Month: May 2019

SPRINGFIELD — Bulkley Richardson announced that Ethan McNiff will spend the next several months at the firm as a summer associate. During his 10-week assignment, he will have the opportunity to assist with work from all practice areas.

McNiff is currently attending Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in Chicago with an expected graduation date of May 2021. He is a graduate of the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, where he received a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, in finance and legal studies in 2014. Since his undergraduate studies, he has worked as an investment operations representative and treasury analyst.

“Ethan is a bright young man with a career in law ahead of him,” said Kevin Maynard, chair of the firm’s hiring committee. “Bulkley Richardson is a great place for him to experience the inner workings of a law firm. He will have the opportunity to be mentored by seasoned attorneys, get exposure to both traditional and emerging practice areas, and gain experience through working on real-life legal matters.”

Added Dan Finnegan, managing partner, “as one of the largest law firms in Western Mass., hiring exceptional talent is essential to the success of the firm. They are our future, and we place a great deal of importance on training and retaining up-and-coming lawyers.”

Bulkley Richardson continues to accept résumés for summer associates, recent law-school graduates, and lateral attorneys. Visit bulkley.com/careers for more information.

BOSTON — American Student Assistance (ASA), a national nonprofit, announced it has awarded grants totaling $647,000 to seven Massachusetts school districts, including two in Western Mass., to fund career and interest exploration programs for middle-school students. The school communities, which will receive their funding over the course of three years, will begin implementing the programs in the 2019-20 school year.

“All of us at ASA firmly believe that, if students have the opportunity to explore a range of courses and career options at an early age, they will be better prepared to find their unique paths and develop plans for after high school,” said Jean Eddy, president and CEO. “Schools in Massachusetts are doing some incredibly innovative things, and we are confident these grants will help energize and inspire young students to begin to set a course for their futures.”

In Western Mass., Monson Public Schools will launch the Careers in the Middle program, providing students in grades 6 to 8 with classroom lessons, field trips, and events that will expose them to career-awareness opportunities.

“Monson is thrilled to be chosen by ASA to partner to provide additional resources that focus on our middle grades,” said Robert Bardwell, director of School Counseling and School-to-Career coordinator. “This grant will give us the opportunity to do more for our middle-level students and collect data that tells us which activities are best to facilitate and encourage career development early on.”

Meanwhile, Springfield STEM Academy will enhance and expand the Tech/Engineering Exploration program to expose students to new fields such as bioengineering, solar and wind engineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering.

“Exposing students to biological, solar, wind, electrical, and mechanical engineering at a young age is a potential game changer for their rest of their lives,” Superintendent Daniel Warwick said. “It allows them to think about the wide array of STEM careers in real ways and opens the door to unlimited possibilities in this burgeoning field. We are extremely grateful that this ASA grant will help us provide this opportunity for our students.”

GRANBY — On June 11, 1768, the tiny settlement of Granby received its charter, and the town was officially incorporated. Zoom ahead 251 years, and the town of Granby is still celebrating.

Granby Charter Days, slated for June 14-16, is an annual, three-day community fair marking the 251st birthday of Granby. This year, Alden Credit Union will light the candles on Granby’s cake as the presenting sponsor.

“Alden Credit Union is very proud to be the presenting sponsor at the 2019 Granby Charter Days,” said Adam Corcoran, present and CEO of Alden Credit Union. “What is important to us is honoring and celebrating our communities. We get to serve many Granby families on a day-to-day basis, and when we had the opportunity to sponsor this historic celebration, we didn’t think twice. We congratulate Granby on 251 years, and we look forward to many more years ahead.”

Granby Charter Days takes place at Dufresne Park Recreation Area on Route 202 in Granby and will feature live bands such as Trailer Trash, King Kountry, Moose & the High Tops, and the Side Effects. Events include tractor, truck, and oxen pulls; food, including the Granby Police Department’s pancake breakfast; a fishing derby; a volunteer militia living-history encampment; an American Legion beer tent; helicopter rides; amusement rides; exhibits; and fireworks.

SPRINGFIELD — For the second consecutive year, Springfield College School of Social Work Professor Karen Clark-Hoey is leading a short-term study-abroad program in Romania, where she had lived and worked under Peace Corps and Fulbright from 1994 to 1997.

Clark-Hoey will travel with 17 social work students from the Springfield and Worcester campuses for experiential learning on the study of social work in Romania more than 25 years after inception.

“Bringing 17 students abroad is no small undertaking, but Romania is like a second home country to me, having lived and worked there for three years,” Clark-Hoey said. “Students will have a deeply enriching academic, cultural, and personal experience made possible through a close collaboration with my colleagues at Babes-Bolyai University, a well-respected institution for higher learning known throughout Europe and ranked number one in Romania. This trip is an opportunity for our students to learn firsthand from the social-work educators who first launched the profession in the early years following Romania’s 50 years of communism, and for them to gain an understanding of what it took to build systems of care for vulnerable populations across the practice spectrum where none had existed before.”

The visitors will be working with the Department of Social Work at Babes-Bolyai University, where they will receive instruction from faculty, meet and share experiences with Romanian social work students, and make site visits to various agencies.

Along with the experiential learning opportunities, the group will enjoy cultural experiences, including a visit to forests and castles deep in the region of Transylvania, a visit to Bridal Veil Falls, and participation with Outward Bound Romania, a nonprofit organization specializing in outdoor activities, both educational and recreational, that was founded in 1993 as an independent member of the internationally recognized Outward Bound International.

