had nine rainouts on Tuesdays, and it rained quite a few Saturdays and Sundays, too,” said Ryan Hall, head pro at Springfield’s two municipal courses, Franconia and Veterans, referring to both leagues and daily-fee golf. And with such washouts, a club loses more than greens fees — there’s also cart rentals and food and beverage.

“And people aren’t going to go out and play twice as much the next week,” said Hall, adding that this revenue is essentially lost.

As the 2019 season commences — thankfully early for the clubs able and willing to welcome players in early April or even late March — many challenges remain, said Hall and others we spoke with, but so does a high level of determination to find solutions to the current problems in the golf industry.

Some of them don’t necessarily involve golf, although they relate back to it some ways.
Indeed, diversification and securing new revenue streams are a huge component of the success formula for any club today, public or private, said those we spoke with. This means everything from the 19th hole — many clubs are redoing them and retooling menus at the same time — to more special events, from Mother’s Day brunches to cruise nights to weddings and banquets.

Meanwhile, on the golf side, the driving forces, as always, but especially in this climate, are providing value to existing customers, generating repeat business, and trying to grow the pie by attracting new players, especially when it comes to women and young people.

In some respects, Hall said, a large number of people now in their 20s, 30s, and early 40s are not involved with the game because they were not actively introduced to it and encouraged to play it. The industry seems intent on not making this same mistake with today’s young people.

Indeed, it is being more aggressive in getting them on the course through programs like the PGA Junior League, which creates teams of young people who practice together and play against teams from other area courses in an effort to introduce them and ease them into a game they can play into their 90s.

Springfield’s municipal courses have not participated in the program to date, but Hall plans to change that because of the program’s proven success in generating enthusiasm for the game.

“We just have to get golfers out there,” he explained. “We have to get these young kids to start to understand the game a little bit; it starts at the junior level, and if we can start to develop those skills a little bit and develop a love for the game at that age, we can grow the game.”

For this issue and its focus on sports and leisure, BusinessWest talked with a number of area club owners and operators and pros to gauge what the 2019 season holds. In most all respects, it holds more of what’s been seen over the past decade, which means still more grinding things out.

Course of Action

As he offered BusinessWest a quick tour of Twin Hills to highlight the latest changes and improvements, Cardaropoli stopped by the first tee. There, he asked one of the attendants to bring around one of the new four-passenger golf carts the club put into operation last year.

The majority of the club’s golfers make a point of walking, he noted with a discernable dose of pride, adding quickly that, for those who want or need a lift, the new carts have proven to be quite popular, especially with young families.

“Dad can go out with two or three kids, and they can all ride together,” he said, adding that, while this was the constituency everyone had in mind when the carts were ordered, others have taken a liking to them as well.

Ryan Hall says it’s imperative for those in the golf business to grow

Ryan Hall says it’s imperative for those in the golf business to grow the market by encouraging young people to take up the game.

“Older members are saying that this is a way they can be more sociable — they like them, too,” said Cardaropoli, adding that they are also popular with some playing in the many charitable tournaments hosted by the club, especially those where pace of play is generally slow and four people driving around in the same cart hunting down golf balls won’t slow things down any further.

In many ways, these four-passenger carts are an example of how Twin Hills, and all clubs, are reacting to changing forces around them. They’re responding with strategies to perhaps bring more people into the game and also make it more enjoyable.

And it’s all necessary because, unlike 20 years ago, as Tigermania was sweeping the country and clubs merely had to open the register and point to the first tee, now they have to work at it — and work pretty hard.

Assessing the situation, Dave DiRico, owner of DiRico’s Golf & Racquet in West Springfield, a course pro for more than 30 years, and a close observer of the region’s golf market (for obvious reasons), said the laws of supply and demand have certainly caught up with the golf industry — nationally and also locally.

In short, there’s more supply than current levels of demand would dictate. That’s great for people looking for tee times, but not for course owners facing ever-climbing expenses for everything from personnel to fertilizer and an ultra-competitive market where raising prices is essentially not an option.

All this has led to a thinning of the herd. In late 2017, Southwick Country Club was sold to a residential real-estate developer, and houses are now taking shape along the old fairways. And in Amherst, Hickory Ridge Country Club has closed and will become a solar farm.

These developments certainly benefit the courses remaining in those respective areas, said DiRico, noting that Agawam’s four public courses, Wesfield’s three, and the two remaining in Southwick all picked up some business from the closure of Southwick Country Club. Likewise, remaining courses in Amherst and neighboring Belchertown stand to benefit from Hickory Ridge’s demise.

But the market is still saturated with both public and private courses, he went on, adding that, to be successful, operations must focus on the total experience and not just 18 holes — although that’s a big part of it. And they have to put all of their facilities to work generating revenue.

This is nothing new, really — it’s always been this way — but in this environment, such diversity takes on heightened importance.

“A lot of clubs are doing functions now — weddings, showers, whatever they can book,” said DiRico. “That’s a big part of supplementing their revenue; they need to do those things.

“You need food and beverage,” he went on. “That’s a big revenue center. Years ago, many of the courses didn’t have elaborate food and beverage operations; now they’re adding them because they’re so important.”

Elaborating, he said such amenities enable clubs to book more tournaments because they can handle not only the golf but the networking, dinner, and awards presentation that come after — one-stop shopping that tournament organizers desire, and often demand.

Franconia has historically lost some events and been able to handle only the golf side of many tournaments because it didn’t have a facility on site, said Hall, adding that this will change this year with the addition of a large pavilion built late last year.

It’s a simple structure that is not enclosed, but still, it will enable tournament organizers to stage a dinner on site, rather than forcing participants to drive to the nearby Elks lodge or an area restaurant. And Hall said he can already see the impact in the number of events he’s booking this offseason.

“Having that pavilion is going to help us a great deal — we’re really growing that outside tournament business already,” he told BusinessWest. “People are excited about it, and they want to take advantage of it.”

Going for the Green

Looking back on his first 10 years of ownership at Twin Hills, Cardaropoli said a number of factors have contributed to the club’s turnaround.

He listed everything from some good fortune in the form of some private clubs moving to a semi-private format (Crestview and nearby Elmcrest, for example) and some struggles at other clubs, to strict policies at Twin Hills regarding assessments (there are none) and rate structures — the only real deals are given to long-standing members.

“A lot of clubs are doing functions now — weddings, showers, whatever they can book. That’s a big part of supplementing their revenue; they need to do those things.”

But the real keys have been continuous investments in all aspects of the property, from the course itself to the banquet rooms to other facilities.

Like the pool area, which is currently being expanded to create a larger play area for children, said Cardaropoli, who pointed out the ongoing work while offering his tour.

Meanwhile, on the course, work will start soon on the second and 11th holes — drainage, bunker work, and more — following improvements made last year to the seventh and eighth holes to enlarge the greens, reposition bunkers, and remove dozens of trees, a step taken to help improve drainage and even speed up play.

“Every year, we have a course designer come in and help us renovate the golf course, and every year we end up doing complete renovations on several holes,” he explained. “This past year, we removed 225 trees from the golf course, which makes it a lot healthier and able to dry up quicker after we have rains.”

Ongoing improvements are needed to retain members and attract new ones, he went on, adding that investments in the banquet facilities have also opened the door to additional bookings of weddings and other events, key revenue generators that help enable Twin Hills to avoid the assessments that have plagued other clubs.

And while private clubs are a breed apart in the golf industry, a focus on the customer and providing value are needed at all clubs, said DiRico, who noted, again, that the equation must involve more than just golf.

“To be more successful, clubs have to be more universal in what they provide,” he told BusinessWest. “And that’s not just for public golf, but private golf as well. The private clubs have to do a better job of keeping the families there — they have to be value-added facilities, and by that I mean that it’s not just golf anymore.”

But golf is the foundation for most of those other revenue streams, said those we spoke with, so it’s imperative to bring new players into the game. And the obvious focal point is young people, said Hall, adding that the PGA Junior League has enjoyed a great deal of success in this realm.

“You take kids and create teams — in Springfield, we could probably have one to three teams of maybe 12 kids — and you give them practice once a week, and then we set up matches against other clubs,” he explained, adding that the team format and scramble mode of play (everyone goes to where the best shot came down and plays from there) help ease people into a game that is in many ways daunting and even scary.

“You get kids who may be intimidated by golf because they don’t want to play off their own ball or be by themselves, so you play that scramble format and as a team against other kids their age,” Hall went on. “You develop their skills that way, and this is imperative to growing the game.”

Imaginative Strokes

DiRico said that, despite all the rain last year — or maybe in part because of it — he had his best year since he opened his store eight years ago.

He theorizes that people who couldn’t play focused at least some of those energies on buying new equipment and accessories for when they could play. It’s just a theory, and he listed several more solid reasons why business was so good in 2018 and the first three months of 2019.

These include everything from the store’s fitting services — no one should play clubs off the rack anymore — to the hot new drivers that everyone wants.

Whatever the reason, that side of the golf business is apparently holding its own. The rest of it? It’s as challenging as ever, as any club taking the 10-year challenge can attest.

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

Palmer Seeks to Boost Its Destination Status

By
Charlie Blanchard says Palmer continues to make progress
Community Spotlight

Community Spotlight

Charlie Blanchard says Palmer continues to make progress

Charlie Blanchard says Palmer continues to make progress in its commerce centers and with green-energy projects.

Palmer’s leaders see the town as a destination — and hope the myriad players investigating east-west passenger rail service in Massachusetts view it the same way.

That’s why the Palmer Town Council recently established a citizens’ advisory committee and contracted with the UMass Center for Economic Development to study — and prepare a report on — the merits of an east-west passenger rail stop in Palmer, to be submitted to the state advisory committee currently looking into the feasibility of expanded east-west passenger service.

Those efforts included a recent meeting with community members to brainstorm about the pros and cons of the entire concept of east-west rail and Palmer’s place on any proposed line.

“Originally, the discussion was to have a relatively high-speed east-west route between, say, Boston and Springfield, or Boston, Worcester, Springfield,” said Charlie Blanchard, Palmer’s town manager. “If you add a stop in Palmer, what does it do to the timing? In fact, the timing doesn’t change that much. But the big benefit would be more ridership coming in or getting off the train, which would be a big deal.”

In a recent letter to state Sen. Anne Gobi, who attended the community meeting, Blanchard pointed out that Palmer is roughly central to Springfield and Worcester, and also at the center of a market that extends north to Amherst — and to institutions like UMass Amherst and Amherst College — and south to Storrs and the University of Connecticut. In short, it’s a point of connection in many directions that would benefit from expanded rail service.

Palmer at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1775
Population: 13,050 (2015)
Area: 32 square miles
County: Hampden
Tax Rate, residential and commercial: Palmer, $22.14; Three Rivers, $22.90; Bondsville, $22.97; Thorndike, $23.78
Median Household Income: $41,443
Median Family Income: $49,358
Type of government: Town Manager; Town Council
Largest Employers: Baystate Wing Hospital; Sanderson MacLeod Inc., Camp Ramah of New England; Big Y
* Latest information available

Furthermore, the absence of a stop in what’s nicknamed the Town of Seven Railroads would mean commuters from the Quaboag region who want to travel by train to Boston would have to drive roughly 40 minutes per day to use Springfield’s Union Station or slightly more to access Worcester. Participants at the meeting believed Palmer-area residents would be loath to do either, limiting total ridership at a time when the state would be clamoring to maximize it.

In addition, “a train stop in Palmer would be a major stimulus in helping to provide quality housing for commuters at an affordable price. With the ability to commute by train, this would open up a very affordable housing market,” Blanchard wrote in his letter, adding that a stop would also stimulate the economy of a set of communities that have yet to capture the growth found to the east, while boosting Palmer’s own downtown revitalization and encouraging hospitality companies to build more lodging there.

In short, it would inject energy into a town that, while it has plenty to tout in recent years, could always use more.

Projects and Progress

Baystate Wing Hospital’s $17.2 million project to expand its Emergency Department was perhaps the town’s biggest development last year. Aimed at better supporting the current annual patient volume of 24,000 visits, the 17,800-square-foot space includes separate ambulance and public entryways and features 20 patient rooms, including trauma, behavioral health, and other dedicated specialty-care areas.

“That opened in September, and was quite a big expansion,” Blanchard said.

Meanwhile, Palmer joined the ranks of the many Western Mass. communities to welcome the burgeoning cannabis industry in Massachusetts (see story, page 6), approving its first medical-marijuana facility on Chamber Road, including a 25,000-square-foot greenhouse and 3,200 square feet of retail space. Altitude Organic Corp. will move its headquarters from Colorado to a property on Thorndike Street in Palmer as part of the development, and expects to have plants growing in an indoor facility by October.

“It really is interesting to see the public acceptance of this new type of business,” Blanchard added, noting that the town’s laws allow for three retail cannabis locations in its commercial business district. “We’re looking forward to having them and seeing how successful they can be.”

In the Three Rivers section of town, progress continues at 2032 Main St., where the South Middlesex Opportunity Council is renovating the top floor to apartments and the bottom to retail — a mixed-use plan expected to infuse new residents into the neighborhood while attracting more shoppers.

“They ran into some structural issues — it was a bigger project than they thought — but activity continues,” Blanchard said. “It was completely gutted, and they had to do some reinforcing, but now it’s back on track.”

Property and business owners in Three Rivers have been engaging in a grass-roots revitalization effort for years, which includes changing the perception of the area and filling vacant storefronts. At the same time, the consortium known as On the Right TRACK (Three Rivers Arts Community Knowledge) has been working for some time to build a cultural and creative economy in the village.

On the culinary front in town, Stables Restaurant of Hadley recently opened a new restaurant at Burgundy Brook, on Route 181 on the north side of town. “When you go by there, you see a lot of cars and a lot of activity,” Blanchard noted.

Finally, the new rail spur installed at Sherwood Lumber Yard, in the town’s industrial park — a project that has been in the works since 2013, and funded through an Industrial Rail Access Program grant — allows the business to bring in materials by train, spurring significant expansion of the operation and helping the entire industrial park by unloading without clogging up other traffic.

“Now that the rail spur is completed, there’s more activity up there,” Blanchard said. “It also helped increase the rail capacity for the rest of the businesses there.”

Powering an Economy

Palmer also continues to embrace green-energy projects. In addition to 10 large-scale solar projects — producing 29.3 megawatts of electricity every year — and the installationin early 2018 of car-charging stations at Town Hall and the public library, the town has been working with Thorndike Energy and the Microgrid Institute to explore the benefits of a microgrid system that would access the hydropower and solar power generated at Thorndike Mills for emergency power.

“Thorndike Energy has hyropower over there, and generates electricity through hydropower,” Blanchard said. “They’re going to be adding some solar to it as well. You take those two renewable sources of electricity, and you add battery or other types of standby storage, so that you can store some of this power generated through a renewable source, and have it available in the event of an emergency.”

Project objectives include improved resiliency of electrical services for critical community facilities, expanded storage capacity to better integrate local renewable energy, and supporting National Grid goals in terms of modernization, storage, and renewables. Then, of course, there’s the benefit of job growth and retention.

“Obviously, anything located at Thorndike Mills would benefit from it,” Blanchard said. “The benefit to overall economic growth would be to attract new businesses to Thorndike Mills, which right now is pretty underutilized. It would enhance their marketability to show they have this renewable stored energy there.”

It’s just one way in which Palmer is generating energy from an economic-development standpoint, and raising its profile as a destination and a connecting point to the rest of Central Mass. — a role it will continue to embrace regardless of the eventual fate of any east-west rail line.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

JA Celebrates 100 Years of Providing Life Lessons

By
Jennifer Connelly, left, and Dawn Creighton
Nonprofit Management

In Good Company

Jennifer Connelly, left, and Dawn Creighton

Jennifer Connelly, left, and Dawn Creighton display promotional materials for the JA Inspire program’s career-exploration fair set for May 28.

The 100th Anniversary Gala for Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts will have a decidedly ’20s flair — as in the 1920s. In fact, the theme is “The Roaring ’20s are Back.”

Attendees are encouraged, but not required, to come in period dress, a challenge that Jennifer Connelly, executive director of the local JA chapter, met (with considerable help from her daughter) by doing a hard search online that yielded the appropriate dress as well as a headband with a feather.

“I’ll have the long gloves and the long cigarette holder — a full outfit; it will be very interesting to see what people come up with to mark the ’20s,” she said with a trace of understatement in her voice.

But while the gala will amount to an effort to turn back the clock in many respects, Junior Achievement, and especially its Western Mass. chapter, have been turning the clock forward, focusing on the 2020s — and the decades to follow — with a host of programs that are seemingly far removed from the organization’s original mission to introduce young people to the principles of business — but then again, not very far removed at all.

Programs like JA Inspire.

Created by a coalition of education and industry leaders led by JA of Western Mass., this endeavor is designed to introduce young people to industry sectors and careers, and also provide awareness of what skills will be needed to thrive in those settings.

At the heart of the initiative is a massive career fair set for May 28 at the MassMutual Center that won’t follow the typical model for such events.

Actually, it will, but the audience will be decidedly different. Instead of people looking for jobs they can enter in a few weeks or even a few days, those roaming the aisles will be middle- and high-school students gaining information on jobs they might fill sometime in the next decade.

“We’re going to have representatives of a number of industry clusters, and we’ll also have representatives of the post-secondary schools in this area,” said Connelly, “so students can understand that there is a pathway to a career that they might be interested in.”

In many respects, JA has always been about identifying and illuminating pathways, and JA Inspire is just one example of how this nonprofit has stayed true to its original mission while also evolving over the years and expanding into programs, 23 of them in all, for students in grades K-12, said Connelly.

These programs provide lessons in everything from how government works to how large a slice of one’s paycheck the IRS takes; from how global the global economy truly is to the all-important difference between a ‘want’ and a ‘need’ when it comes to how one spends their money, she said, adding that, to get these messages across, JA relies (as it has throughout its history) on volunteers.

“We try to make that match between what they’re learning and why it’s important, and it’s very rewarding work.”