AMHERST — Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Claudia Pazmany announced the recent addition of John Page as full-time Membership & Marketing manager.

Page, who has been serving as an intern in this position for the last 10 months while completing his undergraduate studies, is already known to many, Pazmany said. “John has proven to be an invaluable resource to our chamber membership, and members know to turn to him for support and recognition. He is the best possible fit, and we are a better chamber for his commitment to the Amherst area.”

She added that, “with his marketing talents, John has already helped us double our engagement and exposure across web and social media over the last nine months. As he continues to develop engaging marketing campaigns, including maintaining our website, social media, and communications, he also strives to help members see the value in the chamber through its programing to promote business and professional development in our community.”

Page is a 2019 earned a BBA in operation and information management from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, where he also studied political science and was a member of the Commonwealth Honors College. He received the Amherst Area Chamber and Cooley Dickinson Health Care Scholarship in 2015. He had been working for UMass Dining for five years, rising through the ranks, before joining the chamber in 2018. He has a passion for civic engagement and politics and serves on a number of local committees.

HOLYOKE — On Tuesday, June 4 from 5 to 8:30 p.m., dozens of local leaders will take an expanded collective view of the trends and forces affecting the business, social, and economic environment of the region at the Pioneer Valley Leadership Summit.

Using the World Café method of small-group conversations, participants will create a context map of how current forces are changing how they develop and steer their organizations into the future. Ideas, concerns, and best practices will be exchanged in this highly interactive process.

“We’re hosting this summit to celebrate our 25 years of providing a learning community for our business members,” said Ira Bryck, president of the Family Business Center of the Pioneer Valley (FBC). “Now we want to give back to the community that has been part of our success. We’re currently going through our own leadership transition and strategic planning to prepare a roadmap that my successor and board can use to evolve the organization. Conducting an environmental scan to better understand the landscape that our members and stakeholders are navigating is part of the planning process.”

Jessi Kirley, strategic planning lead and incoming FBC executive director, added that “conducting educational and networking events for our members is what we do. The Leadership Summit is a unique opportunity for leaders to contribute to and benefit from the collective knowledge of experts from different business and community sectors.”

The World Café process of focused, small-group conversations provides a meaningful way to exchange critical information that is relevant to planning and organizational development, said Ingrid Bredenberg, strategic leadership coach and summit facilitator. “The event, and the compiled information, will help leadership teams and boards of directors understand the bigger picture so they can better steer their organizations in these dynamically changing times.”

The Leadership Summit will be held at the Log Cabin in Holyoke, an appropriate venue with an expansive view of the Pioneer Valley. During the highly interactive event, participants will sit at tables designated for topics such as social trends, economic climate, political forces, technology, etc. Graphic recorders will illustrate the group reports in real time. Information exchanged will be captured and compiled for participants’ use after the summit.

For more information, visit fambizpv.com/leadershipsummit.html.

EASTHAMPTON — Berkley Human Services, a leading provider of insurance and risk-management services for social services across the U.S., has selected Smith Brothers Insurance to represent it in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York.

Smith Brothers, which has offices in Easthampton and West Springfield and is headquartered in Glastonbury, Conn., is an independently operated, top-100 broker in the U.S., withd has offices throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York.

“For decades, we have had great relationships with many of the W.R. Berkley companies,” said Joe Smith, president and CEO of Smith Brothers. “The addition of Berkley Human Services in our social-services specialty will enhance our growth plans, and, with our home base in Hartford County and expansion in Massachusetts and New York, we look forward to helping these organizations help others.”

SPRINGFIELD — In the spring of 2017, BusinessWest and its sister publication, HCN, created a new and exciting recognition program called Healthcare Heroes.

It was launched with the theory that there are heroes working all across this region’s wide, deep, and all-important healthcare sector, and that there was no shortage of fascinating stories to tell and individuals and groups to honor. Two years later, that theory has been validated, and stories that needed to be told have been told.

But there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of heroes who stories we still need to tell. And that’s where you come in.

Nominations for the class of 2019 are due July 12, and we encourage you to get involved and help recognize someone you consider to be a hero in the community we call Western Mass. in one (or more) of these seven categories: Patient/Resident/Client Care Provider, Health/Wellness Administrator/Administration, Emerging Leader, Community Health, Innovation in Health/Wellness, Collaboration in Health/Wellness, and Lifetime Achievement.

Event sponsors include presenting sponsor American International College, partnering sponsors Development Associates and Comcast Business, and supporting sponsor Elms College. To nominate a Healthcare Hero, click here.

SPRINGFIELD — Florence Bank and the city of Springfield are working together to upgrade the basketball court at Greenleaf Community Center in time for summer, school vacation, and neighborhood pickup games.

Work to repave and paint the court began earlier in May and is expected to be complete before school ends in June. Two new hoops and backboards will also be installed.

“We are thrilled to have this project underway because we know the children in the neighborhood will benefit this summer — and for many summers to come,” said Florence Bank President and CEO John Heaps Jr.

Nearly two years ago, Florence Bank opened its first branch in Hampden County at 1010 Union St. in West Springfield, and last fall, a second branch opened at 1444 Allen St.

“It’s important that we show the community we care about the things that are important to them,” Heaps said. “We like to be good neighbors.”

Florence Bank and the city each contributed $15,000 to the project. A celebratory event will be held on Tuesday, June 18 from 6 to 8 p.m., with a rain date of June 19.

SPRINGFIELD — Starting today, May 22, White Lion Brewing will expand on its highly recognized White Lion Wednesday pop-up concept which was recognized in 2017 by Food and Wine magazine as a beer garden to visit. This year’s White Lion Summer Beer Garden is sponsored by MassLive and will operate on the corner of Bridge and Main streets each Wednesday through Friday, 4 to 9 p.m., and Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. 

“Springfield continues to witness an uptick in general attractions,” General Manager Ray Berry said. “There is a lot of creativity taking place in every corner of the city. The company expanded White Lion Wednesday due to customer demand and requests for a permanent outdoor venue, in turn allowing us to hire 10 seasonal employees. We tied in some well-known proprietors from across New England to add substance and impact; you have to evolve and bring new ideas into the fold. What worked last year rarely works in today’s ‘what’s new’ consumer-driven market; it will get stale and old very quick.”

This week’s events offer a glimpse of what to expect all summer. Today features the Standing Bear Band with Tom Shields and Cousins Maine Lobster Food Truck; Thursday features DJ Anomally and Cousins Maine Lobster Food Truck; Friday features the Buddy McEarns Band, Blaze, and Johnny’s Hot Dog House Food Truck; and Saturday is Family Fun Day, with food by Elegant Affairs.

Follow White Lion Brewing on all social-media platforms for ongoing updates. Interested vendors, community organizations, and businesses are encouraged to reach out at [email protected] for more information.

WESTFIELD — Today, May 22, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Massachusetts will gather to recognize the best of the best. The annual Youth of the Year Celebration will take place at Tekoa Country Club in Westfield beginning at 6 p.m. This event, sponsored by the 99 Restaurants, has become an anticipated night to celebrate the local Youths of the Year, the most prestigious recognition a club member can achieve.

The 2019 Youths of the Year are: Megan Collins (Boys & Girls Club of the Berkshires), Daishany Miller (Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee), Noellena Paez (Boys & Girls Club Family Center), Adam Wehner (Ludlow Boys & Girls Club), Sarah Alnuaimi (Boys & Girls Club of West Springfield), Adriana Seymour (Boys & Girls Club of Westfield), Karina Lopez (Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke), and Ibrahima Keita (Boys & Girls Club of Springfield).

GREENFIELD — Michael Tucker, president and CEO of Greenfield Cooperative Bank, announced that the board of directors approved the promotions of Lisa Kmetz to senior vice president – Retail and BSA/security officer, and Michael Turley to senior vice president and controller.

Kmetz has 38 years of experience, having started at the former Bank of New England – West. She also spent time at the former United Savings Bank before joining Northampton Cooperative Bank in 1998. She is responsible for managing the branch network for the bank and its security functions as well as coordinating the bank’s charitable-giving efforts. She earned her associate degree in business administration from Holyoke Community College and completed a certificate program in computer information systems from Western New England University. She is a volunteer board member of the Lathrop Community.

Turley has 39 years of experience in banking and finance. He joined Greenfield Cooperative Bank in September 2013. He is a graduate of Union College in New York with a degree in economics and attended the MBA program at Western New England University. He is active in the community as a long-time member of the Buckland Finance Committee and several other committees within Buckland.

NORTHAMPTON — As the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce looks forward to its 100th-anniversary celebration in June, the board of directors announced the selection of the chamber’s new executive director, Vincent (Vince) Jackson. He is an entrepreneur and the CEO of Marketing Moves in Hadley, a company he founded. He will begin his role at the chamber on Monday, June 3, succeeding Suzanne Beck, who is retiring at the end of May.

“Vince’s experience, qualifications, and expertise were an exact fit with the characteristics that the board wanted to see in the new executive director. It was clear that Vince is the right person to lead the chamber,” said David DeSwert, chamber board president and chair of the search committee, and associate vice president for Finance at Smith College. 

In passing the torch to Jackson, Beck hands him the opportunity to lead the chamber and through its new strategic plan. The visionary plan, to be launched over the coming months, explores and boldly reimagines what a 21st-century chamber should be. 

“I’m excited to welcome a new community leader to drive our new vision for the chamber that strengthens our cause to build a thriving economy and a thriving community,” Beck said.

Prior to founding Marketing Moves in 2000, Jackson worked in Texas for PepsiCo Inc., growing through roles in brand and product management, innovation, and acquisitions. Marketing Moves is a consultancy that specializes in strategy development, brand management, and marketing and communications, working with a diverse national client base of large corporations, small businesses, and government and nonprofit organizations.

Jackson has lectured in the Department of Marketing at the UMass Amherst Isenberg School of Management. He has served on several nonprofit boards, including time as president of the Lee B. Revels Scholarship and Mentoring Foundation and the Beta Sigma Boulé Foundation in Springfield. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Grambling State University and an MBA degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

“It’s an honor for me to join the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce at this pivotal time in its history,” Jackson said. “With deep respect for the chamber’s legacy and leadership, I look forward to working with the board, partner organizations, community leaders, and volunteers to chart the new path forward.”

Jackson’s first public appearance will be at the chamber’s centennial event on Thursday, June 13 at the Academy of Music in Northampton. “Torch: Our Time to Shine” will recognize Beck and Jackson, along with other business and organization leaders who have passed the torch to new generations of leadership, along with those who have confidently accepted it.