People like Sharon Dufour, chief financial officer at Ludlow-based LUSO Federal Credit Union and a JA volunteer for more than 30 years, 20 of them in this market. She has been instrumental in bringing JA programs into schools in the Wilbraham/Ludlow area, and also in moving beyond traditional school-banking initiatives — where students learn the basics of banking — and into financial literacy.

She’s taught at all levels, including seventh grade and a program called “JA is My Future,” which helps students understand the value of what they’re learning.

“It helps them understand the skills they’ll need for specific jobs,” she explained,” adding that, in the last full school year, LUSO helped coordinate 130 classes for Junior Achievement, reaching 2,810 students. “We try to make that match between what they’re learning and why it’s important, and it’s very rewarding work.”

Julie Ann Pelletier agreed. A retired transplant to the Berkshires just over a decade ago, she was looking for volunteer work to take on and certainly found it with JA — she now coordinates the agency’s programs across the Berkshires.

One of them is an initiative to promote entrepreneurship in high-school students, for which they needed a product that students could design, make, market, and sell. Pelletier helped inspire one — crocheted hats (she teaches that art).

Fast-forwarding, she said she wound up teaching a number of Putnam Vocational Academy students that skill, and a few of them went on to start their own businesses and eventually win business competitions as they moved their ventures forward.

“I’m 72, and they’re 17, so they called it ‘Twisting the Generations,’ — it was the old school teaching the new school,” she said, summing up quickly and efficiently what JA, and its volunteers, have been doing for the past century.

For this issue and its focus on nonprofits, BusinessWest examines all that JA is celebrating as its marks an important milestone — 100 years of not only teaching young people about business, but preparing them for all that life can throw at them.

Getting Down to Business

Connelly told BusinessWest that JA’s 100th birthday bash will be a year-long celebration, one that has a number of goals, from honoring the past to raising awareness of its many programs and initiatives in an effort to ensure sustainability.

It will be capped, in most respects, by a series of events on Sept. 28, when JA National, as it’s called, which is based in Colorado, will stage JA Day at the Big E, home to the first Junior Achievement building ever erected — funded by Horace Moses, president of Strathmore Paper Co., and one of three men who founded JA in 1919. There will be a parade, speeches, and a dinner, and Connelly is expecting representatives from many of the 107 JA chapters nationwide to be in attendance.

Jennifer Connelly says JA has evolved considerably

Jennifer Connelly says JA has evolved considerably over the past century, but remains true to its original mission.

Locally, the immediate focus is on the May 4 gala, to be staged at MGM Springfield, an event expected to draw more than 300 people. The list of attendees includes two descendants of U.S. Sen. Murray Crane of Massachusetts, another of the founders (the third was Theodore Vail, president of AT&T), as well as a representative of Strathmore Paper.

So there will be significant ties to the past, said Connelly, adding that the gala will honor the agency’s founders, but also all the change and evolution that has come over the past century, and there has been quite a bit of both, as her quick history lesson shows.

“When they founded JA 100 years ago, it started off with what they called the company program,” she explained. “Students came together, formed a company, and sold a product; they envisioned a way to help young people transitioning from an agrarian-based economy to a manufacturing-based economy.”

A glass display case in the front lobby of the JA’s offices on the second floor of Tower Square holds artifacts that speak to those early days of the company program, everything from ribbons awarded at a competition in the mid-1920s to a wooden lamp built by area high-school students to later sell. (Connelly isn’t sure of the date on that item, but guesses it’s from the mid-’70s.

The student-company initiative continues to this day, she said proudly, noting that a number of area high schools run the program after school, during the summer, and as part of the regular school day.

Pathfinder Regional High School, for example, has expanded its program to includes a Facebook page, she said, adding that one class is enjoying success with selling a brush designed for pets called Brush It Off.

But over the past 30 years or so, JA has taken on a broader role, one certainly in keeping with the founders’ intent, especially within the realm of financial literacy. And that role will likely become deeper still following the passage of a bill in January that allows state education officials to establish standards around financial literacy, which schools could incorporate into their existing curricula in subjects like math, business, and social sciences.

The standards will be guidelines, not a mandate, said Connelly, adding that, for those schools who wish to adopt these guidelines, JA could become a partner in helping to bring those lessons home.

The agency already provides a wide array of financial-literacy programs to students in grades K-12, she noted, citing, as one example, something called the Credit for Life Fair, staged recently at Elms College, a program created for high-school students.

Students essentially choose a field, are given a budget, and are presented a number of options on how to spend their money — from investments to essentials like housing, a car, and groceries, as well as ‘fun’ items. They then visit with a credit counselor to review their choices and discuss the consequences of each one.

“These are great learning experiences,” Connelly said of the fair, several of which are conducted each year. “They actually get to see that, even if they get a good job and make a lot of money, that money doesn’t go too far. And they learn about the importance of having a good credit score; they can be a doctor and make a lot of money, but if they have a bad credit score, that’s going to hurt them down the road.”

The Job at Hand

While JA is providing young people with a look at life in a chosen profession through these Credit for Life programs — well, sort of — it is also introducing them to industry sectors, career paths, and specific jobs through initiatives like the JA Inspire program and the aforementioned event at the MassMutual Center.

The formal name of that gathering is the Inspire Career Exploration Fair, and that’s appropriate, because that’s what the attendees will be doing — exploring. And while they’re doing that, area employers might be getting some help with the biggest problem they face these days — securing a workforce for the future.

“Every employer in every industry sector is experiencing workforce shortages,” said Dawn Creighton, Western Mass. director for Associated Industries of Massachuetts, which came on board as a sponsor of the initiative early on and has been encouraging its members to take part. “People are not ready for the workforce, whether it’s vocational skills, technical skills, soft skills — they’re not ready.”

The career-exploration fair was conceived to help ensure that the next generation of workers is more ready, she went on, by not just introducing young people to career possibilities they may or may not have known about, but also spell out for them what it will take to land such a position in terms of skills and education.

And that’s why the event has caught the attention of businesses in several sectors, from manufacturing to healthcare to financial services, and from every corner of the 413, said Creighton, adding that all see a chance to open some eyes.

“All too often, these types of career days come during the spring of senior year, and by then it’s often too late,” she told BusinessWest. “We need to introduce young people to all the career opportunities out there, and we need to do it earlier.”

Sharon Dufour, long-time volunteer with JA

Sharon Dufour, long-time volunteer with JA, is seen here with third-graders as she provides lessons about zoning and building a city.

Thus, the fair, as noted, is an example of how JA’s mission has evolved and the agency has moved beyond the classroom in many respects. But area schools are where most of JA’s life lessons are delivered, a tradition that began a century ago and continues today through the work of teachers and especially volunteers.

Dufour has worked to recruit them for years and said more are always needed to help JA reach more young people.

“I tell every volunteer I know that it’s the most rewarding experience you can imagine,” she said. “The kids see you; they remember you. I once had a kid come flying across the Stop & Shop to give me a big hug. Her mother said, ‘my daughter does not stop talking about you.’”

Pelletier agreed, and said the rewards from volunteering come in many flavors, especially the satisfaction that comes from seeing a light go on in a young person’s eyes as they realize their potential to take an idea or a skill (like crocheting) and run with it.

“Once people get the basics, they fly,” she said, referring specifically to crocheting, but also to the many principles of business in general. “And it’s incredibly exciting to watch it happen.”

Past Is Prologue

“The future of our country depends upon making every individual fully realize the obligations and responsibilities belonging to citizenship. Habits are formed in youth. What we need in this country now is to teach the growing generations to realize that thrift and economy, coupled with industry, are as necessary now as they were in past generations.”

Theodore Vail spoke those words a century or so ago when JA was in its infancy. But they certainly ring true today, especially that part about habits being formed in youth.

Helping young people develop the right habits has been JA’s informal mission for 100 years now. There are now more ways in which in that mission is being carried out, but it’s still about pathways and putting people on the right ones.

And that’s a proud history worth celebrating.

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

Wig Boutique at CHH Helps Women Look Good, Feel Confident

By
Health Care

Combating ‘Hair Interruption’

By Mark Morris

Joan Quinn, coordinator of the Wig Boutique at the Cancer House of Hope in West Springfield.

Joan Quinn, coordinator of the Wig Boutique at the Cancer House of Hope in West Springfield.

When a cancer patient goes through chemotherapy treatment, feelings of nausea, fatigue, and hair loss are all common physical reactions. For women, loss of hair often adds an emotional element of humiliation and shame.

“I don’t call it hair loss; I call it hair interruption,” said Joan Quinn, coordinator for the Wig Boutique at the Cancer House of Hope (CHH) in West Springfield, who sees her mission as helping women look good and feel better about themselves while their hair grows back.

And she is passionate about her work, as will become abundantly clear.

The Center for Human Development (CHD) runs the Cancer House of Hope as a free community resource to provide comfort and support in a home-like atmosphere for anyone going through cancer treatment. Yoga classes and Reiki massage are among the many services offered there.

As for wigs … Joseph Kane, former director of the Cancer House of Hope (he left that position for another opportunity earlier this month), admits that, while they’ve always been available, they were often treated as an afterthought.

“If someone asked for a wig, we’d pull one out of a plastic tub, and it usually looked like it had bed head; it wasn’t ideal,” he said, adding that this important service has come a long way in recent years thanks to Quinn, who not only provided the drive to create and stock a boutique where there was none, but also staff it with volunteers, maintain a steady inventory, and raise needed funding to keep the operation thriving.

Our story begins with a visit to CHH by one of Quinn’s neighbors, who left her tour thinking that the wig service, such as it was, needed serious help, and that Quinn, a cosmetology-field veteran of more than 50 years who spent 26 years teaching the subject at Springfield Technical Community College, was just the person to provide that help.

“If someone asked for a wig, we’d pull one out of a plastic tub, and it usually looked like it had bed head; it wasn’t ideal.”

“My neighbor said, ‘oh, Joan, I know your standards, and this doesn’t meet them. You should stop in and see them.’”

She did, and this was, coincidentally, after an answered prayer left her looking for a way to give back — and in a big way.

Indeed, a few years earlier, Quinn’s son suffered from a heart condition that required a transplant. As he was living in Iowa City, Quinn flew there to help. “During that time, I prayed that he would receive a heart transplant and promised God that, if he lived, I’d give back tenfold.”

Her son did receive a transplant and is healthy today.

Feeling that she now had to deliver on her promise, Quinn had no idea how she could help the American Heart Assoc. But when the need for a better wig situation presented itself at CHH, she knew immediately she could make a difference.

And she has. Now in operation for more than three years, the Wig Boutique is currently booking appointments five days a week with three volunteer consultants. Quinn estimates the facility has provided more than 300 wigs for cancer patients since opening.

For this issue and its focus on healthcare, BusinessWest explores how the Wig Boutique came to be and why the services it provides are so important to women battling cancer.

Root of the Problem

As she retold the story of how the boutique was launched, Quinn noted that, under some health-insurance plans, cancer patients can purchase a wig and get reimbursed after the fact. In order to be covered under MassHealth, cancer patients must travel to its contracted wig provider located in Worcester.

When Kane learned that three wig providers in the area went out of business, the thought of a dedicated wig program began to sound like a viable idea.

“When I met Joan, she had a vision to make the wig boutique feel like a higher-end service,” Kane said. Likewise, Quinn credits Kane for what she called his “blind faith” that she could convert one of the rooms in the Cancer House of Hope into a boutique on a zero budget.

Volunteer Jan D’Orazio in the Wig Boutique.

Volunteer Jan D’Orazio in the Wig Boutique.

The energetic Quinn began by figuring out how many wigs CHH had and how to get them into presentable shape. Tapping into her network, she convinced her former teaching colleagues at STCC to open their cosmetology classrooms during summer break and made arrangements to have 110 wigs washed. “We even brought in people who didn’t know how to wash wigs, but we taught them.”

Now with a starting inventory, Quinn needed to purchase shelving material and clean lighting for the room. “It had to be organized, and it had to be cheerful,” she explained. “I could not envision people coming in to look through a tub of wigs.”

Before she even had shelves, Quinn approached local businesses and asked them to sponsor $20 shelf tags to be placed in front of each displayed wig. In a short time, she raised enough to pay for the building materials.

While planning the design of the room at the Home Depot, Quinn lamented that she had enough money for materials but not enough to cover labor. The Home Depot associate told her about a program the store sponsors where it would pay for the labor as a donation, a big step toward executing Quinn’s vision.

The finished room resembles a true boutique, displaying 59 wigs under clean lighting with a fitting chair and a full-length mirror. Kane said the boutique provides a unique experience for cancer patients.

“It gives someone who is losing her hair a chance to come in, meet with a professional, and leave with something that does not look like a wig — all for free,” he told BusinessWest. “It’s really powerful.”

When women first come in for a consultation, Quinn said, they are often reliving the horror of having cancer and confronting the reality of their hair falling out.

“Many of the women we see are depressed and fearful of taking off their head covering,” Quinn said. “While we can’t take away their fear, we reassure them that we work with many people in their situation and that this is a safe place.”

She added that the dozens of wigs displayed in the room help to shift the women’s focus away from themselves and onto which style of wig they might want.

“Current wig styles change quickly, so we’re always looking for new styles and quality wigs,” she noted, adding that she approached Sally’s Beauty Supply in West Springfield and left her name on a piece of paper to call if they ever had wigs they wanted to donate. The manager of Sally’s happened to pin Quinn’s contact information on a bulletin board, and one day, when the company discontinued its line of high-end wigs, Quinn got the call and filled two shopping carts with donated wigs. In addition to local donations, CHH receives wig and accessory donations from as far away as North Carolina and California.

Quinn told BusinessWest she is grateful for her network of volunteers and professionals, whom she refers to as her “angels.” She works with many salons in the area whose owners are often former students.

Quinn approached salons with a fundraising idea for the Wig Boutique called “Hang Cancer Out to Dry,” consisting of a small, desk-sized clothesline where customers can attach cash donations with miniature clothespins.

“In its first 17 months, this effort has raised more than $10,000,” Quinn said, adding that it’s not unusual for a salon owner to raise $300 from customer donations and then match it with a $300 donation of their own.

While Quinn pursues donations with great drive and enthusiasm, she also goes after volunteers the same way. Jan D’Orazio was shopping for Christmas decorations at Michael’s when Quinn approached her and asked if she was a hairdresser. D’Orazio replied that many years ago she was, but hadn’t done it in a long time.

“I must have been having a good hair day, because the next thing I knew, Joan was showing me pictures of the boutique on her iPad and encouraging me to join her,” said D’Orazio. “By the time I got to my car, I said, ‘what did I just agree to do?’”

Quinn freely admits she chased down D’Orazio and is glad she did. “Jan is very calm, and she makes people feel comfortable.”

Joni Provost also works with D’Orazio and Quinn as a volunteer coordinator for the Wig Boutique. The three women provide consulting services on selecting wigs. They do not cut or style the wigs, but encourage having that done at a hairdresser. Quinn said sometimes a woman brings along her hairdresser to the boutique. “We want people to feel this could be their hair and their length.”

A Cut Above

D’Orazio said one of the most rewarding parts of working at the Wig Boutique is seeing her clients change in demeanor.

She said many women who come in are feeling down and have what she described as a “cancer look.” The consultation helps to brighten their day and change their whole outlook.

“Last week, a lady came in who is fighting her third bout with breast cancer. When she was getting ready to leave, she was so happy and told me, ‘I feel like Cinderella; I don’t look like I have cancer anymore.’”

Those sentiments speak to how the boutique is providing not only hair and a certain look, but a chance for women to feel better about themselves as they confront perhaps the most difficult time in their lives.

Thus, it’s changing lives in a profound way.

Wyckoff’s New Owners Have Ambitious Plans for Facility

By
From left, Charlie Arment and Elizabeth and Bob VanZandt
Sports & Leisure

More History to Write

From left, Charlie Arment and Elizabeth and Bob VanZandt

From left, Charlie Arment and Elizabeth and Bob VanZandt stand in the main ballroom at Wyckoff Country Club, one of its many facilities that have undergone a facelift.

None of the members of the new ownership team at Wyckoff Country Club in Holyoke had spent any time on the golf course — or in the golf business — prior to their acquisition earlier this year.

But they did know a few things about what they were getting into. Actually, more than a few.

They knew how to run a business — Bob VanZandt Sr. has operated American Tire Sales & Service in Springfield for nearly 40 years, and Charlie Arment has been at the helm of Charlie Arment Trucking in Springfield, a 65-year-old family business, since 1978.

Beyond that, well, they knew that there was still some history to be written at Wyckoff, originally known as Mount Tom Country Club, a Donald Ross design that has seen many changes over the decades and, like most all clubs, has suffered greatly in recent years as interest in the game has waned.

Most importantly, the new owners — VanZandt and his wife, Elizabeth, and Arment and his brother, William — who acquired the property from long-time owner Clarence “Clarky” Wojtowicz, understood that the golf business isn’t really the golf business anymore. Instead, it’s the entertainment and hospitality business, with golf as a big part of the equation, and they believe that Wyckoff, after some renovations and additions to the landscape, could certainly thrive in that environment.

“It’s more than the golf here — you have to diversify, which we did,” said VanZandt. “We’ll be able to make it because of the banquet facilities upstairs and downstairs, the kitchen, and the golf shop; it’s an attractive package.”

But it’s a package that needed some work, to be sure, and the new owners are supplementing their original purchase of the property — roughly 120 acres in total —with additional investments in both the course and, especially, the clubhouse, in an effort to capitalize on what they consider an attractive location (just off I-91 roughly halfway between Springfield and Northampton) and a solid foundation on which to build.

“No one wanted Wyckoff to go away. While some of the members had questions and concerns, this is what they wanted to see happen here — some improvements inside and out and attention to what the members wanted.”

Elaborating, VanZandt said the course — altered significantly by the construction of I-91 in the mid-’60s — is a hidden gem to many but certainly appreciated by members. Meanwhile, the main banquet facility is one of the largest in the region and can seat 470 for weddings and other events.