SPRINGFIELD — Wellfleet, a Berkshire Hathaway company providing accident and health-insurance products, will relocate its national corporate headquarters to Springfield’s Tower Square in August. A press conference will be held on Friday, June 7 at 11 a.m. at the Tower Square ground-floor atrium.

“As a growing company with deep roots here in Springfield, we’re excited to become Tower Square’s anchor tenant in beautiful new office space that will accommodate our growing number of employees,” said Drew DiGiorgio, Wellfleet’s president and CEO.

Wellfleet has outgrown its current office space on Roosevelt Avenue in Springfield. The new offices at Tower Square will give Wellfleet employees up to 80,000 square feet of class A office space and provide ample room for Wellfleet’s new and growing Workplace Benefits division.

“Our team looks forward to the new space, and to enjoying the ever-increasing amenities available at Tower Square, including the Springfield YMCA’s childcare facility and wellness center,” said DiGiorgio. “The renaissance of downtown Springfield is in full swing, and we’re proud to contribute to its revitalization.”

Vid Mitta, managing partner of Tower Square, added that “we are delighted to welcome Wellfleet to Tower Square. This location will offer a state-of-the-art build-out for Wellfleet’s thriving business while providing staff with the cutting-edge amenities that Tower Square possesses.”

Formerly known as Consolidated Health Plans, the company rebranded as Wellfleet in January, uniting its insurance carriers and claims-administration organizations under one marketing name. Wellfleet has approximately 175 employees, 150 of whom work in Springfield; others work remotely or from satellite offices in Florence, S.C. and San Rafael, Calif.

NORTHAMPTON — 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 on Thursday, June 20 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].

CHICOPEE — It’s that time of year: time to spruce up your spring and summer wardrobe. Harmony House of Western Massachusetts can help with that.

In conjunction with Little Black Dress of Enfield, Conn., a spring fashion show will be held on Sunday, June 2 at 1 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall #69, 460 Granby Road, Chicopee. The show will support Harmony House in its mission to provide a comfortable home with loving support for the terminally ill.

Styles for all from Little Black Dress will be presented by the owner, Yvonne Turgeon, and modeled by volunteers and friends of Harmony House. For a donation of $25 in advance or $30 at the door, attendees will be entertained with fashions for ladies of all sizes, enjoy lunch and pleasant company, and join in raffles. The clothing modeled will be available to purchase, in all sizes, at the event. Turgeon will donate a portion of her proceeds to Harmony House.

For tickets, call Judy Trudell, event chairperson, at (413) 534-3911 or Harmony House at (413) 331-5252 and leave a message; calls will be returned quickly. Tickets are also available online at www.harmonyhousewma.org.

Harmony House is a local, nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide a loving home providing compassionate care for the terminally ill who have limited or no resources for special care in their final stages of life. Harmony House is staffed by trained volunteers, including licensed nurses, caregivers, companions, and others. Volunteers are always welcome; call for more information.

BOSTON — The state’s total unemployment rate for April was down one-tenth of a percentage point at 2.9%, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) preliminary job estimates indicate Massachusetts added 4,100 jobs in April.

Over the month, the private sector added 4,000 jobs as gains occurred in construction; professional, scientific, and business services; education and health services; financial activities; information; and other services. Trade, transportation, and utilities; manufacturing; and leisure and hospitality lost jobs over the month. 

From April 2018 to April 2019, BLS estimates Massachusetts added 37,100 jobs. 

The April unemployment rate was 0.7% lower than the national rate of 3.6% reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“Preliminary estimates indicate that, in April, the Massachusetts unemployment rate fell below 3% for the first time since December of 2000,” said Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta. “Year to date, the Commonwealth’s economy has added 25,400 jobs, showing that, even with a low, 2.9% unemployment rate, Massachusetts employers continue to add jobs to help fuel their growth needs.”

The labor force decreased by 3,200 from 3,843,500 in March, as 1,600 fewer residents were employed and 1,600 fewer residents were unemployed over the month.

Over the year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped six-tenths of a percentage point.

The state’s labor-force participation rate — the total number of residents 16 or older who worked or were unemployed and actively sought work in the last four weeks — decreased one-tenth of a percentage point to 67.8%. Compared to April 2018, the labor-force participation rate is up 0.4%.

The largest private-sector percentage job gains over the year were in professional, scientific, and business services; information; construction; and education and health services.

SPRINGFIELD — The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, in partnership with the Estate Planning Council of Hampden County and the Pioneer Valley Estate Planning Council, recently announced Hyman Darling, a shareholder with Bacon Wilson, as the the recipient of the Distinguished Advisor in Philanthropy Award, to honor the important role that professional advisors play as champions of philanthropy in the region.

In receiving the award, Darling was also given the opportunity to award a grant of $1,000 the charity of his choice.

Professional advisors make critical connections between their clients and the mission-driven organizations that serve to enhance quality of life in the region. The Community Foundation recognizes an advisor each year in partnership with the Estate Planning Council of Hampden County and the Pioneer Valley Estate Planning Council who has distinguished himself or herself in philanthropic leadership.

Darling is the chair of the Estate Planning and Elder Law department at Bacon Wilson. He holds many honors and awards, and is a well-known estate planner. 