“There aren’t many rooms like that in this region — not many places where you can have a wedding or Christmas party or other event and host nearly 500 people,” he noted. “And there’s another room downstairs that holds 130 for bridal showers, brunches, and other events.”

Describing the work done inside to date, VanZandt and Arment said it involves modernizing and improving many of the facilities while also making some needed additions. Regarding the former, VanZandt started with a reference to a hallway on the lower level.

“This was all covered with green wallpaper — I think it was from the ’80s, but it might have been the ’60s; I’m not sure. Anyway, it needed to go,” he said, pointing to the bright white paint on the wall.

Meanwhile, a major renovation of the smaller, lower-level banquet room is underway, replacing wood paneling from several decades ago with a much more modern look. And just off a 19th hole that has been given a minor facelift, work is set to begin on a large patio that will be used by members and event attendees alike.

There are a number of events, said Elizabeth VanZandt, referring to everything from a recent St. Patrick’s Day dinner to planned brunches on Easter and Mother’s Day; from a Friday-night winter concert series to a tradition at Wyckoff known simply as ‘Wednesday Burger Night,’ a name that tells you all you need to know.

Bob VanZandt and Charlie Arment stand near a new patio that will soon be built at Wyckoff.

Bob VanZandt and Charlie Arment stand near a new patio that will soon be built at Wyckoff.

A sign of the times —

A sign of the times — literally; clubs like Wyckoff are now hosting a number of non-golf events to maximize revenues from their various facilities.

Meanwhile, on the course, Charlie Arment Trucking, which has done work on several area golf courses, has started on a number of projects at Wyckoff. Plans call for repairing sand traps, cleaning up ponds, renovating cart paths, clearing overgrown brush and trees, and restoring the ‘Wyckoff Country Club’ sign visible from I-91.

“The course was in pretty tough shape, but we’ve had people out cleaning it and getting it ready,” said Arment, adding that, while there was a soft opening in late March, the course will not be officially open until the end of this month, with the first tournaments scheduled for early May.

Summing up their plans, the new owners said they plan to continue things as they have been for the past 60 years or so — but, as noted, also make some much-needed improvements and additions. They knew considerable work was needed, but wanted to hear from members about what they thought, and received generous amounts of feedback at a meeting early this past winter.

“We asked them what they wanted, and we’re fulfilling what they wanted, and that’s what bringing membership back up,” said VanZandt, adding that the list of requests included everything from much-needed work on the sand traps to new lighting and carpeting in the 19th hole.

Moving forward, the new owners plan to be aggressive in getting the word out about Wyckoff through some targeted marketing, and they said that word-of-mouth marketing has already generated a solid response.

Membership that once exceeded 400 is now closer to 150, and the new owners obviously hope their investments and ongoing work to get the message out will bring that number considerably higher.

“No one wanted Wyckoff to go away,” Arment said. “While some of the members had questions and concerns, this is what they wanted to see happen here — some improvements inside and out and attention to what the members wanted. We’re seeing very positive feedback — a lot of past members are very interested in getting involved again.”

If this trend continues, then a course with some rich history can continue adding new chapters to that discourse for decades to come.

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

That’s One Item on the Agenda at Employment Law Conference

By
Employment

Understanding PFML

John Gannon says there are always hot topics within the broad realm of employment law. And sometimes — actually quite often these days — there are what he called “sizzling hot” topics.

The state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) law certainly falls in that latter category. Provisions of the bill, specifically the contributions to be paid by employers, go into effect on July 1. The actual law itself doesn’t take effect until Jan. 1, 2021, but the time between now and then will go by quickly, said Gannon, an employment-law specialist with Springfield-based Skoler, Abbott & Presser, adding that employers should do whatever they can to be ready. And there are things they can do, which we’ll get to in a minute.

First, the law itself. Gannon used the single word ‘scary’ to describe it, and he was referring to the reaction of employers large and small who simply don’t know how this piece of legislation, which makes the acronym PFML a new and important part of the business lexicon, will affect their business but have a good right to be scared because of how generous it is.

“This is a payroll tax at its core. So I think employers are going to have questions about how and whether they’re going to be billed, what their tax contributions are going to be, and other concerns.”

Gannon is expecting the Paid Family and Medical Leave Law to be among the main focal points of conversation at the firm’s annual Labor and Employment Law Conference, set for May 21 at the Sheraton Springfield. The conference is staged each year to help local businesses stay abreast of laws and regulations relating to labor issues, said Gannon, and this year there will certainly be a number of issues to discuss. Indeed, breakout sessions are slated on a host of topics, including PFML; wage-and-hour mistakes; harassment, discrimination, and why employers get sued; a labor and employment-law update, how to handle requests for reasonable accommodations (there will be a panel discussion on that topic); and how to conduct an internal investigation.

But Gannon told BusinessWest that paid family and medical leave will likely be the focus of much of the discussion and many of the questions, primarily because the law represents a significant change in the landscape, and business owners and human resources personnel have questions about what’s coming at them.

The first of these questions concerns the contributions to start July 1.

“This is a payroll tax at its core,” he explained. “So I think employers are going to have questions about how and whether they’re going to be billed, what their tax contributions are going to be, and other concerns.”

A 30-page set of draft regulations was recently released by the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development’s Department of Family and Medical Leave, and that same office has issued a toolkit for employers with information on everything from remitting and paying contributions to notifying their workforce to applying for exemptions.

There’s quite a bit to keep track of, said Gannon, adding that, under the new law, Massachusetts employees will be eligible to take up to 12 weeks of paid family leave (up to 26 weeks in certain circumstances) and up to 20 weeks of paid medical leave. In most cases, leave may be taken intermittently or on a reduced-schedule basis.

Family leave can be taken to bond with a new child, for qualifying exigency related to a family member on (or called to) active duty or to care for a family member who is in the service, or to care for a family member with a “serious health condition.” Medical leave can be taken for the employee’s own “serious health condition.”

 

John S. Gannon

John S. Gannon

“Someone has a medical impairment, and they need a new chair, or someone needs to change their schedule — they can’t work mornings anymore — or whatever the change in job structure they’re requesting … these matters can get complicated. How do companies handle these requests? Do they have to grant them? How do they work with employees? These are all questions this panel will address.”

In most cases, the annual cap for family leave is 12 weeks, 20 weeks for medical leave, and 26 weeks total cap for both, if needed.

The employee must give at least 30 days notice of the need for leave or as much notice as practicable. The weekly benefit amount maximum is $850 to start; in future years, it will be capped at 64% of state average weekly wage. The weekly benefits will be funded by contributions from payroll deductions into a state trust fund. The initial rate will be 0.063% of the employee’s wages. Employers may require employees to contribute up to 40% toward medical leave and up to 100% for family leave. Employers with fewer than 25 employees are exempt from paying the employer share of the contributions.

Employers must continue employee health-insurance benefits and premium contributions during any period of family or medical leave, said Gannon, and they must restore employees who return from leave to their previous, or an equivalent, position, with the same status, pay, benefits, and seniority, barring intervening layoffs or changed operating conditions.

There are many other conditions and bits of fine print, he told BusinessWest, adding that, while Jan. 1, 2021 is a long seven business quarters away, business owners and managers can and should start to prepare themselves for that day.

They can start by asking questions and getting answers, he said, adding that small businesses with fewer than 50 employees have not had to deal with federal family medical leave regulations and thus are treading into uncharted waters.

“They’re going to have to start thinking about how they’re going to manage this from a staffing perspective,” he said, adding that he is expecting a number of queries along these lines at the May 21 conference and the months to follow.

“Employers have to start thinking about this and getting ready for this now because of how generous the leave portion of this is,” he explained. “This is going to be a real challenge for employers.”

But overall, it’s just one of many challenges facing employers in the wake of the #metoo movement and other forces within employment law, all of which can have a significant impact on a business and its relative health and well-being.

Handling requests for reasonable accommodations is another area of concern, he noted, and that’s why the conference will feature a panel of experts addressing what has become a somewhat tricky subject for many business owners and managers.

“Someone has a medical impairment, and they need a new chair, or someone needs to change their schedule — they can’t work mornings anymore — or whatever the change in job structure they’re requesting … these matters can get complicated,” he explained. “How do companies handle these requests? Do they have to grant them? How do they work with employees? These are all questions this panel will address.”

For more information on the conference, visit skoler-abbott.com/training-programs.

— George O’Brien

YMCA’s Move Is a Risk Worth Taking

By
Opinion

Editorial

The rumors started circulating last fall: The YMCA of Greater Springfield was moving many of its operations into Tower Square in the heart of downtown Springfield.

Soon, the rumors moved to a different plane, a strange one, a place between rumor and fact, where the move was assumed, a proverbial worst-kept secret, but not yet official. And then, it moved to a still-higher level as buildout work began at Tower Square, in earnest, a few weeks ago.

Now the move is official (it was announced late last week), and thus the speculation about what all this means — for the Y, Tower Square, downtown, and the city itself — also escalates to a higher plane.

Suffice it to say this is an intriguing move, one taken out of what amounts to necessity for the Y, which has been facing a number of challenges ranging from declining membership in its fitness center in Springfield to the rising cost of operating and maintaining its nearly half-century-old property on Chestnut Street.

Something needed to happen to give the Y some financial flexibility, some additional visibility, and a chance to grow its programs. Meanwhile, something also needed to happen for the new ownership of Tower Square, which was looking to not only put some vacant space back to revenue-generating use, but also give the facility a spark in terms of everything from foot traffic to much-needed momentum.

It took a while, but the parties came together and came to a deal, one that could substantially alter the fortunes of both entities.

But there are many questions about this move and whether it is going to work for either the Y or Tower Square.

“Something needed to happen to give the Y some financial flexibility, some additional visibility, and a chance to grow its programs. Meanwhile, something also needed to happen for the new ownership of Tower Square …”

Let’s start with the Y. There are already two other health clubs in the heart of downtown and another on the riverfront just a few blocks away. Meanwhile, the Y’s Chestnut Street facility is only a half-mile from Tower Square. So there are naturally questions about whether this move will generate a boost in membership.

Likewise, there are questions, and many of them, about whether Tower Square is the ideal location for Y’s daycare facilities, which are, at this moment in time, its strongest revenue-producing operation. At times, it isn’t easy to get into and out of downtown, and parking will certainly be an issue.

As for Tower Square, the need to fill the large amounts of unused or underutilized space is acute. But are daycare operations and a fitness facility the best use of that space?

Yet, amid all the questions and uncertainty, one thing is clear: this is a bold move for both entities, one that shows large doses of imagination and outside-the-box thinking. And this is what’s needed at both the Y and Tower Square at this time.

Flash back four decades or so, and both were thriving. The Y’s building had recently opened, its membership was large and growing, and the day when there would be gym — or two or three or eight — in every community was still a few decades off. As for Tower Square, it was crammed with thriving retail — clothing stores, record stores, a sporting-goods store, a bookstore, Friendly’s, and much more.

That was then. It seems like a long time ago, because it is. This is now. There is no turning back the clock for either organization, but the clock can be turned forward.

No one really knows if all this is going to work out, but what is known is that neither entity could stand still and simply hope for better days. This move constitutes risk for both parties, a roll of the dice, if you will. But it’s a risk worth taking to secure a better future for both.

At Hampshire College, a Fight to Survive

By
Opinion

Opinion

‘Turmoil’ was already the best word to describe the scene at Hampshire College. And then things got even worse — maybe — with the resignation of president Miriam Nelson (it was announced April 5) and several board members over the past few weeks.

The college is now being led by one of its founders, Ken Rosenthal, and its future is cluttered by even more question marks than there were just a month ago — if that’s possible.

But even as the chaos has escalated, troubled Hampshire, facing huge deficits resulting from sharp declines in enrollment, seems to be in a better place.

We’ll explain. For months, Nelson talked of forging some kind of partnership with another college or university, something akin to arrangements that have helped rescue some other smaller private institutions.

When BusinessWest spoke with Nelson several weeks ago, she talked enthusiastically about finding a partner that could help provide some financial stability but also enable the college to retain some form of independence and still be, well, Hampshire College.

We listened to what she was saying, but with a great deal of skepticism. How could there be a partnership in which Hampshire remained the proudly alternative school that it has been for the past half-century? The quick answer is that there couldn’t be such a partnership.

The students on campus could see this. Alums could see this. Parents of students could see this. That’s why Nelson’s plans were received with not only skepticism but criticism and anger.

As she resigned, she said she had become a distraction from the “important work to establish a sustainable financial model for the school.” And in many ways, she had, although, to be fair, she inherited a serious problem for which there are no easy answers.

Her decisions to seek a partner and later not to accept a full class for next fall polarized the campus in some respects, but it also unified in one important way, we believe.

And that is that some form of consensus may have emerged — that saving a college isn’t the mission here; saving Hampshire College is the mission. There is still some division over what needs to be done, but it seems clear that most students and alums would prefer that, if Hampshire is to survive, it is to survive as an independent institution pledged to continue its unique style and operating flavor.

This was the vote taken by the board of trustees as they were also voting to install Rosenthal as interim president.

Whether the school can raise the money it will take to remain independent and continue operating remains to be seen. The deficits are large, and the problems facing Hampshire and other small private schools are very real.

But it seems that the school and its trustees are resolved to doing things the ‘Hampshire way,’ for lack of a better term, and thus there is perhaps reason for a little optimism amid all this turmoil.

Picture This

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Picture This

A photo essay of recent business events in Western Massachusetts April 15, 2019

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

Women’s Leadership Conference

Bay Path University staged its annual Women’s Leadership Conference on March 29. The theme for the day was “Why Not Me,” and a number of keynote speakers and focus sessions addressed that broad topic.

More than 1,700 people attended the day-long conference

More than 1,700 people attended the day-long conference

luncheon keynote speaker Mel Robbins shares the ‘five-second rule’ with the audience

luncheon keynote speaker Mel Robbins shares the ‘five-second rule’ with the audience

Rita Moreno, winner of an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony, and Golden Globe, was the closing keynote speaker at the conference

Rita Moreno, winner of an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony, and Golden Globe, was the closing keynote speaker at the conference

he sizable contingent from MassMutual poses for a photo

he sizable contingent from MassMutual poses for a photo

Dr. Ann Errichetti, chief operations and academic officer at Presence Health

Dr. Ann Errichetti, chief operations and academic officer at Presence Health

Kate Kane, managing director and wealth-management advisor for Northwestern Mutual, were both inducted into the Women Business Leaders Hall of Fame

Kate Kane, managing director and wealth-management advisor for Northwestern Mutual, were both inducted into the Women Business Leaders Hall of Fame



Cutting the Ribbon

Ribbon-cutting ceremonies were conducted on April 5 for a new medical/professional building at 15 Atwood Dr. in Northampton, a project led by Development Associates and Northwood Development, LLC.

Ken Vincunas, right, president of Development Associates, with Ronald Waskiewicz, assistant chief probation officer, and Michael Carey, Hampshire County register of Probate, both tenants in the building

Ken Vincunas, right, president of Development Associates, with Ronald Waskiewicz, assistant chief probation officer, and Michael Carey, Hampshire County register of Probate, both tenants in the building

from left, Vincunas, Susan O’Leary Mulhern of Northwood Development, Eileen O’Leary Sullivan of Northwood Development, Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz, and Travis Ward of Development Associates

from left, Vincunas, Susan O’Leary Mulhern of Northwood Development, Eileen O’Leary Sullivan of Northwood Development, Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz, and Travis Ward of Development Associates

officials cut the ceremonial ribbon

officials cut the ceremonial ribbon

O’Leary Sullivan addresses those gathered at the ceremony

O’Leary Sullivan addresses those gathered at the ceremony



Partnering with the Sox

As part of its ongoing Worcester expansion, Country Bank is teaming up with the Worcester Red Sox as one of the team’s 21 founding partners in anticipation of its move to Worcester in 2021. The bank’s recent annual annual meeting in Worcester featured a keynote address that included a video of the site of Polar Park narrated by Worcester Red Sox President Charles Steinberg, along with remarks regarding the team’s decision to relocate to Worcester.

Pictured, from left, are Rob Crain, senior vice president of Marketing for the Worcester Red Sox; Shelley Regin, senior vice president of Marketing for Country Bank; Paul Scully, President and CEO of Country Bank, and Jack Verducci, vice president of Corporate Partnerships for the Worcester Red Sox.

Pictured, from left, are Rob Crain, senior vice president of Marketing for the Worcester Red Sox; Shelley Regin, senior vice president of Marketing for Country Bank; Paul Scully, President and CEO of Country Bank, and Jack Verducci, vice president of Corporate Partnerships for the Worcester Red Sox.



Show of Support

The YWCA of Greater Springfield recently hosted a somewhat unusual, but important gathering — a show of support for Cheryl Claprood, the recently named acting police commissioner in Springfield, a role she assumes at a time of considerable controversy within the department.

Claprood, center, with Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi and YWCA Executive Director Elizabeth Dineen, a former prosecutor in Hampden County. Behind them are some of the more than 30 women who attended the event

Claprood, center, with Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi and YWCA Executive Director Elizabeth Dineen, a former prosecutor in Hampden County. Behind them are some of the more than 30 women who attended the event

Dineen addresses the gathering

Dineen addresses the gathering



Visit from the Earl of St. Andrews

Elms College recently received a visit from the Earl of St. Andrews, a senior member of the House of Windsor, the reigning royal house of the United Kingdom.

George Philip Nicholas Windsor, Earl of St. Andrews, is the elder son of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and his wife Katharine, Duchess of Kent. He holds the title Earl of St Andrews as heir apparent to the Dukedom of Kent. The earl stopped by Elms College on his way through Springfield to attend a conference on the Middle East in Washington, D.C., later this week. The conference was co-sponsored by the Next Century Foundation, where he serves as a trustee with retired ambassador Mark Hambley, who is also a trustee of Elms College.

George Philip Nicholas Windsor, Earl of St. Andrews, is the elder son of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and his wife Katharine, Duchess of Kent. He holds the title Earl of St Andrews as heir apparent to the Dukedom of Kent. The earl stopped by Elms College on his way through Springfield to attend a conference on the Middle East in Washington, D.C., later this week. The conference was co-sponsored by the Next Century Foundation, where he serves as a trustee with retired ambassador Mark Hambley, who is also a trustee of Elms College.