“I am truly grateful to be presented with this wonderful honor,” he said. “My parents inspired me to be philanthropic, and I have attempted to continue their tradition by donating not only financially, but also with my time. I am proud that so many of my clients are charitable, giving during their lives and within their estate-planning documents. I accept this honor on behalf of these clients as well.”

HOLYOKE — The Holyoke Community College Foundation awarded a record 231 scholarships to incoming, current, and graduating HCC students for the 2019-20 academic year, totaling nearly $250,000.

The HCC community recognized the awardees along with the donors whose generosity makes those scholarships possible at a May 9 reception in the HCC Bartley Center for Athletics & Recreation.

Longmeadow resident and HCC alumni donor Gregory Schneider, co-founder and chairman of 3BL Media in Northampton, and scholarship recipient and graduating art major Catherine Carija were the keynote speakers.  

“I had been out of school for 34 years,” said Carija. “Lucky for me I found my way to HCC. I was greated so warmly by faculty and staff, and without the generosity of donors and HCC Foundation scholarships — all that belief in me — I wouldn’t be graduating now and going on to Mount Holyoke College.”

Over the years, the HCC Foundation, the nonprofit fundraising arm of the college, has provided nearly $2.8 million in student scholarships while also investing in classroom equipment and technology for select academic and student-support programs. 

“The community is so invested in the foundation and in the college. It’s quite impressive,” said Amanda Sbriscia, vice president of Institutional Advancement. “People are passionate about our mission and the work that we do, and that translates into life-changing financial support.”

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College Assistant Professor of History Ian Delahanty and Assistant Professor of Religion Katherine Dugan are leading 24 Springfield College undergraduate students on a short-term study-abroad trip to Ireland from May 14 through May 23.

“This is such a great opportunity for our students to explore the landscape of Ireland, including Dublin, Belfast, and all the way up to Galway,” said Dugan. “The students will be engaged in tours of historic museums, participating in the Gaelic Games, and will experience a variety of cultural experiences in a historic country.”

The educational and cultural experiences the students will experience include excursions to Ireland’s dramatic Atlantic coastline, including the rugged Burren, the majestic Cliffs of Moher, and the rocky Aran Islands.

“Both Professor Delahanty and I teach similar minded courses, and we found some nice overlap in how we teach history, and the history of immigration, that would make this trip a great experience for everyone involved,” said Dugan, who plans on leading a trip to the Immigration Museum in Ireland. “We also realize many of our students are in majors that make it difficult for them to commit to a full semester of study abroad, so this short-term trip gives them an opportunity to experience a study-abroad experience right at the conclusion of a busy semester.”

Springfield College history major Hogan Tomkunas was interested in going on the trip to enhance his knowledge of history in a real-word setting.

“Being able to experience the rich history in Ireland firsthand made this trip very interesting to me,” he said. “Just being able to experience a different culture that is outside of my comfort zone is exciting, and to be able to have this experience shared with my faculty advisor and fellow students is just a perfect way to end the semester.”

Other students agreed. “This is great that Springfield College has given us the opportunity to have this experience,” said sports biology major Alex Rachmaciej. “The friendships that are made on these trips last a lifetime, so I am very excited to be part of this experience.”

GREENFIELD — Christopher Pike has been promoted to assistant vice president and Special Assets officer at Greenfield Savings Bank, with the responsibilities of loan operations and special-assets management. Before joining the bank in 2014, he was an associate director and bank consultant at RMPI Consulting.

“Chris first came to our attention as a consultant to our bank,” said Josh Parker, vice president and Operations officer. “Chris was impressed by our bank, and we were impressed by his experience, so we offered him a job.”

Pike also volunteers his time for a number of local community organizations, including helping at the Stone Soup Kitchen, working at the Franklin County Fair Rotary food booth, and fundraising for the YMCA. He received his MBA from Whittemore School of Business and Economics at the University of New Hampshire.

BOSTON — Joanne Hilferty, president and CEO of Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries in Boston, is set to be elected chair of the board of Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Friday as the state’s largest business association convenes for its annual meeting.

Dennis Leonard, president and CEO of Delta Dental Plan of Massachusetts, is expected to be elected treasurer of the association, while Patricia Begrowicz, president of Onyx Specialty Paper in South Lee, will be assistant treasurer.

Hilferty, Leonard, and Begrowicz will stand for election alongside a diverse slate of 13 new board members. The officers and directors will be unanimously recommended by the AIM nominating committee.

A member of AIM’s board since 2008, Hilferty was elected to the AIM executive committee in 2010. She became assistant treasurer in 2012 and treasurer in 2015. She will be the first woman to chair the AIM board.

“AIM stands at a pivotal moment as it seeks to represent the full diversity of employers creating economic opportunity for the people of Massachusetts,” Hilferty said. “I look forward to working with the board to assure that the organization is inclusive as it represents current members and reaches out to new ones in order to continue to be a leading force advocating for economic vitality in the new economy.”

The 13 new directors set to join AIM’s 75-member board include Arthur Barrett, president, Barrett Distribution Centers, Franklin; Peter Bowman, vice president, External Affairs, Verizon Communications, Boston; Janice Goodman, owner, Cityscapes, Boston; Dominick Ianno, head of State Government Relations, MassMutual, Springfield; Marie Johnson, treasurer, Ken’s Foods Inc., Marlborough; Pia Kumar, owner, Universal Plastics, Holyoke; Marianne Lancaster, president, Lancaster Packaging, Hudson; Emiley Lockhart, senior counsel and director of Regional Initiatives, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Falmouth; Thomas Pacheco, chief financial officer, Acushnet Holdings Corporation, Fairhaven; Srinivas Reddy, director, Global Innovation & Supply Network Operations, Procter & Gamble, Boston; Emily Reichert, chief executive officer, Greentown Labs, Somerville; Kumble Subbaswamy, chancellor, UMass Amherst; and Annemarie Watson, president, Crane Currency, Dalton.

“We are delighted to welcome such an impressive group of CEOs, entrepreneurs, and business leaders to the AIM board of directors,” outgoing AIM President and CEO Rick Lord said. “These new board members are accomplished, committed, and full of creative energy that will keep AIM moving into the future.”

SPRINGFIELD — Girls on the Run of Western MA will host its 5K celebration on Sunday, June 2 at 10:30 a.m at Springfield College.

The mission of Girls on the Run is to inspire girls to be healthy, joyful, and confident using an experiential-based curriculum which creatively integrates running. Girls on the Run is a physical-activity-based, positive youth-development program that uses fun running games and dynamic discussions to teach life skills to girls in third through eighth grade. During the 10-week program, girls participate in lessons that foster confidence, build peer connections, and encourage community service while they prepare for an end-of-season, celebratory 5K event.

Participation in the 5K event on June 2 is open to the public. About 950 girls from 68 school sites around Western Mass., as well as 280 volunteer coaches, have participated in the program this season. Around 2,500 participants are expected at the event.

The pre-registration cost is $25 for adults and $10 for children and includes a Girls on the Run 5K event shirt. After a group warm-up, the event will begin on the outdoor track on Alden Street and will continue through the campus.

Registration is open at www.girlsontherunwesternma.org, and will also be available the day of the event beginning at 9 a.m. The run will begin at 10:30 a.m., but festivities, including a group warm up and games, will begin at 10 a.m., so early arrival is suggested. For more information about the event, how to register, and volunteer opportunities, visit www.girlsontherunwesternma.org.

SPRINGFIELD — In the spring of 2017, BusinessWest and its sister publication, HCN, created a new and exciting recognition program called Healthcare Heroes.

It was launched with the theory that there are heroes working all across this region’s wide, deep, and all-important healthcare sector, and that there was no shortage of fascinating stories to tell and individuals and groups to honor. Two years later, that theory has been validated, and stories that needed to be told have been told.

But there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of heroes who stories we still need to tell. And that’s where you come in.

Nominations for the class of 2019 are due July 12, and we encourage you to get involved and help recognize someone you consider to be a hero in the community we call Western Mass. in one (or more) of these seven categories: Patient/Resident/Client Care Provider, Health/Wellness Administrator/Administration, Emerging Leader, Community Health, Innovation in Health/Wellness, Collaboration in Health/Wellness, and Lifetime Achievement.

To nominate a Healthcare Hero, click here.

SPRINGFIELD — With a growing number of clients in the space, Bulkley Richardson announced the launch of its Craft Brew and Distillery practice. The firm advises local craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries in all stages of development, from startups to established businesses.

The firm’s attorneys possess a depth of expertise in the relevant areas of law to assist with startup and entity formation; state, federal, and local licensing; financing; distribution agreements; intellectual-property matters; real-estate matters and commercial leases; construction and expansion; mergers and acquisitions; business succession planning; and litigation. The Craft Brew and Distillery practice is led by attorneys Ryan Barry, Scott Foster, Michael Roundy, and Sarah Willey.

To help launch this new practice, Bulkley Richardson has signed on as lead sponsor, alongside Berkshire Bank, of What’s on Tap Wednesday, the new, weekly outdoor beer garden featuring local breweries. The events are held on Wednesdays after work beginning June 5 through September 18, and will rotate locations among 1350 Main St., Duryea Way, MGM Springfield, Tower Square Park, and the Shops at Marketplace. Each week will feature live music, local food, and guest brewers.

The firm will also sponsor the second annual Whip City Brewfest on Saturday, June 1 in Westfield to support the Amelia Park Children’s Museum. Roundy has been on the festival’s planning committee from the inception and is heavily involved in the planning of the event.

“We have the experience of working within regulated industries,” Foster said, “and Bulkley Richardson, as a firm, has the depth to handle matters from business formation to succession planning, zoning issues to construction, licensing to protection of IP assets, and contracts to employment matters.”

Added Barry, “if you’re keeping an eye on the market, breweries are popping up everywhere from small basement productions to large-scale commercial brands. And our brewery clients run both ends of that spectrum. We have not only the legal experience, but our group also has the business experience and resources to help our clients achieve success.”

LONGMEADOW — Ready to take your career to the next level? A professional headshot and a graduate degree can help take you there. Attendees of Bay Path University’s spring graduate open house can meet with programs directors, faculty, admissions team members, and financial-aid representatives, and learn about the graduate-school admissions process, ways to finance an education, and more than 30 graduate degrees and certificates available at Bay Path University online or on campus, while enjoying light refreshments and entering to win raffle prizes.

A professional photographer will also be at the event taking free headshots, perfect for use on a LinkedIn profile or résumé.

The spring graduate open house is slated for Wednesday, May 29 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Bay Path’s Longmeadow campus at 588 Longmeadow St. For more information or to register, visit baypath.edu/visit or e-mail [email protected].