Degrees of Progress

Elms College President Harry Dumay, left, and Springfield Technical Community College President John Cook shake hands after signing a partnership agreement to offer accelerated online degree-completion programs in Computer Science and Computer Information Technology and Security. The bachelor’s degree programs are completely online and accelerated, which means students can earn their degree in 14 months after obtaining an associate degree from STCC.

Elms College President Harry Dumay, left, and Springfield Technical Community College President John Cook

Elms College President Harry Dumay, left, and Springfield Technical Community College President John Cook



Berkshire Blueprint 2.0

1Berkshire recently launched the implementation phase of the Berkshire Blueprint 2.0 at ceremonies at the Colonial Theatre in downtown Pittsfield. The event was the culmination of more than 100 interviews, thousands of hours of work, and more than 20 months of planning and design. 1Berkshire President and CEO Jonathan Butler kicked off the primary outline during the launch by recognizing that $1 billion in regional investments have been made in the Berkshires in just the last three years, noting that investment in the Berkshires is “a good bet.” (Photos by Kara Thornton)

John Bissell, President and CEO of Greylock Federal Credit Union, addresses the large crowd

John Bissell, President and CEO of Greylock Federal Credit Union, addresses the large crowd

Butler, left, with Ben Lamb, director of Economic Development for 1Bershire

Butler, left, with Ben Lamb, director of Economic Development for 1Bershire

from left, Betsy Strickler, chief communications officer for Community Health Programs Inc.

from left, Betsy Strickler, chief communications officer for Community Health Programs Inc.Kevin Pink, Economic Development coordinator for 1Berkshire; and Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer



Safety Awards

Peter Pan Bus Lines recently hosted its annual Safety Awards presentation at the Student Prince and the Fort. A total of 175 drivers were recognized for completing 2018 with no accidents, and the company also recognized drivers, operations, and maintenance departments for outstanding customer service and performance.

Michael Drozd was honored as a 2 million-mile driver

Michael Drozd was honored as a 2 million-mile driver

Siyana Abdulbasir received the company’s Customer Excellence Award for outstanding customer service

Siyana Abdulbasir received the company’s Customer Excellence Award for outstanding customer service

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.

CHICOPEE DISTRICT COURT

Evelyn Acevedo v. Louis Richard Casa and A & R Transport Inc.

Allegation: Motor-vehicle negligence: $8,050

Filed: 3/7/19

HAMPDEN DISTRICT COURT

Perkins Paper, LLC v. Plaza Pizza Inc. d/b/a Mike’s Café and Chip King a/k/a Kerry M. King

Allegation: Money owed for goods sold and delivered: $9,550.19

Filed: 3/1/19

Perkins Paper, LLC v. Masona Inc. d/b/a Masona Grill and Manuel Sifnugel

Allegation: Money owed for goods sold and delivered: $9,754.84

Filed: 3/1/19

Perkins Paper, LLC v. Kobhuntre, LLC d/b/a Honey Dew Donuts – Seekonk and Christopher Brierly a/k/a Christopher R. Brierly

Allegation: Money owed for goods sold and delivered: $11,416.19

Filed: 3/1/19

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Cristy-May Delaney v. CleanState Centers Inc.

Allegation: Employment discrimination: $25,000+

Filed: 2/8/19

Nicole Garvey v. Big Y Foods Inc.

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $300,000

Filed: 2/19/19

Craig Camerlin v. Shibley Court, LLC

Allegation: Negligence; mold exposure causing personal injury: $34,500

Filed: 2/20/19

First Student Inc. v. City of Springfield

Allegation: Motor-vehicle negligence causing property damage: $3.279.88

Filed: 2/22/19

Brendan Burke v. Barings, LLC a/k/a Babson Capital Management, LLC

Allegation: Failure to pay wages, failure to pay overtime, breach of contract: $234,000

Filed: 2/26/19

William Reyes v. Gomez Enterprises III d/b/a McDonald’s and Jorge Gomez

Allegation: Failure to pay wages, failure to pay earned sick time, retaliation: $26,000

Filed: 2/27/19

HAMPSHIRE DISTRICT COURT

Interland Real Estate v. Associated Elevator

Allegation: Breach of service contract: $1,577

Filed: 3/21/19

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

Timothy Lipski v. Notorious Vapors, Samsung SDI America Inc., Samsung SDI Co. Ltd., and Does 1-50, inclusive

Allegation: Product liability, negligence, defective design, negligent manufacture, breach of implied warranty, breach of express warranty; e-cigarette and lithium-ion battery exploded during use, causing personal injury: $100,000

Filed: 3/11/19

Robert Fogel, personal representative of the estate of Bruce Fogel v. Domenick Sciaruto, M.D.; John Levine, PA-C; Ambulatory Care Physicians at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, P.C.; and Ambulatory, Employee, Industrial, Occupational and Urgent Healthcare, LLC

Allegation: Medical malpractice: $25,000+

Filed: 3/15/19

Agenda

By
Agenda

Paid Family and Medical Leave Seminar

April 18: Over the past few months, Massachusetts-based employers have been inundated with information about the upcoming Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave requirements. Unfortunately, this deluge of information has done little to answer employers’ pressing questions. To date, most of this information has been speculative or otherwise subject to change before implementation. In fact, the most helpful information thus far, the new Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave’s draft regulations, has only given an idea of what the program will probably look like. These draft regulations are just that: a draft. They are subject to change prior to the issuance of final regulations. The good news is there are some things we do know for sure, and there is still some time before employer obligations go into effect. Royal, P.C. will host a discussion of the steps employers can begin to take to prepare for the implementation of Paid Family and Medical Leave. The event will be held from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at 270 Pleasant St., Northampton. The price is $30 per person, and registration is limited. For more information or to register, contact Heather Loges at (413) 586-2288 or [email protected].

Breakfast with the Easter Bunny

April 20: The Starting Gate at GreatHorse will host breakfast with the Easter Bunny the Saturday before Easter at 9 a.m. The facility is located at 128 Wilbraham Road, Hampden. An Easter breakfast buffet will feature buttermilk pancakes, scrambled eggs, pork sausage links, applewood bacon, golden breakfast potatoes, fresh fruit, mini danish, hot cross buns, bagels, coffee, tea, orange juice, and milk. The event will include Easter crafts and games, including an Easter egg hunt. This event is open to the public. The cost is $35, including tax and service charges. The event is free for children under age 1. Call (413) 566-5158 for reservations.

Springfield Art Stop

April 26: The Springfield Cultural Partnership (SCP) announced the return of Art Stop, a pop-up gallery/street festival hybrid, from 5 to 8 p.m. The SCP is partnering with venues downtown to open galleries in unexpected spaces simultaneously. Additionally, several existing Springfield art galleries along this year’s route will also participate as stops along the Art Stop. Between the galleries, which will have the typical artist talks and receptions, there will be street performances. Art Stop was designed to activate underutilized community spaces with colorful art, create economic opportunity for artists, and bring communities together. Galleries will all be located in downtown Springfield. Each individual gallery opening will have an reception with the artist on site to both sell and talk about their work. This year, the SCP has also partnered with several downtown restaurants that will offer a discount on food to Art Stop attendees who present their Art Stop ‘passport’ on April 26. The SCP, along with organizing the curation of art in the pop-up spaces, is hiring unique buskers to encourage attendees to walk from place to place. Guides will be strategically placed to guide attendees along the Art Stop route. The performers will showcase an array of dance, music, and entertainment. All locations are within a walkable area.

Daffodil 5K Run/Walk & 10K Run

April 28: Big Brothers Big Sisters will host the ninth annual Daffodil 5K Run/Walk & 10K Run. This festive, family-friendly event takes place at Kendrick Park in Amherst, with the race kicking off at 10 a.m.

Before the race, registrants can enjoy Esselon Coffee and a pre-race warmup with 50/50 Fitness/Nutrition. The post-race party for all registrants and volunteers will include a barbecue lunch provided by the Pub, music with DJ Matt Peterson, a bounce house, hula hooping with Hoop Joy, and balloon art. New this year, Crooked Stick Pops will bring their popsicles to the party, and there will be a tent sale of gently used children’s books curated by author and illustrator Diane deGroat. With a goal of raising $60,000 this year, the Daffodil Run is the largest annual fundraiser for CHD’s Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County and provides vital funds for its mentoring programs. This year, it is partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden County, and participants can decide which agency their fundraising will benefit. “The Daffodil Run is a favorite springtime event in our community, with 1,000 people joining together each year to have fun and support youth-mentoring programs,” said Jessie Cooley, director of CHD’s Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County. “By partnering with our friends in Hampden County, we hope to create an even bigger impact and to match more young people in our region with mentors.” Runners and walkers can register online until Wednesday, April 24, and race-day registration is available beginning at 8 a.m. Prizes will be awarded to the top three overall finishers in each gender category, as well as top finishers for each age group and top fundraisers. Community members are invited to join the festivities at Kendrick Park and cheer on the runners and walkers along the route. For more information and to register for the race, visit daffodilrun2019.racewire.com.

DiGrigoli Educational Programs

April 29: For the first time in many years, Paul DiGrigoli, owner of DiGrigoli Salon and DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology in West Springfield and a national spokesperson and educator for the beauty industry, will offer his popular seminars to all local salon professionals and business owners. The all-day program at the Log Cabin in Holyoke will kick off at 10 a.m. with DiGrigoli’s most popular program, “Booked Solid,” based off his best-selling book in the beauty industry of the same name. Designed to help stylists, estheticians, nail techs, or anyone in the service industry to increase sales and retention, “Booked Solid” has inspired professionals across the country at major beauty shows, colleges, and businesses for more than 15 years. After lunch, the day will conclude with “How to Build a Healthy Salon or Business” from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. This leadership program, geared towards salon and beauty professionals, business owners, managers, or anyone in a leadership position, will use DiGrigoli’s more than 35 years of experience in the industry to educate on the best leadership practices, how to cultivate a healthy team or healthy business, and how to outperform the competition. This intensive workshop is being made possible through the sponsorship of Sullivan Beauty in New Hampshire. For more information and to purchase tickets, interested stylists and professionals should visit www.sullivanbeauty.com.

Elder-law and Estate-planning Series

May 6, 13, 20: Attorney Karen Jackson of Jackson Law, an elder-law and estate-planning firm, will teach a series of classes highlighting the latest developments in elder law and estate planning at Holyoke Community College (HCC). The six-hour course, called “Elder Law and Estate Planning: What You Need to Know,” will be presented on three consecutive Mondays from 6 to 8 p.m. Jackson will present comprehensive subject matter on what she calls “The Core Estate Plan,” in which she will explain core documents and provide stories and examples. She will also discuss “The Probate Court Process and Medicare Hot Topics” and “Community Care Programs and MassHealth Planning for Nursing-home Care.” In the first session, Jackson will explain each document in the core estate plan. She will discuss the problems that can occur when proper documents are not prepared before a loss of mental capacity or physical health or before sudden loss of life. The second session will address four areas: trusts, the probate court process, Medicare hot topics, and options for community care and home care. Jackson will provide pertinent information and details about each to assist attendees in planning now. In the third and final session, Jackson will introduce the various Medicaid programs that provide long-term skilled-nursing home care in Massachusetts and the financial assistance associated with each. While participants may attend only one session of their choosing, they must still pay the full course cost of $89. To register, call (413) 552-2500 or visit www.hcc.edu/bce.

40 Under Forty Gala

June 20: BusinessWest will present its 13th annual 40 Under Forty Gala, a celebration of 40 young business and civic leaders in Western Mass. The lavish cocktail party, to begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Log Cabin in Holyoke, will feature butlered hors d’oeuvres, food stations, and entertainment — and, of course, the presentation of the class of 2019, which will be profiled in the April 29 issue of BusinessWest and at businesswest.com. Also, the fifth Continued Excellence Award honoree will be announced. Tickets cost $75 per person, and tables of 10 are available. For more information, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or e-mail [email protected]. PeoplesBank is the presenting sponsor, Health New England is the Continued Excellence Award sponsor, and WWLP-22 News is the media sponsor. Other sponsors include the Isenberg School of Management, MP CPAs, Mercedes-Benz of Springfield, Live Nation, MGM Springfield, and YPS of Greater Springfield (partner).

‘Thrive After 55’ Wellness Fair

June 21: State Sen. Eric Lesser announced that he will host the third annual “Thrive After 55” Wellness Fair in partnership with Health New England, Springfield College, and the Center for Human Development (CHD). This year’s fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Field House on the campus of Springfield College, 263 Alden St., Springfield. The fair is free and open to the public. With more than 70 local organizations ranging from health and fitness to nutrition and elder law, the annual fair will connect residents of the Greater Springfield area with information and resources to help them thrive. The event will feature several educational seminars which will highlight areas of interest for attendees, including estate planning and elder law, scam avoidance, and diet and nutrition. Heart Song Yoga Center of East Longmeadow will return for a third year with an interactive demonstration of chair yoga and movement. The free program includes a boxed lunch, hundreds of raffle prizes, and access to information and experts. To RSVP, call Lesser’s office at (413) 526-6501 or visit senatorlesser.com/thrive.

Chamber Corners: Upcoming Events

By
Chamber Corners

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

• April 24: Good News Business Salute, 7:30-9 a.m. Throughout the year, 1Berkshire selects businesses and organizations to recognize at events called Good News Business Salutes. These may honor an expansion, creation of new jobs, a significant milestone or anniversary, the unveiling of a new program, or a substantial new commitment to the community. The Esther Quinn Award will be given out at this event to an actively involved community member. Cost: $35 for members; $50 for non-members. Register at bit.ly/2H71NS6.

• May 29: 1Berkshire Chamber Nite, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Fairview Hospital, 29 Lewis Ave., Great Barrington. Join us for the May Chamber Nite in partnership with the Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce. Members of either organization get in free for this networking opportunity. To register, visit www.1berkshire.com.

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

• April 17: Amherst Area Economic Development Panel, 4-6 p.m., hosted by UMass Old Chapel. A presentation of the state of economic development in Amherst and a panel discussion of the community’s strategic advantage as well as a vision for the future of economic development in the Amherst area.

• April 19-28: Daffodil Days. In celebration of spring, the Amherst downtown will be adorned with sprouting daffodils and artistic storefront windows. Many restaurants, cafés, and shops will have special spring offerings and sales.

• May 15: May After 5, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Amity Street Dental. Join us for an evening of networking at Amity Street Dental, and find out more about the work of Dr. Hunt, Dr. Castenson, and Dr. Ivancev, as well as their new ‘Amity plan’ for small businesses. Enjoy food from the Pub. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members.

• May 18: Amherst Downtown Lives United Day. Amherst Downtown businesses are coming together to support United Way of Hampshire County. On May 18, several businesses have pledged 5% of sales or a minimum of $250 to United Way.

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

• April 18: Business After Hours, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Polish American Citizens Club, 46 South Main St., South Deerfield. Sponsored by Polish National Credit Union. A networking event featuring a cash bar and an all-Polish menu by Hamel’s Catering. Register at franklincc.org or by e-mailing [email protected].

• April 26: Monthly Chamber Breakfast Series, 7:30-9 a.m., hosted by Terrazza Restaurant. Sponsored by the Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice. Full breakfast will be served during the program, featuring a panel celebrating the contribution of today’s immigrants. Speakers include Laurie Millman, executive director for the Center for New Americans; Abas Cecunjanin, owner of Terrazza Restaurant; Arjen Vriend, owner of Pioneer Gardens Inc.; and Geetu Shokeen, owner of Montague Dental Arts. Register at franklincc.org or by e-mailing [email protected].

• May 9: Franklin County Community Development Corp. Entrepreneur of the year Awards, 5 p.m., hosted by Hawks and Reed Performing Arts Center, 289 Main St., Greenfield. Awards, music, food, and mingling. For more information, visit fccdc.org.

• May 26: Chamber Lunch: noon to 1:30 p.m., hosted by Greenfield Community College Dining Commons. Featuring Mike Kennealy, secretary, Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development. Sponsored by Greenfield Community College Foundation and the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce. Cost: $18 for members, $20 for non-members. Register at franklincc.org or e-mail [email protected].

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

• April 17: Salute Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., hosted by Willits-Hallowell Center. Sponsored by Westfield Bank, Holyoke Medical Center, N. Riley Construction Inc., Polish National Credit Union, USI Insurance Services, Spherion Staffing Services, and PeoplesBank. Marketing for small business chief greeter: Chris Thompson of CT Enterprises. Keynote speaker: Alfonso Santaniello of Creative Strategy Agency. Cost: $25 for members, $30 for non-members. Sign up online at chicopeechamber.org/events.

• April 25: Business After Hours – Happy Hour After Hours, 4:30-6:30 p.m., hosted by Exchange St. Station. Come after work and relax and enjoy a drink and some light refreshments. Don’t forget your business cards. Cost: $10 for member, $15 for non-members. Sign up online at chicopeechamber.org/events.

• May 15: May Salute Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., hosted by Munich Haus. Sponsored by: Westfield Bank, Holyoke Medical Center, N. Riley Construction Inc., Polish National Credit Union, USI Insurance Services, Spherion Staffing Services, PeoplesBank, Galaxy Community Council, and the Arbors Kids. Chief Greeter: Stephanie Shaw, Chicopee Veterans Services. Keynote Speaker: Col. Peters of the 439th Airlift Wing. Cost: $25 for members, $30 for non-members. Sign up online at chicopeechamber.org/events.

• May 17: Lights On Art & Culture, 5-8 p.m. Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, Chicopee Cultural Council, SilverBrick Mills, and the City of Chicopee are collaborating once again to show appreciation to those who live, work, and play in the downtown area. For one evening, participating businesses will showcase an artist and/or musician. This is a free event.