HOLYOKE — Students enrolled full-time in chemistry, engineering, mathematics, physics, or other STEM fields at Holyoke Community College (HCC) may qualify for a National Science Foundation (NSF) scholarship of up to $10,000 a year toward tuition and fees. 

Recipients of the scholarship become members of HCC’s STEM Scholars program and participate in field trips and benefit from other exclusive STEM-related events and activities each semester. The NSF STEM scholarship continues each semester students maintain good academic standing.

Incoming and current HCC students are encouraged to apply. The application deadline for the 2019-20 academic year is Monday, July 15.

Eligibility guidelines for the National Science Foundation STEM scholarship can be viewed at www.hcc.edu/scholarships, where there is also a link to the online application under ‘National Science Foundation Scholarships in STEM.’

Applicants must be enrolled full time in a STEM program, demonstrate academic ability or potential, and demonstrate financial need, according to the guidelines. STEM disciplines include biological sciences, physical sciences, math, computer and information services, geosciences, and engineering.

SOUTHWICK — More than 200 golfers are expected to participate in the 39th annual Brightside Golf Classic on Monday, July 22 at the Ranch Golf Club in Southwick.

“This event raises funds to continue Brightside’s mission to support our community’s most vulnerable children and their families,” said Carrie Fuller-McMahon, executive director of the Office of Philanthropy at Mercy Medical Center and its affiliates.

Two tee times are available. Registration and breakfast for the morning session will begin at 6:45 a.m. with a shotgun start at 7:30 a.m., followed by a lunch reception with the presentation of awards and prizes at 11:30 a.m. Lunch and registration for the afternoon session will begin at 11:30 a.m. with a 1 p.m. shotgun start. The evening reception will be held immediately following the tournament from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Prices include green fees, golf cart, breakfast and/or lunch, a gift and swag bag, and a reception featuring cocktails, food stations, an auction, and networking. On-course food and beverages will be provided by event sponsors throughout the day. Golfers will also be eligible for a chance to win prizes and participate in raffles during the day.

The 2019 Golf Classic chairs are Hank Downey, vice president, Commercial Loan officer, Florence Savings Bank; John Kendzierski, founder and director, Professional Dry Wall Construction Inc.; Dan Moriarty, senior vice president, chief financial officer, Monson Savings Bank; and Dan Marini, vice president of Marketing and Sales Administration, Westfield Bank.

Brightside for Families and Children provides in-home counseling and family support to more than 700 children and their families throughout Western Mass. Services include resource coordination, parenting-skills development, behavioral-technique instruction, community support programs, and other programs tailored to prevent hospitalization from occurring. Specialized assessments such as neuropsychological evaluations and testing are also available.

For more information on sponsorships, donations, and attending the event, contact Traci Heath at (413) 748-9935 or [email protected]. Information is also available at www.mercycares.com/brightside-golf-classic.

GREENFIELD — Greenfield Savings Bank (GSB) announced that Cassandra Morrey has been promoted to vice president and Residential Lending officer; Karen Cartier has been promored to vice president, Compliance, Fraud Prevention, and Community Reinvestment officer; and Misty Lyons has been appointed mortgage officer.

Morrey will be responsible for daily oversight of the Residential Lending department, including origination, process, closing, quality control, and compliance. She joined Greenfield Savings Bank in 2010 after working in the banking industry for 17 years.

“Cassie is an outstanding member of our Residential Lending department,” said Lori Grover, senior vice president and senior Residential Lending officer. “Customers love working with her, and she is committed to helping our customers achieve home ownership.”

Morrey is an active volunteer in the community, serving as a board member and treasurer of Highland Ambulance EMS Inc., and as a fourth- to sixth-grade girls basketball coach. She graduated with honors from the New England School for Financial Studies.

Cartier manages the Bank Secrecy & Anti-Money Laundering department, the bank’s compliance-management system, and identity-theft and fraud-prevention programs.  Her department monitors transactions and identifies suspicious activity. She joined GSB in 2013 has been working in working in banking and fraud prevention for 28 years.

“Karen is tenacious in her working to protect our customers and the bank from fraud and identity theft,” said Denise Coyne, executive vice president and chief operating officer. “Throughout the year, Karen gives talks on identity theft and fraud prevention to community groups, seniors, and at open houses at the bank.” 

Cartier is a 2008 graduate of the New England School for Financial Studies at the Babson Executive School and has earned additional professional designations including Certified Bank Secrecy & Anti-Money Laundering Professional (CBAP) and Certified Community Bank Compliance Officer (CBCCO). She donates some of her personal time volunteering in the community, including serving as a committee member of the annual benefit for Toys for Tots, as a board member of All Out Adventures, and a member of the GSB Relay for Life team.

Lyons is responsible for loan origination, underwriting, and approval of residential mortgages and will work directly with loan applicants, assisting them through the application process. She will serve customers throughout Franklin and Hampshire counties.

She began her career in the banking industry in 1988 and previously worked in the GSB Loan department from 2003 to 2006. She is returning to her career in banking after a three-year medical leave while recovering from a severe case of Lyme disease.

“We are so happy to have Misty back at our bank,” said Lori Grover, senior vice president and senior Residential Lending officer at Greenfield Savings Bank. “Misty has an outstanding reputation for customer service and is an excellent addition to our lending team.”