• May 21: Chamber Seminar: “Assessing and Developing Future Leaders” with Michael Kline, PsyD, 8:30-10:30 a.m., hosted by La Quinta Inn & Suites. Series sponsored by Westfield Bank. Cost: $30. Sign up online at chicopeechamber.org/events.

• May 23: Business After Hours, 4:30-6:30 p.m., hosted by Williams Distributing. Series Sponsored by Polish National Credit Union. Monthly sponsors are Galaxy Community Council and the Arbors Kids. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. Sign up online at chicopeechamber.org/events.

• May 31: Chicopee Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Tournament, 10 a.m. shotgun start, hosted by Chicopee Country Club. Presented by Polish National Credit Union. Sponsored by First American Insurance Agency Inc., Westfield Bank, Holyoke Medical Center, Poly-Plating Inc., Hampton Inn, Residence Inn of Chicopee, Tru by Hilton, ICNE, Roca Inc., and Health New England. Cost: $125 per golfer, $500 per team of four, and/or $20 golfer package that includes 25 raffle tickets and one mulligan. Sign up online at chicopeechamber.org/events.

GREATER EASTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.easthamptonchamber.org
(413) 527-9414

• April 25: Food 4 Thought Lunch & Learn, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., hosted by Mill 180 Park, 180 Pleasant St., Easthampton. Robin Kline, director of Volunteer & Guest Services at Cooley Dickinson Health Care, will facilitate a program about customer Service. If you think it’s no big deal, think again. This seemingly innocuous little detail can make or break an organization. A box lunch is included with registration. Cost: $25 for members, $35 for future members. For more information and to register, visit www.easthamptonchamber.org or call the chamber at (413) 527-9414.

• May 9: Networking by Night, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Glendale Grill, 65 Glendale St., Easthampton. Sponsored by bankESB. Event will feature food provided by Glendale Grill, a cash bar, and business-to-business relationship building. Cost: free to members and their employees, $20 for non-members. Pre-registration is required. For more information and to register, visit www.easthamptonchamber.org or call the chamber at (413) 527-9414.

• May 22: Chamber on the Vine, 5:30-8:30 a.m., hosted by Glendale Ridge Vineyard, 155 Glendale Road, Southampton. Join us for a night under the stars. The Floyd Patterson Band will provide music, the vineyard will provide wine, and food will be provided by Little Truc food truck and Crooked Stick Pops. Pre-registration is required, as tickets are limited. The deadline for refunds is May 15. This is a rain-or-shine event. No tickets will be sold at the door. Cost: $25 for music alone, $35 for music and wine. For more information and to register, visit www.easthamptonchamber.org or call the chamber at (413) 527-9414.

GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.northamptonchamber.com
(413) 584-1900

• April 23: Workshop: CyberSafe, 9 a.m. to noon, hosted by Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, 99 Pleasant St., Northampton. Presented by Pioneer Training. CyberSafe is a three-hour workshop for non-technical users that focuses on using technology without compromising personal or organizational security. Students will learn the skills they need to protect digital data on computers, networks, mobile devices, and the internet. They will learn how to identify many of the common risks involved in using technology, such as phishing, spoofing, malware, and social engineering, and then learn how to protect themselves and their organizations from those risks. Cost: $50 for members, $60 for non-members.

• May 1: May Arrive @ 5, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Emerson Way, Northampton. A networking event sponsored by Gove Law Office, Keiter Builders, and Kuhn Riddle Architects. Cost: $10 for members.

• May 14: Workshop: “Microsoft Word Tips,” 9-11 a.m., hosted by the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, 99 Pleasant St., Northampton. Presented by Pioneer Training. This workshop contains a variety of quick tips and tricks in Microsoft Word that will save hours of time. Attendees will learn to add buttons to the Quick Access Toolbar; shortcuts for selecting words, sentences, and paragraphs; and how (and why) to display non-printing characters in a document. Practice using the Format Painter to copy formatting and fix problems with numbered and bulleted lists. Learn to create AutoCorrect entries to correct common typos, and AutoText entries and Quick Parts to easily enter frequently used text. Cost: $25 for members, $35 for non-members.

• May 28: Workshop: “Upgrading to Office 365,” 9-11 a.m., hosted by the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, 99 Pleasant St., Northampton. Presented by Pioneer Training. Cost: $35 for members, $45 for non-members.

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

• April 25: Westfield Education to Business Alliance High School Career Fair, 8-10:30 a.m., hosted by Westfield State University, Woodward Center, 395 Western Ave., Westfield. Don’t miss the chance to help shape the future through workforce development in the community. Create connections for your business and the next generation of your workforce by inspiring Westfield High School and Westfield Technical Academy students with career and college exploration. More than 500 students will be in attendance. There is no charge to be a vendor. Register online at www.westfieldbiz.org/events. For sponsorships or more information, call the chamber at (413) 568-1618.

• April 30: Marketplace Sip & Shop, 5-7 p.m., hosted by the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce and the Southwick Economic Development Committee at the Ranch Golf Club, 65 Sunnyside Road, Southwick. Join more than 40 local merchants while sipping your way through the market. Refreshments and cash bar available. This event is free and open to the public. Vendor cost: $50 if bringing a table, $75 if you would like us to provide the table, or if you would like floor space. Vendor sign-up and additional details available online at www.westfieldbiz.org/events. For sponsorships or more information, call the chamber at (413) 568-1618.

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

• April 17: Business After 5, 5-7 p.m., hosted by the Thirsty Mind, located in South Hadley’s Village Commons, across the street from Mount Holyoke College. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. RSVP and direct questions to [email protected], and mail a check, payable to the South Hadley & Granby Chamber of Commerce, to 2 Lyman St., South Hadley, MA 01075.

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

• May 1: Rise & Shine Business Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., hosted by the Log Cabin, 500 Easthampton Road, Holyoke. Featuring Robert Glazer, founder and CEO of Acceleration Partners. Cost: $25 for members in advance ($30 at the door), $35 for non-members in advance ($40 at the door).

• May 7: Lunch and Learn: “Paid Family and Medical Leave,” 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., hosted by East Mountain Country Club, 1458 East Mountain Road, Westfield. Presented by Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. Cost: $35 for members, $50 for non-members.

• May 23: Stars & Strikes, 5:30-8 p.m., hosted by the Tap Room at MGM Springfield. Featuring celebrity bowlers, passed appetizers, and unlimited games. Cost: $20

Reservations for all chamber events may be made by visiting www.springfieldregionalchamber.com, e-mailing [email protected], or calling (413) 755-1310.

WEST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.ourwrc.com
(413) 426-3880

• May 9: Networking Lunch, noon to 1:30 p.m., hosted by Crestview Country Club, Agawam. You must be a member or guest of a member to attend. Enjoy a sit-down lunch while networking with fellow chamber members. Each attendee will get a chance to offer a brief intro and company overview. The only cost to attend for members is the cost of lunch (additional $10 fee for non-members). Attendees will order off the menu and pay separately that day. Please note, we cannot invoice you for these events. Register online at www.westoftheriverchamber.com.

• May 15: Night of Networking with YPS, 5-7 p.m., hosted by the Zoo in Forest Park. Bring lots of business cards to this co-hosted event. Mingle, tour, and network for a night of fun and business. Cost: free for members, $10 for non-members. Register online at www.westoftheriverchamber.com.

• May 22: Job Fair 2019: Local Jobs for Local People, 3-8 p.m., hosted by Storrowton Tavern & Carriage House, West Springfield. The West of the River Chamber will host a local job fair. West Springfield and Agawam businesses along with other employment opportunities will be showcased for the public. High-school students, college students, and adults will attend this event looking to begin or advance their careers. This event is free and open to the public. To be a participating vendor, register online at www.westoftheriverchamber.com.

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY OF GREATER SPRINGFIELD
springfieldyps.com

• April 19: April Third Thursday featuring area graduate schools, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Samuel’s at the Hall of Fame. Join us for our monthly Third Thursday while learning about graduate schools from representatives from various area colleges and universities. Cost: free for members, $10 for non-members. Learn more at springfieldyps.com.

• May 18: Third annual Adult Field Day, 9 a.m. to noon, hosted by Train for Life, Chicopee. Teams compete in games for prizes. Beer and food available. No athletic ability required. Special registration pricing before April 18: $20 for YPS, Train for Life, or Extra Innings members; $30 for non-members. After April 18: $25 for YPS, Train for Life, or Extra Innings members; $35 for non-members. To register, visit springfieldyps.com.

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Matthew Mainville

Matthew Mainville

The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke recently welcomed its new board chair, Matthew Mainville, executive director of the Holyoke Housing Authority. He has been involved with the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke as a board member for the last nine years, serving as first vice chair for the last four years. Mainville has 15 years of progressive housing experience in mixed finance development, HOPE VI, and facilities and operational management. He was named executive director of the Holyoke Housing Authority in 2013, overseeing 49 employees and a $22 million budget. An active member of the community, he serves as a board member of the Holyoke Economic Development and Industrial Corp., a member of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Regional Housing Committee, and a board member with the United Way Emergency Food and Shelter Program. Matthew received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UMass Amherst. The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke also expressed its appreciation for its past board chair, James Sullivan, president of O’Connell Development Group. He led the organization for the past four years and has been a pillar in community development for decades. He will continue to stay involved in the board, serving as an executive committee member.

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Jennifer Adams

Jennifer Adams

Mark Sullivan, president of D.A. Sullivan & Sons, announced the recent promotion of Jennifer Adams to director of Business Development. Since joining the company in 2012 as an administrative assistant, Adams has assumed increasing responsibility and is now responsible for all company-wide marketing initiatives, including advertising, website updates, and social-media channels. She also assists with company procurement by coordinating all phases of the proposal process in response to private, state, and U.S. government requests for proposals/qualifications, as well as assisting estimators with bid-related forms and documentation.

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Stefan Sjoberg

Stefan Sjoberg

Talia Landry

Talia Landry

The law firm of Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury and Murphy, P.C. announced that attorneys Stefan Sjoberg and Talia Landry have recently joined the firm. Both were born and raised in Western Mass. and are graduates of Western New England University School of Law. Sjoberg’s practice encompasses business law, estate planning, probate litigation, and taxation. Landry’s practice includes estate planning and elder law, personal injury, and commercial litigation.

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Leavitt Family Jewish Home, part of JGS Lifecare and Chelsea Jewish Lifecare, acknowledged Dr. Udaya Jagadeesan and Dr. David Pierangelo for their outstanding work. Both doctors recently received a certificate from the Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (AMDA) in honor of the National Day of Recognition for Long-Term Care Physicians. This certificate recognizes the dedication, compassion, and quality of care that Jagadeesan and Pierangelo provide to the long-term residents at Leavitt Family Jewish Home. The U.S. Congress designated this day in 2010 to honor AMDA founder Dr. William Dowd, who recognized that residents of nursing homes were patients with complex medical problems and that physicians need to be involved in establishing standards of management and clinical care for the frail elderly and other residents in long-term-care facilities.

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Michelle Carleton

Michelle Carleton

Michelle Carleton has been promoted to vice president of Residential Services at Berkshire Family and Individual Resources Inc. (BFAIR). She is responsible for overseeing the DDS Residential & Acquired Brain Injury Residential Services, Adult Family Care/Shared Living, and the director of Maintenance. Carleton has more than three decades of experience working in the healthcare and human-service field. Since joining BFAIR in March 2017, she has held the positions of Acquired Brain Injury Program coordinator and most recently director of Acquired Brain Injury Residential Services.

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Mae Stiles

Mae Stiles

Fierst, Kane & Bloomberg, LLP announced that Mae Stiles has become of counsel to the firm. She has 11 years of experience in complex commercial litigation, including antitrust and intellectual property matters, as well as a wide variety of corporate and licensing transactions. Stiles is a graduate of the University of Vermont and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. She is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of Massachusetts, New York, and California.

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Florence Bank recently announced that Justin LaMontagne and Jennifer Halpin were named the recipients of its 2019 President’s Award, while Susan Seaver was named its Community Support Award winner for 2019. LaMontagne is an information technology specialist at the main headquarters and has been with Florence Bank for two years. He is a graduate of Branford Hall Career Institute and the New England Institute of Art. Halpin is the employee relationship manager at the main headquarters and has been with Florence Bank for four years. She received her associate degree in business administration from Berkshire Community College and a bachelor’s degree in management from UMass Amherst. The President’s Award is a tradition established by the bank in 1995, affording employees opportunities to nominate their peers for this prestigious award that recognizes outstanding performance, customer service, and overall contribution to Florence Bank. Seaver, a mortgage loan originator, joined Florence Bank in May 2014 and has 30 years of banking experience. The Community Support Award was established by the bank in 1997 as a means of formally recognizing employees who are active participants in community events and donate their personal and professional time to local not-for-profit organizations. Each year, the award recipient has the opportunity to select a not-for-profit organization of his or her choice, and the bank makes a donation to that organization. At Seaver’s recommendation, Florence Bank will make a donation to the Michael J. Dias Foundation of Ludlow, which has a mission to help those who are battling the disease of addiction. Seaver is an active member of the community service committee at the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley, and serves as a designated financial counselor for the Way Finders organization, working to confront homelessness in communities throughout Western Mass. She also volunteers as a classroom reader in support of the Link to Libraries organization in East Longmeadow and is an avid supporter of the Michael J. Dias Foundation.

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Tammy Gamache

Tammy Gamache

Gove Law Office announced that paralegal Tammy Gamache has joined the firm. She has more than five years of experience as a paralegal and will be focused on residential and commercial real-estate transactions. Gamache earned her certificate of advanced paralegal studies from Elms College after graduating from Bay Path College with a bachelor’s degree. She is a member of Lambda Epsilon Chi, the National Honor Society in Paralegal and Legal Assistant Studies. She is also a foster for National Great Pyrenees Rescue, an organization that rescues Great Pyrenees dogs from across the U.S. that have been abused, neglected, or picked up as strays.

•••••

John Kovalchik

John Kovalchik

Holyoke Medical Center (HMC) announced the promotion of John Kovalchik to director of ACO Operations. With extensive experience leading healthcare-management initiatives (most recently as manager of the Center for Behavioral Health at HMC), Kovalchik is well-positioned to bring the facility to the next level by improving quality of care, meeting measurable benchmarks, accurately reflecting the hospital’s population’s health risks, and maintaining lower overall healthcare costs — all mandates of value-based ACO models. ACOs, or accountable-care organizations, are provider-led organizations that support new federal and state initiatives to shift from the previous model of fee-for-service healthcare to a value-based system that puts more of the risk on the provider. In his new position, Kovalchik is overseeing management initiatives for the two ACOs in which HMC participates. The first is through a unique partnership with UMass Memorial Medical Center, involving 50,000 lives split among seven hospitals, four federally qualified health centers, and several private physicians’ offices, covering Central and Western Mass. The second is a statewide ACO participating in a major new demonstration to support a value-based restructuring of MassHealth’s healthcare delivery and payment system. For this initiative, HMC partners with the Boston Accountable Care Organization and BMC Healthnet Plan to form an ACO named the BMC Healthnet Plan Community Alliance. Kovalchik is also overseeing HMC’s $750,000 CHART grant from the Health Policy Commission, which provides medication-assisted treatment to patients struggling with opiate addiction with the goal of preventing recidivism and helping patients survive and thrive.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

MBK Recognized as Regional Accounting Leader

HOLYOKE — Accounting Today, a leading publication in the certified public accounting industry, has named Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. a regional leader in its top-100 listing in the March issue. Accounting Today’s annual ranking surveys the largest practices in both tax and accounting in 10 major geographic regions across the country. It employs a host of benchmarking data to evaluate the firms’ growth strategies, service areas, and specific client niches. MBK was recognized as a top firm in the New England region. “MBK is dedicated to our belief in the power and potential of Western Massachusetts,” said Managing Partner James Barrett. “We are very proud to have this local commitment recognized on a national level. Our staff works very hard to provide excellent service to our clients as well as resources and information to business owners and decision makers in our marketplace.”

Western New England Wins National Marketing Awards

SPRINGFIELD — Western New England University (WNEU) was named among the top institutions in the nation in the 2018 Collegiate Advertising Awards and the 34th annual Education Advertising Awards, two programs designed to recognize higher-education organizations for excellence in communications, marketing, advertising, and promotion of their schools. Western New England University and its creative partner, Spark451, received a total of four Gold awards. The university’s centennial logo, created to commemorate 100 years, claimed gold in both competitions. The recently launched WNE: The Magazine of Western New England University claimed gold in the Collegiate Advertising Awards competition. The biannual publication explores stories drawn from a cross section of the university, highlighting faculty research, campus happenings, and alumni achievements. Meanwhile, the “What’s New at WNE?” brochure took home top honors in the brochure category. The annual publication shines the spotlight on the latest university developments, including new facilities, academic programs, and faculty and student accomplishments. 

Smith & Wesson Donates Proceeds from Game Dinner to Pioneer Valley USO

SPRINGFIELD — Smith & Wesson Corp. announced it has contributed more than $32,000 to the Pioneer Valley USO. Proceeds raised from the company’s annual game dinner have benefited the Pioneer Valley USO and its programs supporting American military personnel and their families for more than a decade. Armed-forces members and families access the USO for social, recreational, educational, and entertainment programs and services. At the annual event, Smith & Wesson game dinner attendees enjoy a variety of wild game dishes prepared by a team of dedicated volunteers. One of the most popular events of its kind, the dinner hosts nearly 500 guests, and this year featured menu items including pheasant, elk, bear, boar, moose, and venison. Led by Chef Norm Boucher from Chicopee Comprehensive High School’s culinary department, volunteers created dishes like antelope meatballs marinara, southern-style pulled boar, pot roast of Maine black bear, and wild bird pot pie. In addition to the food-preparation team, Smith & Wesson volunteers donated more than 500 personal hours to make the event a success. The game meat was donated by hunters affiliated with Smith & Wesson, Foggy Mountain Guide Service, and Linx Wildlife Management, among others. This year’s event included a limited number of sponsorships, giving local businesses the opportunity to show their support. Big-game sponsor Thorn Industries of Three Rivers, as well as other area businesses, provided additional support for the USO.

Governor Celebrates Opening of New Physical Sciences Building at UMass Amherst

AMHERST — Gov. Charlie Baker recently celebrated the opening of the new Physical Sciences Building (PSB) at UMass Amherst, a facility funded by the state that fosters and expands cutting-edge collaborative learning and research at the Commonwealth’s flagship campus. “We were pleased to invest in the new Physical Sciences Building, which will serve as a hub for the natural sciences at UMass Amherst,” Baker said. “The facility’s expansion will help foster new research and career opportunities, which will help support the STEM workforce pipeline here in Massachusetts.” The 95,000-square-foot PSB opened this academic year after three years of construction and incorporates the reconstructed West Experiment Station, a 19th-century agricultural soils research laboratory and one of the university’s most historic buildings. Funding for the $101.8 million project included $85 million from the state and $16.8 million financed by the campus through the UMass Building Authority. The PSB provides offices, specialized laboratories, and approximately 130 laboratory benches for the Physics and Chemistry departments. The laboratories are constructed in a layout that can be reconfigured many times during the life of the building. Among other fields, the PSB supports scientific discovery in material science, condensed matter and nuclear physics, and organic chemistry. The faculty hosted in these facilities have collectively been awarded $127 million in grants and are working on the forefront of science.

Franklin First Federal Credit Union Honored with Community Hero Award

SPRINGFIELD — Franklin First Federal Credit Union was honored as a Community Hero at the Credit Union Heroes and Community Bank Heroes Awards Gala on March 28, hosted at MGM Springfield by American Business Media, publisher of Banking New England and Centerpoint magazines. Wolf and Co., one of the nation’s leading tax, audit, and CPA firms, was the gala’s presenting sponsor. The gala recognized 18 community banks and credit unions from across New England for their creation of community partnerships and going beyond the call to aid their community. Franklin First was recognized for its partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County through the creation of a financial carnival designed to educate youth in the community about identifying, earning, and spending money. Franklin First organized several financial carnivals to coincide with mentoring sessions with local ‘bigs’ (Age 16-18) and ‘littles’ (ages 8-11) as a fun, educational alternative to their normal mentoring sessions. The carnivals involved a series of games designed to identify currency, separate wants from needs, recognize expenses, and experience financial gains and losses, all while tracking their earnings and expenses in a savings register to save up for a fun prize at the end of the night. Franklin First received Silver in the category of credit unions with less than $500 million in assets.

PeoplesBank Named Second-Fastest-Growing Bank In Massachusetts

HOLYOKE — The Boston Business Journal published its list of the fastest-growing banks in Massachusetts, and, following its acquisition of First National Bank of Suffield, PeoplesBank ranked second on the list. “About 50% of our growth came from the merger,” said Brian Canina, chief financial officer of PeoplesBank. “But the untold story is that the rest of that growth was organic. We attribute our organic growth to our mutual charter. We do not have to divert earnings to shareholders, so we can reinvest in our organization and the communities we serve. That means improved technology, better products and services — including rates and terms — as well as a level of investment in the community that is unmatched by our competitors.”

Bay Path Receives Truth Initiative Grant, Pledges to Go Tobacco-free

LONGMEADOW — Bay Path University recently announced it is one of 48 colleges and universities to be awarded a grant from Truth Initiative to adopt a 100% tobacco-free or smoke-free campus policy. The effort is part of a national movement among students, faculty, and administrators to address smoking and tobacco use at college campuses throughout the U.S. Ninety-nine percent of all smokers start smoking before the age of 26, making college campuses a critical part in the fight against youth tobacco use. Since 2015, the Truth Initiative Tobacco-Free College Program, in partnership with CVS Health, has awarded more than $1.8 million in funding to 154 colleges and universities to prevent young adults from starting tobacco use, help tobacco smokers quit, and reduce everyone’s exposure to secondhand smoke. Bay Path University’s efforts are part of a growing trend to clean the air on campuses. Currently, more than 2,342 higher-education institutions in the U.S. have gone smoke- or tobacco-free.

Springfield College Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship Wins Grant

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield College Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship has been awarded a $265,000 grant from the Davis Educational Foundation to assist in the creation of faculty-development opportunities focused on the implementation of real-time assessment procedures to help increase and maintain student academic success. The grant will allow the center to fund faculty from across departments and schools to engage in workshops on assessment, implement those strategies into their courses, and use the assessment data to evaluate program-learning outcomes. The goals are to improve the timelines of interventions when students are not meeting learning objectives and to move the class forward when all students are meeting those objectives. The center will coordinate the training and provide faculty with the ability to engage in scholarship around the development of these assessment procedures.

Briefcase

By
Briefcase

Employer Confidence Slips in March

BOSTON — Business confidence weakened slightly in March amid signs of both a cyclical global slowdown and persistent demographic factors limiting the growth of the labor force in Massachusetts. The Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Business Confidence Index lost 0.3 points to 57.9 during March. Confidence remains within optimistic territory but has lost 5.6 points during the past 12 months. The decrease reflected employer concerns about economic prospects for the next six months. Those concerns outweighed growing optimism among manufacturing companies and rising confidence in the Massachusetts economy. The March survey took place as the government announced that Massachusetts created only 20,000 jobs during 2018 instead of the 65,500 previously estimated. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that average payroll job growth in Massachusetts fell from 1.3% in 2017 to 0.9% last year. The AIM Index, based on a survey of Massachusetts employers, is calculated on a 100-point scale, with 50 as neutral; a reading above 50 is positive, while below 50 is negative. AIM President and CEO Richard Lord said employers remain concerned as Beacon Hill lawmakers undertake a broad discussion of how to fund expensive policy priorities such as transportation infrastructure, public education, and clean energy. He noted that AIM will be part of a group assembled by the state Senate to look at the Massachusetts tax code, adding that “Massachusetts must develop a fair strategy to address its spending needs without harming employers who are already struggling to implement a $1 billion paid family and medical leave program along with the rising cost of both health insurance and energy.”

Two Massachusetts Organizations Call for an End to Trashed Rivers

GREENFIELD — The Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) and the Charles River Watershed Assoc. (CRWA), two national leaders in the effort to clean up the nation’s rivers, called on Massachusetts lawmakers to take legislative action on reducing trash before it reaches rivers. The two organizations pointed to a number of bills currently working their way through the Massachusetts State House that would, if approved, go a long way to reduce or eliminate trash that might otherwise end up in the state’s waterways. The proposed legislation includes measures to eliminate single-use plastic bags, restrict single-use plastic straws, and eliminate foam from food containers. “For years, thousands of volunteers from these two organizations have been doing their part to keep our rivers clean,” noted CRC Cleanup Coordinator Stacey Lennard. “Now we want decision makers at the state level to do their part in helping redesign our economy so there isn’t waste in the first place.” Added Emily Norton, CRWA’s executive director, “with environmental regulations being rolled back weekly at the federal level, it is more important than ever that we have strong protections for our waterways at both the state and the local levels. We need your help to make sure that happens.” CRC and CRWA also called on the public to join them in urging legislators to do their part by signing CRC’s petition telling manufacturers, businesses, and local government to lead the way on overhauling how plastic and other waste products are made and used, and to take greater responsibility in solving the trash crisis (visit www.ctriver.org/takeaction); joining the 23rd annual Source to Sea Cleanup on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 27-28, along the Connecticut River and tributary streams across the four-state watershed (visit www.ctriver.org/cleanup to learn more); and participating in the 20th annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup on Saturday, April 27 from 9 a.m. to noon (www.crwa.org/cleanup).

Sportsmen’s Land Trust Announces New License Plate

BOSTON — A new Massachusetts passenger plate is now available at all full-service RMV locations for outdoor enthusiasts interested in wildlife conservation, habitat improvement, and guaranteed public access to Massachusetts land. The new “Habitat and Heritage” plate features a whitetail deer buck drawn by Springfield wildlife artist Edward Snyder. Proceeds from the plate will benefit the Massachusetts Chapter of the Sportsmen’s National Land Trust, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 2007, dedicated to conserving and improving wildlife habitat for use by the public. With funds from the license plate, the Sportsmen’s Land Trust can further its mission to acquire open space and partner with other like-minded organizations to complete habitat improvement projects across Massachusetts. For more information, visit the special plates section of the Massachusetts RMV website, or e-mail the SNLT at [email protected].

BusinessWest Accepting Continued Excellence Award Nominations

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest is looking for nominees for its fifth Continued Excellence Award, and will accept nominations through Friday, May 3. The winner of the award will be unveiled at the magazine’s 40 Under Forty gala on Thursday, June 20. Four years ago, BusinessWest inaugurated the award to recognize past 40 Under Forty honorees who had significantly built on their achievements since they were honored. The first two winners were Delcie Bean, president of Paragus Strategic IT, and Dr. Jonathan Bayuk, president of Allergy and Immunology Associates of Western Mass. and chief of Allergy and Immunology at Baystate Medical Center. Both were originally named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2008. The judges chose two winners in 2017: Scott Foster, an attorney with Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas (40 Under Forty class of 2011); and Nicole Griffin, owner of Griffin Staffing Network (class of 2014). Last year, Samalid Hogan, regional director of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (class of 2013), took home the honor. Candidates must hail from 40 Under Forty classes prior to the year of the award — in this case, classes 2007-18 — and will be judged on qualities including outstanding leadership, dedicated community involvement, professional achievement, and ability to inspire. The award’s presenting sponsor is Health New England. The nomination form is available HERE. A list of the past 12 40 Under Forty classes may be found HERE. For more information, call Bevin Peters, Marketing and Events director, at (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or e-mail [email protected].

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.

AMHERST

Gabriel Transportation Inc., 91 Cross Brook, Amherst, MA 01002. Kebede Gashie, same. Transportation services.

BELCHERTOWN

Greater Springfield Girls Fast Pitch Softball Program Inc., 168 Barton Ave., Belchertown, MA 01007. Darrell Phillip Weldon, same. Develop, manage, and organize a girls youth fast pitch softball program.

DALTON

Go Fast Inc., 290 Hubbard Ave., Dalton, MA 01226. Evan Drosehn, same. Sales.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Forge Property Management Inc., 444A North Main St., Suite 315, East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Lucas Giusto, same. Real estate management.

GRANBY

Flipflopwws Inc., 63 West State St., Suite 972, Granby, MA 01033. Sylvester Jones, same. Real estate development.

HADLEY

Green Blasting Solutions Inc., 42 River Dr., Hadley, MA 01035. Rick M. White, same. Environmentally friendly water-blasting solution.

HINSDALE

Hayan Inc., 70 South St., Hinsdale, MA 01235. Kirankumar N. Patel, 6 Glen Meadow Road, Franklin, MA 02038. Liquor store.

PITTSFIELD

Gotham City Music Group Inc., 137 Leona Drive, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Marissa J. Light, same. Music production, sales, performances.

SPRINGFIELD

Friends of STCC Inc., One Armory Square, Suite 1, P. O. Box 9000, Springfield, MA 01102. Franklin D. Quigley, 10 Old Farm Road, Wilbraham, MA 01095. Own and manage parking facilities in order to exclusively support the charitable and educational operations of Springfield Technical Community College.

THREE RIVERS

Grateful Development Inc., 38 Lariviere Ave., Three Rivers, MA 01080. Christopher A. Spagnoli, same. Real estate development and consultation.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Firsov Express Inc., 52 Southworth St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Vitalii Firsov, same. Transportation.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and trade names were issued or renewed during the month of March 2019.

AMHERST

Allen Colrain Engineering
51 Spaulding St.
Bruce Allen

Common Share Food Co-op
141 North Pleasant St.
Susan Morrello

Western Mass Investments
11 Amity St.
Daniel Amoneo

BELCHERTOWN

Melanie S. Lewis, Attorney/Mediator
35 Turkey Hill Road, Suite 201A
Melanie Lewis

Northeast Green
21 Plaza Ave.
George Hassenfratz

Rustic Logging & Tree Service Co.
230 Old Enfield Road
Russell Scott Jr.

Wong Garden
147 North Main St.
Tan Wei Wu, Chao Chen

CHICOPEE

Chicopee Dental Care
661 Front St.
Frederick Kapinos

Frederick J. Kapinos, DDS
661 Front St.
Frederick Kapinos

Great China Restaurant
690 Grattan St.
Mun Ying Cheng, Li Qiu Gao

Marshalls #214
591G Memorial Dr.
Kristin Adams

Truehart Wellness
1512 Memorial Dr., Suite E
Rochelle Truehart-Lambert

DEERFIELD

Dana’s Upholstery and Custom Design
754 River Road
Dana Lavigne

Divine Roots Body Care
257 Conway Road
Teresa Munson, Matthew Munson

EASTHAMPTON

The Massage School
1 Northampton St.
Alexei Levine

Tech180 Systems
180 Pleasant St., Suite 211
Christopher Bakker

EAST LONGMEADOW

Automated Tax Services
264 North Main St., Suite 8
Armand Arce

IMA Farm
32 Hampden Road
Alessandro Meccia

Mec’s Landscaping
32 Hampden Road
Alessandro Meccia

HOLYOKE

Cheap Thrills
167 Chestnut St.
Joseph Cox

Chelsi Trucking
2 St. James Ave.
Paul Reynolds

Cleaning Made Easy
898 Main St.
Angelica Navedo

E.B. Apparel Mass Inc.
50 Holyoke St.
Edward Blanco

Hair-Hunterz
326 Appleton St.
Frankie Cardona

Holyoke Chiropractic Center
512 Westfield Road
Conner Laraway

LUDLOW

All Seal Asphalt
41-43 Owens Way
Gerald Veautour

NORTHAMPTON

A2Z Science & Learning Store
57 King St.
Andre Boulay, Devon Boulay

Andy’s Spaceworks
142 Riverside Dr.
Ann Dollard

Body Zen
150 Main St.
Elizabeth Catalano

Creative Property Solutions
8 Wright Ave.
William Patenaude

Liquid Edge Inc.
249 Main St.
Christine Buchholz, Paul Milani

Packard’s Restaurant
14 Masonic St.
Robert McGovern

Steven Santoro
14 Walnut St.
Stephen Kowalczyk

Western Earthworks, LLC
383 Westhampton Road
John Henderson-Adams

PALMER

Amy’s All Natural Soaps
21 Wilbraham St.
Amy Mitchell

Michael Cardin Photography
1142 South Main St.
Michael Cardin

W & W Wood Co.
25 Ruggles St.
Kyle Vallone

Wishful Soaps Co.
63 Commercial St.
Sasha Ustinovich

SOUTHWICK

Aero Green Urban Farm
23 Bonnie View Road
Renee McGee

F.J. Auctions Inc.
58 Fred Jackson Road
Jaime Jacquier

Like New Auto Detailing & Plowing
17 Charles Johnson Road
Robert Barnes Jr.

Shop One Vintage
36 Deer Run Road
Cree Daniels

Three Beans Consulting
8 Meadow Lane
Tina D’Agostino

SPRINGFIELD

Absolute Quality Floor Refinishing
602 Newbury St.
Frederick Taveras

All-Brite Auto Detailing
731 Liberty St.
Michael Brandford

Alpha Painting Services
231 Oak Grove Ave.
Antonio Delesline

Alterations by Elizabeth
657 Chestnut St.
Elizabeth Daniels

Briella’s New Leaf Lawn Care
7 Willowbrook Dr.
Agustin Rosario

Brotherhood Sales
204 Denver St.
Michael Murdock Jr.

Calderon Transportation
90 Cleveland St.
Wilmy Calderon

Cecilia Unisex
2890 Main St.
Alex Nieves

Cubesmart #6099
340 Taylor St.
Davy Tyrell

De Todo un Poco
152 Rifle St.
Damaris Morales

Diaz DJ & Photobooth Services
122 Drexel St.
Celentino Diaz

Diaz Transport
307 Chestnut St.
Josue Diaz

Dragon & Phoenix Inc.
982 Main St.
Ervin Santiago

Hempire Health & Wellness
528 Main St.
Carl Binette

Isabela Mini Market
26 Longhill St.
Daniedys Pena

Journeys #1280
1655 Boston Road, B14
Julie Galbreth

Juguitos, LLC
112 State St.
Pedro Arroyo

Just Money Showroom
18 Forest Park Ave.
Andrew Chamblee

Palma Smoke and Mart
1196 St. James Ave.
Mohamed Mohamed

Paraviya
41 Copley Terrace
Azmaan Mohamed

Parent Villages
107 Ranney St.
LaTonia Naylor

Performance Auto
479 Main St.
Heather MacDonald

Pine Point Property Management
124 Belvidere St.
Nicholas Leigh

Rooted Living
414 Chestnut St.
James Lauzon

Selfish Desire
57 Beverly Lane
Maritza Soto

Smart Wireless
2754 Main St.
Ana Parker

Smarter Money Planning
37 Normandy Road
Jennifer Leydon

TMG Auto Service
26 Vassar St.
Thomas Gonzalez

Top Shelf
240 Chestnut St.
Paul Ramesh

Touch of NYC Hair Boutique
803 Belmont Ave.
Sophia Evans

WARE

Dr. Kani Brown, OD
352 Palmer Road
Kani Brown

Olde Enfield House
82 Dugan Road
Elizabeth Wansick

R.P. Berthiaume Land Clearing & Logging & Trucking
66 Pulaski St.
Robert Berthiaume

Tanglewood Marionettes
108 Church St.
Peter Schaefer

WESTFIELD

A & Z Autos
66 South Broad St.
A & Z Autos Corp.

Gary’s Auto Repair
11 Bartlett St.
Gary Francis

Gulfstream Aerospace Service Corp.
7 Char Dr.
Gulfstream Aerospace Service Corp.

J & A Overhead Door, LLC
1006 Southampton Road
Brian Harvey

Jessica and Co.
277 Elm St.
Jessica Duffy

K-9 Services
3 Klondike Ave.
Donna Blews

Munchy’s Malt Shop
24 North Elm St.
Munchy’s Malt Shop

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Class General Contracting
425 Union St.
Brian Amand

D & A Home Service
83 South Blvd.
Dmitry Ivanov

Milla’s International Cleaning Service
298 Elm St.
Lyudmila Kolesnik

Namaste Adult Daycare
69 Capital Dr.
Dinesh Patel

Precision Manufacturing
54 Myron St.
Peter Bogdan Urbanek

WILBRAHAM

Alisha Evelyn’s Silver Shears
2141K Boston Road
Alisha DeRosier

Life Care Center of Wilbraham
2399 Boston Road
Wilbraham Medical Investors, LP

Matthew Middleton Electrician
2 Bradlind Ave.
Matthew Middleton

Pickleball Vibe
1028 Stony Hill Road
Xuan Le

Platinum Beverage Services, LLC
1070 Glendale Road
Darren Vickery

Wilbraham & Monson Academy
423 Main St.
Brian Easler

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies

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

Adhikari, Prem
463 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/14/19

Alicea, Heather Bernadette
2 Hadley Village Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/07/19

Bazan, Kenneth P.
184 School St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/19

Bennet, Linda M.
38 Maple St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/27/19

Bliven, William B.
Noyes-Bliven, Melissa C
51 Beech St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/13/19

Boisclair, Daniel J.
Boisclair, Paula A.
56 Columbus St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/28/19

Brochu, Deanne T.
a/k/a Edwards, Deanne T.
Cote, Deanne T.
24 Water St.
Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/28/19

Centeno, Jose
Centeno, Maria
147 Sackett Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/14/19

Coyne, Sean O.
25 Fairview Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/19

Emerson, Bonnie Ann
16 David St.
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/07/19

Especially for You in Home Services
Napoli, Terese L.
56 Cuff Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/13/19

Figueroa, Jose F.
23 Taylor St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/04/19

Figueroa, Jose F.
23 Taylor St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/04/19

Flechsig, Gregory C.
Flechsig, Lisa M.
252 Christopher Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/15/19

Forte, Michael R.
1 Mildred Circle
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/15/19

Francis, Christopher Alan
20 Bangor St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/19

Gecko Peaceworks
Scott, Ronald Alvah
49 North Union St.
Plainfield, MA 01070
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/07/19

Goller, Bethany A.
a/k/a McDonald, Bethany A.
207 Ashley Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/13/19

Griffith, Leslie Evan
85 Willis Road
Phillipston, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/28/19

Hammon, Scott A.
Hammon, Heather
10 Wheatland Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/06/19

HAMR Tools LLC
Boissonneault, Ryan R.
Boissonneault, Heather R.
a/k/a Rienti, Heather R.
35 Miller St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/28/19

Harrison, Joanne
6 Spring St.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/19

Irzyk, Evelyn B.
44 Fanwood Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/13/19

Jacobs, Stacy L.
11 Champlain St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/19

Jones, Donna M.
28 Midway St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/14/19

Jubinville, Lisa
100 Webber St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/04/19

Landrau, Rafael
89 Lehigh St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/09/19

Lawrence, Janene M.
319 Fenn St., Apt 4
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/03/19

Lipscomb, Carl W.
18 America St., Apt. D
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/12/19

Maisonet-Pagan, Savier
a/k/a Maison, Savier
41 Smith St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/28/19

Martinez, Jesus M.
a/k/a Martinez-Duprey, Jesus M.
58 Biddle St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/12/19

Mayhew, Fitzroy P.
210 Maple St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/28/19

McCann, Owen
216 Pineview Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/14/19

McCarron, Donna M.
109 Pomeroy Meadow Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/28/19

McCarthy, Joann C.
a/k/a Laferriere, Joann
43 Mashapaug Road
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/11/19

McClendon Trucking
McClendon, Nicholas R.
25 Labonte Ave.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/07/19

Nehmer, Michele A.
24 Church St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/05/19

Odom, James E.
19 Crittenden St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/07/19

Palubinski, Peter R.
65 Cyman Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/05/19

Pappis, Barbara A.
53 Craig Dr., Apt. W3
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/06/19

Parsons, Frank
61 Dartmouth St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/05/19

Perdomo, Magnolia
116 Middlesex St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/07/19

Plourd, Amy M.
a/k/a Crawford, Amy M.
9 Off Lariviere Ave.
Three Rivers, MA 01080
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/11/19

Puza, Daniel J.
11 Knollwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/12/19

Rothenberg, Richard L.
323 Coles Meadow Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/03/19

Ruddeforth, Laurain M.
73 Robert Dyer Circle
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/13/19

Sagan, Michael P.
Sagan, Christel M.
a/k/a Zoba, Christel M.
65 Fox St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/28/19

Senecal, Catherine Ellen
P.O. Box 739
Bondsville, MA 01009
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/06/19

Shire Printworks
Isherwood, Sandra J.
a/k/a Isherwood, Sandi
a/k/a Duprey, Sandra
42 Taft St.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/03/19

Shubrick, Catrese
a/k/a Shubrick Tucker, Catrese
53 Palo Alto Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/01/19

Sparkes, Winston G.
206 Pearl St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/13/19

St. Jacques, Robert J.
16 Georgetown Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/13/19

Tavares, Maria G.
340 Holyoke St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/06/19

Vincent, Melissa
a/k/a Banerjee, Melissa A.
a/k/a Allegrezza, Melissa A.
a/k/a Henry, Melissa A.
173 North Main St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/28/19

Wangamati, Bernard W.
917 Suffield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/04/19

Wood, Eric S.
Wood, Elizabeth L.
35 Richard Eger Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/28/19

Zybura, Michael A.
334 Hampden St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/13/19

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

DEERFIELD

49 Eastern Ave.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $219,100
Buyer: Morgan R. Lentz
Seller: Michael L. Reider
Date: 03/15/19

GILL

9-11 Walnut St.
Gill, MA 01354
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Frank C. Becchetti
Seller: Adie, Angelina E., (Estate)
Date: 03/22/19

GREENFIELD

25 Freeman Dr.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Scott Sibley
Seller: Lisa J. Appleton
Date: 03/26/19

419 Plain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Hugh F. Connolly-Brown
Seller: Earl G. Schacht
Date: 03/25/19

61 Silver St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Archelon Properties LLC
Seller: Erin D. Baribeault
Date: 03/13/19

180 Wells St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Marc Guillaume
Seller: Lawrence R. Dennett
Date: 03/22/19

LEVERETT

53 Richardson Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $149,160
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Rosemarie Lega
Date: 03/25/19

MONTAGUE

Old Sunderland Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: James A. Arcoleo
Seller: Craven, Barbara L., (Estate)
Date: 03/15/19

43 Coolidge Ave.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: Kara McColgan
Seller: Angel P. Donovan
Date: 03/22/19

NEW SALEM

31 Blackinton Road
New Salem, MA 01364
Amount: $232,500
Buyer: Cindy E. Penniman
Seller: Jennifer M. Sandova
Date: 03/25/19

ORANGE

53 Hamilton Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Donna Dubour
Seller: William J. Rogers
Date: 03/19/19

Town Farm Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Fred L. Heyes
Seller: Randall G. Blackmer
Date: 03/21/19

97 Wheeler Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $200,300
Buyer: Frances A. Roberts
Seller: James G. Spooner
Date: 03/19/19

272 Wheeler Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Ronald Reid-Leshane
Seller: Jaime A. Prohaska
Date: 03/21/19

SUNDERLAND

162 Hadley Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Hikaru Kozuma
Seller: Marie Hudson
Date: 03/14/19

WHATELY

149 Christian Lane
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $575,000
Buyer: Nexamp Free Holdings LLC
Seller: Scott Hutkoski
Date: 03/19/19

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

14 Alhambra Circle North
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $182,000
Buyer: Nathan Potts
Seller: Nathan E. Carr
Date: 03/19/19

49 Hamilton Circle
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Valerie L. Marcil
Seller: Roger L. Slater
Date: 03/14/19

64 Horsham Place
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $231,100
Buyer: Jessica N. Bolton
Seller: Robert A. Pacitti
Date: 03/26/19

279 Maynard St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Christopher Kaflik
Seller: Katherine L. Burke
Date: 03/14/19

15 Riverview Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $174,900
Buyer: Charline D. Pysher
Seller: Mark E. Wilson
Date: 03/15/19

501 Shoemaker Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Rebecca Sadlowski
Seller: Gilbert, Virginia J., (Estate)
Date: 03/22/19

430-432 South Westfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $168,100
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Wayne Wetherell
Date: 03/21/19

927-929 Springfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Cidalia Inacio
Seller: Jason A. Larocque
Date: 03/15/19

33 Woodside Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $215,500
Buyer: Stacee A. Cole
Seller: Catherine Corallo
Date: 03/22/19

CHICOPEE

16 Asinof Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: Richard Torres
Seller: Michael Fox
Date: 03/25/19

26 Beauchamp Terrace
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $212,500
Buyer: Jason P. Lapierre
Seller: Robert D. Lusty
Date: 03/14/19

77 Casino Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $167,400
Buyer: Victor Monserrat
Seller: Santo L. Arce
Date: 03/25/19

107 Cochran St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $177,500
Buyer: Nicholas B. Rice
Seller: Wendi Lawson
Date: 03/21/19

63 Crestwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $141,500
Buyer: Richard E. Morin
Seller: Morin FT
Date: 03/25/19

259 East Main St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Nadeem Sheikh
Seller: Oak Ridge Custom Home
Date: 03/21/19

66 Edmund St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: Antonio Acevedo
Seller: Thomas M. Casey
Date: 03/14/19

49 Fair St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Alexander Pabon
Seller: Kelly M. Petrowski
Date: 03/22/19

124 Farnsworth St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Rachel M. Blase
Seller: Michael J. Bucalo
Date: 03/22/19

1246 Granby Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $1,665,000
Buyer: Whaling Properties LLC
Seller: Longport LLC
Date: 03/14/19

659 Grattan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Shaili & Vrinda Realty LLC
Seller: Umar F. Bhatti
Date: 03/22/19

44 Juliette St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Edward Fulke
Seller: Charles Elfman
Date: 03/15/19

74 Kowal Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Deborah R. Ward
Seller: Jeffrey D. McLeod
Date: 03/15/19

39 Lincoln St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Casa Bonita Apartments
Seller: Dorothy A. Gloster
Date: 03/13/19

545 Memorial Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $18,600,000
Buyer: RK Chicopee LLC
Seller: UE Chicopee Holding LLC
Date: 03/18/19

100 Oakwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $166,000
Buyer: Haley J. Jarvis
Seller: FNMA
Date: 03/15/19

42 Simonich Circle
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $166,000
Buyer: Michelle M. Sullivan
Seller: Grazyna M. Andruszko
Date: 03/15/19

38 Thomas St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $171,000
Buyer: Ernie Melendez
Seller: Jeanette K. Kornacki
Date: 03/22/19

20 Veterans Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01022
Amount: $1,975,000
Buyer: 20 Veterans Drive LLC
Seller: A. Michael Fleming
Date: 03/22/19

EAST LONGMEADOW

17 Callender Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $224,900
Buyer: Rebecca C. Moriarty
Seller: Richard Colwell
Date: 03/25/19

62 Cooley Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Gina Calabrese
Seller: Casey Montemagni
Date: 03/21/19

7 Melody Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Gary J. Paulette
Date: 03/25/19

15 Nottingham Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $451,000
Buyer: Eric C. Schmitt
Seller: Karen S. Ford
Date: 03/14/19

382 Porter Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $208,000
Buyer: Lachenauer LLC
Seller: US Bank
Date: 03/22/19

3 Saint Joseph Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Robin Abourizk
Seller: Linda M. Taupier
Date: 03/26/19

GRANVILLE

8 South Lane
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Josh A. Fraser
Seller: Matthew J. Mountain
Date: 03/13/19

HAMPDEN

45 Circleview Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $162,600
Buyer: AEM Property Investment
Seller: USA HUD
Date: 03/15/19

575 Main St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $247,388
Buyer: MTGLQ Investors LP
Seller: Susan M. Traniello
Date: 03/25/19

136 Raymond Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Fletcher & Maple LLC
Seller: Dangleis, Teresa M., (Estate)
Date: 03/22/19

HOLYOKE

27 Dillon Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $198,000
Buyer: Jose A. Mendez
Seller: Miriam Colon
Date: 03/15/19

55 Elmwood Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Kelly A. Lundgren
Seller: Shirley L. Uggiano
Date: 03/19/19

29 Joanne Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: Matthew W. Thompson
Seller: FNMA
Date: 03/19/19

21 Pearson Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Susan Monahan
Seller: Camille C. Girard
Date: 03/19/19

6 Robert Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Michael Henry
Seller: Dominick J. Swistro
Date: 03/15/19

35 Roland St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Heather A. Montgomery
Seller: Melissa Rex
Date: 03/21/19

25 Scott Hollow Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Katie L. Haydocy
Seller: Kevin D. Bechard
Date: 03/22/19

2 Stratford Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $134,702
Buyer: Abraxas RT
Seller: USA HUD
Date: 03/15/19

19 Sylvia Lane
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Jason Lajewski
Seller: Murphy, Edward J., (Estate)
Date: 03/20/19

17 Upland Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Scot A. Mulveyhill
Seller: Daniel A. Melao
Date: 03/22/19

14 Washington Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $189,000
Buyer: Sindia Ocasio
Seller: Linh Ngoc-Nguyen
Date: 03/25/19

LONGMEADOW

163 Cambridge Circle
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $402,500
Buyer: Desmond B. Mullally
Seller: Mark L. Lauria
Date: 03/15/19

289 Converse St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Thomas J. Moran
Seller: Hugh J. O’Donnell
Date: 03/25/19

190 Englewood Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $283,505
Buyer: Garrett J. Moulton
Seller: Nero, Walter J., (Estate)
Date: 03/22/19

58 Falmouth Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $455,000
Buyer: Thomas J. Anderson
Seller: Michael M. Kwoka
Date: 03/22/19

94 Lawrence Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Maria C. Miranda
Seller: James J. Tallaksen
Date: 03/15/19

120 Longview Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $426,500
Buyer: Nicholas Togneri
Seller: Andrew T. Kleeman
Date: 03/22/19

18 Pioneer Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Laura Y. Sullivan
Seller: Steven Weiss
Date: 03/19/19

57 Sheffield Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $313,000
Buyer: Patrick O’Connor
Seller: Pamela J. Vatrano
Date: 03/15/19

LUDLOW

598 Alden St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $194,000
Buyer: Brock French
Seller: PD Developments LLC
Date: 03/14/19

Autumn Ridge Road #53
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $144,500
Buyer: Eugene L. Martins
Seller: Whitetail Wreks LLC
Date: 03/25/19

120 Cady St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Jose P. Carlos
Seller: Marc D. Soares
Date: 03/26/19

723 Center St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $264,000
Buyer: Christopher Minie
Seller: Shirley A. Coviello
Date: 03/22/19

686 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Jonathan Jorge
Seller: Stephanie S. Villines
Date: 03/14/19

20 Electric Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Leonor Depina
Seller: Jason P. Snyder
Date: 03/26/19

Marias Way #6
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Helder P. Costa
Seller: M&G Investors LLC
Date: 03/15/19

Marias Way #9
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Domingos A. Seguro
Seller: M&G Investors LLC
Date: 03/18/19

105 Moody St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $163,000
Buyer: Chet L. Lokey
Seller: Tatsch, Lorraine C., (Estate)
Date: 03/18/19

MONSON

Boston Road West
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $3,000,000
Buyer: Transform Operating Stores
Seller: Kmart Corp.
Date: 03/19/19

62 Wales Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: David M. Kenyon
Seller: Shane Erskine
Date: 03/22/19

PALMER

Baptist Hill Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $3,000,000
Buyer: Transform Operating Stores
Seller: Kmart Corp.
Date: 03/19/19

114 Belchertown St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Lakyn B. Brozo
Seller: Craig H. Bodamer
Date: 03/15/19

28 Forest St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Jeffery R. Lucia
Seller: Joshua Pobieglo-Kapinos
Date: 03/21/19

38 Ruggles St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $209,000
Buyer: Amanda E. Rabbitt
Seller: Corey P. Chartier
Date: 03/26/19

150-A Wilbraham St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $3,000,000
Buyer: Transform Operating Stores
Seller: Kmart Corp.
Date: 03/19/19

159 Wilbraham St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $3,000,000
Buyer: Transform Operating Stores
Seller: Kmart Corp.
Date: 03/19/19

230 Wilbraham St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $3,000,000
Buyer: Transform Operating Stores
Seller: Kmart Corp.
Date: 03/19/19

SOUTHWICK

18 Eagle St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Sean B. Leahy
Seller: JMN LLC
Date: 03/22/19

Sawgrass Lane #3
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Hillside Development Corp.
Seller: Fiore Realty Holdings LLC
Date: 03/15/19

6 Tree Top Lane
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $317,500
Buyer: Richard P. Vella
Seller: Ross A. Gazzaniga
Date: 03/15/19

214 Vining Hill Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Lily M. Psholka
Seller: Miller, Robert L., (Estate)
Date: 03/22/19

SPRINGFIELD

257 Ambrose St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $149,000
Buyer: Daiana Rodriguez
Seller: 855 Liberty LLC
Date: 03/13/19

41-45 Baldwin St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Bao Q. Tran
Seller: Shadowfax Inc.
Date: 03/22/19

175 Bowles Park
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $169,500
Buyer: Salvador Montalvo
Seller: US Bank
Date: 03/15/19

69 Brandon Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Jason W. Brierley
Seller: Isabelle, Pamela A., (Estate)
Date: 03/20/19

44-46 Calhoun St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Kiara L. Pina
Seller: Timber Mills LLC
Date: 03/26/19

1757 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Jose L. Hernandez
Seller: Emtay Inc.
Date: 03/15/19

85 Cedar St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $124,000
Buyer: Genesis Rosario
Seller: Kenneth L. Fitzgibbon
Date: 03/15/19

107 Cedar St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $123,000
Buyer: Dean F. Baiardi
Seller: Victor Amaro
Date: 03/21/19

61 Chilson St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $179,900
Buyer: Eddie Vives
Seller: BP LLC
Date: 03/22/19

31 Dearborn St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $150,809
Buyer: Fatima Martinez
Seller: Vuong Nguyen
Date: 03/22/19

130 Eddy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $122,000
Buyer: Ismael Acevedo
Seller: Joey Morales
Date: 03/22/19

113 Eddywood St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $148,000
Buyer: Joseph R. Afonso
Seller: BHR Properties LLC
Date: 03/15/19

103 El Paso St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $159,000
Buyer: Jimmy L. Crapps
Seller: Fumi Realty Inc.
Date: 03/13/19

48 Euclid Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $169,000
Buyer: Quanae D. Thomas
Seller: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Date: 03/15/19

96 Fernwold St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Bao Q. Tran
Seller: Shadowfax Inc.
Date: 03/22/19

47 Franconia St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: Laura A. Walsh
Seller: Robert A. Lyons
Date: 03/21/19

15 Glendell Terrace
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Magda Duverne
Seller: Thanh V. Nguyen
Date: 03/22/19

33 Hanson Dr.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $183,000
Buyer: Theresa A. Bennett
Seller: Eagle Home Buyers LLC
Date: 03/15/19

25 Huntington St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Jaime J. Melendez
Seller: Jordan P. Healy
Date: 03/26/19

95 Ingersoll Grove
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Michael Dandrea
Seller: Donna J. Lapointe
Date: 03/15/19

27 Jerilis Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $177,500
Buyer: Juanita M. Davila
Seller: Malaquias, Jaden M., (Estate)
Date: 03/22/19

15 Knollwood St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Orlando Beltran
Seller: Abdul S. Chaudhry
Date: 03/22/19

55 Larkspur St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $120,100
Buyer: Anthony Nguyen
Seller: US Bank
Date: 03/25/19

133 Longhill St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $938,000
Buyer: Breakthrough Worship Center
Seller: Melha Temple Holding Corp.
Date: 03/26/19

31-33 Longview St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $139,900
Buyer: Rodney W. Brooks
Seller: TM Properties Inc.
Date: 03/15/19

70 Lucerne Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $119,000
Buyer: Ana V. Forbes
Seller: Edward J. Haluch
Date: 03/22/19

50 Midway St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Michael Richardson-Polk
Seller: Shelley Bourgeois
Date: 03/25/19

115-117 Mooreland St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Cristian Deabreu
Seller: HP Rum LLC
Date: 03/18/19

23 Murray Hill Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Wanda Carrillo
Seller: MNL Management LLC
Date: 03/13/19

238 Naismith St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: John Ngugi
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 03/22/19

129-131 Noel St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Edwin Garriga
Seller: Cruz Borrero
Date: 03/18/19

43-49 Oak St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Nghia Nguyen
Seller: Hedge Hog Industries Corp.
Date: 03/20/19

83 Oakdale St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $135,192
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Maynard, Harold A., (Estate)
Date: 03/15/19

47 Oakwood Terrace
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Sarah Njoroge
Seller: Viktor Savonin
Date: 03/18/19

97 Overlook Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Vincent P. James-Mazzuca
Seller: Norman J. Andrekus
Date: 03/25/19

162 Packard Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $139,900
Buyer: Georgina Roy
Seller: Barbara T. Lodi
Date: 03/15/19

535 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Pride Convenience Inc.
Seller: MTK LLC
Date: 03/19/19

936 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $164,900
Buyer: Aida M. Vargas-Dejesus
Seller: US Bank
Date: 03/15/19

1291 Plumtree Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Patricia A. Carney
Seller: Christopher T. Phelps
Date: 03/15/19

1508 Plumtree Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Way FT
Seller: Tadeusz Bialobrzeski
Date: 03/26/19

72 Princeton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $171,000
Buyer: Anthony Plazaola
Seller: Leon Woods
Date: 03/20/19

21-27 Putnam Circle
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Amit Cohen
Seller: Hedge Hog Industries Corp.
Date: 03/18/19

117-119 Ranney St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Luis E. Meono
Seller: Calhoun Street LLC
Date: 03/18/19

1374 South Branch Pkwy.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Annette M. Santiago
Seller: Aracelis Reynoso
Date: 03/18/19

15 Signal Hill Circle
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Campagnari Construction
Seller: Irene A. Jansen
Date: 03/18/19

8 Stebbins St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Harvey Bryson
Seller: Yellowbrick Property LLC
Date: 03/18/19

1170 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: Allan D. Dash
Seller: CIG 2 LLC
Date: 03/15/19

77 Valley Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $229,500
Buyer: Maria Roman
Seller: Aguasvivas Realty LLC
Date: 03/20/19

51 Victoria St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Maximo R. Lopez
Seller: Jill M. Kobee
Date: 03/26/19

105 West Allen Ridge Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $172,500
Buyer: Timothy Mullen
Seller: CIG 4 LLC
Date: 03/22/19

105 Welland Road
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Nelida Rivera
Seller: Gabrielle Morgan
Date: 03/26/19

174 Westford Circle
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Emmanuel Tanco-Verdejo
Seller: Joshua M. Glicksman
Date: 03/20/19

Weymouth St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Jason A. Smidy
Seller: Thomas R. Creed
Date: 03/18/19

17-19 Whittier St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $174,000
Buyer: Chanh Nguyen
Seller: Cesar A. Pina
Date: 03/22/19

33 Woodcliff St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: David P. Casinghino
Seller: Wilmington Savings
Date: 03/14/19

1407-1409 Worcester St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Evan A. Powers
Seller: Edward A. Abraham
Date: 03/21/19

WALES

115 Main St.
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $217,500
Buyer: Janelle L. Vanhook
Seller: Kimberly M. Dugas
Date: 03/22/19

2 Woodland Heights
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $169,672
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Tina L. Martin
Date: 03/22/19

WEST SPRINGFIELD

22 Chapin St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $124,345
Buyer: Jeffrey Bergeron
Seller: Bergeron Renovations & Remodeling
Date: 03/20/19

130 Chilson Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Felicia Hopewell
Seller: Fanos, Lillian M., (Estate)
Date: 03/22/19

363 Dewey St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $304,900
Buyer: Jeremy D. King
Seller: William M. Hartt
Date: 03/19/19

246 Forest Glen
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $315,100
Buyer: Matthew J. Geaughan
Seller: Carolyn C. Marsano
Date: 03/14/19

50 Oleander St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $179,900
Buyer: John Harrelson
Seller: Peter R. Svitenko
Date: 03/22/19

52 Pheasants Xing
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Muradbek Usmonov
Seller: Steven J. Deline
Date: 03/13/19

54 Wellfleet Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Robbin J. Larivee
Seller: West Co. Investments LLC
Date: 03/21/19

92 Winona Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $291,000
Buyer: Nathan Carr
Seller: Laurel Foley-Beauchesne
Date: 03/19/19

WESTFIELD

15 Broadway
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $257,000
Buyer: Vanessa E. Beattie
Seller: George Psychas
Date: 03/15/19

2 Crown St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Prem LLC
Seller: LHJ Properties LLC
Date: 03/22/19

1101 East Mountain Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $474,900
Buyer: Jason Wolfe
Seller: Daniel W. Sears
Date: 03/18/19

59 Knollwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: MTGLQ Investors LP
Seller: Jonathan P. Maki
Date: 03/25/19

31 Laurel Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Amanda R. Orton
Seller: CIG 4 LLC
Date: 03/22/19

6 Paper St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $135,740
Buyer: Michael D. Charland
Seller: Jessica L. Kudelka
Date: 03/15/19

29 Paper Mill Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $203,000
Buyer: Zachary T. Kulas
Seller: Judith L. Geier
Date: 03/26/19

86 Roosevelt Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $149,485
Buyer: Matthew J. Worley
Seller: Michael L. Pothier
Date: 03/19/19

617 Southampton Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $1,825,000
Buyer: I&B Properties LLC
Seller: Westfield DG LLC
Date: 03/15/19

84 West Silver St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $162,400
Buyer: John Rekully
Seller: Ruth H. Pinon
Date: 03/15/19

WILBRAHAM

60 Chilson Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $557,000
Buyer: Edison C. DePaula
Seller: Victor R. O’Brien
Date: 03/25/19

312 Glendale Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Abdulghani H. Mourad
Seller: VIP Homes & Associates LLC
Date: 03/21/19

3 Lake Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Crystal L. Morin
Seller: John P. Dubose
Date: 03/15/19

137 Manchonis Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Benjamin Lopez-Ortiz
Seller: Crystal L. Morin
Date: 03/15/19

4 Opal St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $189,000
Buyer: Gregg S. Franklin
Seller: FNMA
Date: 03/15/19

1315 Tinkham Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Vincent M. Desantis
Seller: Kevin T. Burke
Date: 03/19/19

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

36 Alpine Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $368,000
Buyer: Emily A. Potter-Ndiaye
Seller: Marla J. Solomon RET
Date: 03/22/19

72 Curtis Place
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Lawrence D. Hansen
Seller: Green Tree Family LP
Date: 03/15/19

194 Glendale Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Cedric L. Douglas
Seller: Oscar R. Letoile
Date: 03/22/19

182 Pondview Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Aren W. Scanlan-Emigh
Seller: Laszlo Dienes 2015 RET
Date: 03/21/19

BELCHERTOWN

58 Dana Hill
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $241,500
Buyer: Kaileigh M. Keizer
Seller: Stephanie A. Davella
Date: 03/19/19

108 Jabish St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $162,000
Buyer: Todd R. Perry
Seller: Thomas J. Pelissier
Date: 03/25/19

15 North Liberty St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: James P. Kearney
Seller: Joseph R. White
Date: 03/25/19

74 North Washington St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Tammy A. Kane
Seller: Roger L. Archambault TR
Date: 03/18/19

96 Oakridge Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Japheth Dziubek
Seller: Charles C. Kupras
Date: 03/15/19

CHESTERFIELD

6 North Road
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Town Of Chesterfield
Seller: Michael P. Russell
Date: 03/13/19

CUMMINGTON

Stage Road (off)
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $131,600
Buyer: Robert Levitt
Seller: Harvey Levitt NT
Date: 03/13/19

EASTHAMPTON

22-24 Arlington St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $159,900
Buyer: Julie Copoulos
Seller: Wells Fargo Bank
Date: 03/14/19

19 Franklin St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $349,500
Buyer: James N. Chevalier
Seller: Milo Properties LLC
Date: 03/15/19

21 Mineral St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Raven S. Williams
Seller: Daniel F. Ilnicky
Date: 03/19/19

136 Strong St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $247,200
Buyer: Maximilian A. Rothert
Seller: Elizabeth M. Gibbons
Date: 03/15/19

GRANBY

233 Chicopee St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $308,500
Buyer: Peter Nyzio
Seller: FNMA
Date: 03/13/19

HADLEY

185 Russell St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Ronald Bercume
Seller: Constance I. Mieczkowski
Date: 03/15/19

HATFIELD

135 Depot Road
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $247,000
Buyer: Adrienne R. Aubin
Seller: Darlene J. Dupre
Date: 03/15/19

28 Dwight St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $243,500
Buyer: Katie Russell
Seller: Richard P. Raftery
Date: 03/22/19

HUNTINGTON

28 Pond Brook Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Jonathan Mauterer
Seller: 28 Pond Brook Road Land TR
Date: 03/21/19

NORTHAMPTON

100 Emerson Way
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $610,000
Buyer: Harry Greenhouse
Seller: Julie Starr
Date: 03/22/19

135 Deerfield Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Catherine J. Potak
Seller: John S. Czerapowicz LT
Date: 03/15/19

159-161 Main St.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Jennifer Langheld
Seller: Pamela L. Clark
Date: 03/15/19

Ryan Road #2
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: CED Northampton Solar LLC
Seller: Jonathan R. Goldsmith
Date: 03/14/19

17 Walnut St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Rainbow Properties LLC
Seller: Margaret T. Milne TR
Date: 03/22/19

1036 Westhampton Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: P-Tush 1 LLC
Seller: Pruzynski, Edmunds A., (Estate)
Date: 03/13/19

PELHAM

34 Amherst Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Amcas Management LLC
Seller: Lederle, Thomas P., (Estate)
Date: 03/15/19

26 North Valley Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Daniel P. McCullough
Seller: James S. Pepper
Date: 03/26/19

SOUTH HADLEY

48 Abbey St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Jenny Marinuzzi
Seller: Susan B. Martin
Date: 03/15/19

2 Benoit Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $276,500
Buyer: Christopher M. Kibler
Seller: Karen E. Stefanelli
Date: 03/18/19

22 Bunker Hill
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Teri L. Koopman
Seller: US Bank
Date: 03/22/19

107 Lyman St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $229,500
Buyer: Andrew A. Carney
Seller: Scot A. Mulveyhill
Date: 03/22/19

20 Lyman Terrace
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $238,000
Buyer: Mallory E. Pepyne
Seller: Revampit LLC
Date: 03/20/19

94 Richview Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $274,000
Buyer: John F. Cleary
Seller: Suzanne P. Gallagher
Date: 03/15/19

68 School St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $135,300
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Kimberly Palmer
Date: 03/26/19

64 Woodbridge Terrace
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Brian W. Dalke
Seller: John M. Callahan
Date: 03/15/19

SOUTHAMPTON

228 County Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Joshua Thomas
Seller: John W. Richardson
Date: 03/15/19

124 East St.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Daniel Winchell
Seller: Bruce R. Butman
Date: 03/15/19

WARE

101 Beaver Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $519,000
Buyer: Marie R. Silver
Seller: Janet P. Hanson TR
Date: 03/13/19

207 Osborne Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $142,500
Buyer: Nicholas W. Burgos
Seller: Redwood Properties LLC
Date: 03/21/19

10-12 Pleasant St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Thomas T. Suchodolski
Date: 03/21/19

190 Upper North St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $158,500
Buyer: Brian Herring
Seller: Valmore F. Denine
Date: 03/14/19

WESTHAMPTON

Pisgah Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Nature Conservancy
Seller: Edward St.John
Date: 03/21/19

WORTHINGTON

8 Dingle Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Nicole Prucnal
Seller: Joshua J. Tanner
Date: 03/25/19

Building Permits

By
Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of March 2019.

AMHERST

Amherst College
151 College St.
$20,000 — Remove and replace nine existing antennas with six new antennas and install nine new remote radio heads

CHICOPEE

Berkshire Retail-C, LLC
185 Exchange St.
$5,000 — Remove demising wall

City of Chicopee
104 Baskin Dr.
$25,000 — Construct fiber-optic shed

Daryl Dumala
31 Main St.
$5,000 — Demolish and remove brick structure and regrade area

Grace Slavic Pentecostal Church
5 Meadow St.
$2,000 — Add parapet to rear garage wall

OSJ of Chicopee, LLC
1445 Memorial Dr.
$344,000 — Roofing

EASTHAMPTON

Mountain View Investors
31 Union St.
$30,000 — Interior buildout for new restaurant

GREENFIELD

John Koehler
37 Silvio O. Conte Dr.
$6,000 — Replace rotted cedar clapboards with new siding

O’Reilly Auto Enterprises, LLC
461 Bernardston Road
$1,047,601 — Construct new pre-engineered metal building for O’Reilly Auto Parts

HADLEY

360 Russell, LLC
360 Russell St.
$8,000 — Alter ground sign and wall signs for Verizon Wireless

ENZ, LLC
207 Russell St.
$142,000 — Interior buildout of demised tenant space for Hadley Meadows Dental

FDF Realty, LLP
299 Russell St.
$3,605 — Remove roof and wall to make rear exit safe at Rocky’s Ace Hardware

LONGMEADOW

Glenmeadow Inc.
24 Tabor Crossing
$4,500 — Remove wall to accommodate mechanical removal and replace wall

The Longmeadow Mall, LP
827 Williams St.
$105,000 — Remodel existing interior commercial space at Ahearn Holtzman Inc.

NORTHAMPTON

Atwood Drive, LLC
15 Atwood Dr.
$2,300 — Non-illuminated wall sign for Hampshire Probate

City of Northampton
Bridge Street
$1,000 — Replace exterior door and frame at Bridge Street Cemetery

Taco Bell of America, LLC
203 King St.
$2,700 — Front wall sign at KFC restaurant

Thornes Marketplace, LLC
150 Main St., Suite 365
$13,700 — Renovate existing office

PALMER

IDS Properties
18 East Palmer Park Dr.
$20,000 — Roofing, siding, windows, and garage doors

Dmitry Voloshinov
1415 Main St.
$96,379 — Create six exam rooms for physical therapy and a reception area, and remodel two bathrooms

SPRINGFIELD

Boston Road/Pasco Rt. 20 Retail, LLC
1324 Boston Road
$6,000 — Install fire suppression for hood system at KFC restaurant

Congregation Beth El
979 Dickinson St.
$10,000 — Interior demolition for future buildout of sanctuary

Drama Studio Inc.
41 Oakland St.
$74,621 — Install rooftop solar modules

William Julian Jr.
1019 St. James Ave.
$15,000 — Alter space for restroom reconfiguration and accessibility requirements and repair ceiling at Subway restaurant

MassMutual
1295 State St.
$608,000 — Alter interior office space on third floor

WARE

118 Main Street Ware, LLC
55 East St.
$7,000 — Install new window and repair exterior stairs behind building

WEST SPRINGFIELD

73 State Street, LLC
30 Capital Dr.
$9,890 — Install two doorways

Crepes Tea House
261 Union St.
$15,000 — Roofing

JLL Real Estate, LLC
57 Wayside Ave/
$825,500 — Construct storage-unit facility comprised of four buildings

Dinesh Patel
69 Capital Dr.
$126,000 — Partition wall, rehabilitate window and door openings

Dinesh Patel
69 Capital Dr.
$15,000 — Convert Pace School to adult day care

Tyler Saremi
39-41 Bliss St.
$18,000 — Roofing

Verizon Wireless
380 Union St.
Swap three antennas and three remote radio heads

WILBRAHAM

2387 Boston Road Wilbraham, LLC
2387 Boston Road
$289,177 — Roofing

Eagle Cove, LLC
2650 Boston Road
$6,000 — Hood exhaust blower/duct work

Wilbraham & Monson Academy
552 Mountain Road
$23,000 — Kitchen renovation and roofing

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