Lyons has been a member of the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley for more than 20 years and has served on the committees and boards of a wide range of organizations, including the the Franklin County Rotary Club, the Greenfield Community College Foundation board of directors, the golf committee for the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department fundraiser for Warm the Children, and the YMCA sustaining fundraising campaign. She was also an elected member of the Gill-Montague Regional School Committee from 2012 to 2015.

AGAWAM — As part of the continued effort to position the company for stronger growth, Brad Bedard has been promoted to vice president of Supply Chain Management for OMG Inc.

As vice president, Bedard is responsible for overall management of the company’s global supply-chain and distribution logistics. In this new role, he will work with his organization to develop and implement short- and long-term strategies that maximize operational efficiencies, improve supply-chain and distribution performance, and manage costs. He reports to Hubert McGovern, president and CEO.

Bedard has been with OMG since 2007, most recently as director of Supply Chain Management. Earlier, he had been the company’s director of Distribution and Sales Inventory Operations Planning, where he was instrumental in developing and implementing the company’s forecasting and operations planning process. Prior to joining OMG, he held various distribution and logistics roles for Bose Corp. and Timex Corp. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard University.

GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Community College (GCC) Foundation awarded 127 scholarships to GCC students at its 57th annual GCC Foundation scholarship awards ceremony. The awards totaled over $190,000, with an additional $100,000 to be distributed in the fall, all made possible by donor support of endowed and direct-funded named scholarships.

The occasion is a time for members of the entire GCC community to come together to celebrate students’ academic achievements. Scholarship donors include private individuals, local businesses, corporations, faculty and staff, and alumni, and many were on hand to present their awards to the recipients. For a complete listing of the scholarships awarded, visit www.gcc.mass.edu/2019scholarships.

Scholarships range in size and eligibility requirements, and include awards to students enrolled in credit-bearing certificate and degree programs, as well as participants in the college’s non-credit workforce-development programs.

The Charlotte Waynelovich Scholarship is one example. Funded by Baystate Health and Baystate Franklin Medical Center in honor of her retirement, it was presented by Wanelovich to a GCC student in the associate degree in nursing program who lives in Franklin County.

“We think of the annual scholarship awards program as the Academy Awards of our year,” said Regina Curtis, GCC’s executive director of Resource Development, who emceed the event. “The sense in the room of pride, of academic accomplishment, of knowing that you are helping change lives or that your life is being changed, is incredibly powerful.”

She added that multiple generations were present. “We saw Susan Renfrew and Debra Gilbert present their parents’ named scholarship, and we saw students come on stage to receive their award with toddlers in tow.”

The GCC Foundation was founded in 1968. Since then, it has worked with those who wish to invest in the dreams of students who work, students who cannot afford tuition, and students who cannot travel to other educational institutions — people for whom higher education is otherwise beyond the borders of their personal geographies.

SPRINGFIELD — The Hampden County Bar Assoc., in conjunction with WGGB 40, is holding a Lawyer on the Line event on Monday, May 20 from 5 to 6:30 pm.

Volunteers will provide legal advice on a variety of topics from callers during the evening news broadcast. Individuals needing advice should call (413) 846-0240 to speak to a volunteer.

FLORENCE — Florence Bank promoted Jeremy Melton to the position of senior vice president, director of Operations and Risk Management, and hired Robert Raynor to serve as vice president, Compliance and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) officer.

Melton joined Florence Bank in 2012. Prior to his recent promotion, he served as first vice president, Risk Management, Compliance, and CRA officer. He is the board chair and a member of the finance/audit committee at Tapestry.

Raynor joined Florence Bank in April 2019 with nine years of banking experience. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Springfield College. He is a board member and treasurer of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke.

“We are thrilled to announce the addition of Robert and the well-deserved promotion of Jeremy,” said Florence Bank President and CEO John Heaps Jr. “Their skills and expertise are invaluable, and I look forward to seeing both of them flourish in their respective roles.”

WESTFIELD — Tighe & Bond, one of the leading full-service engineering and environmental consulting firms in the Northeast, climbed 19 spots this year to number 222 on Engineering News Record’s (ENR) 2019 Top 500 Design Firms ranking. In the past two years, Tighe & Bond climbed 38 spots as the firm continues to grow its regional market. ENR ranks its list of top 500 design firms nationally based on design-specific revenue from the previous year.

“We are very excited to climb 19 spots in this national ranking, which we believe is the result of continuing to execute on our strategies of expanding in our regional markets along with attracting and retaining outstanding staff across the organization,” said Bob Belitz, president and CEO of Tighe & Bond. “Of course, we could not achieve these accomplishments without the trust our clients have in us to work on their behalf and deliver superb project outcomes.”

GREAT BARRINGTON — The Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative (BFMC) will host two summer filmmaking workshops: one for 15- to 19-year-olds from Monday, June 24 to Friday, June 28, and one for 11- to 14-year-olds from Monday July 8 to Friday, July 12. These week-long workshops will meet daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Berkshire Community College’s South County Campus, 343 Main St., Great Barrington. Early dropoff (9 a.m.) and late pickup (5 p.m.) is available by request.

The purpose of the workshops are twofold: for kids to experience what it’s like to work on a real movie crew from creation of an idea to the final edit of the project, and for the group to produce a high-quality short film championed in every aspect by everyone in the group. The kids will work collaboratively — performing as actors on camera; running the lights, camera, and sound; editing; and marketing the film’s premiere to the community. On the final night, parents, friends, and the public will be invited to attend, and the young filmmakers will participate in a question-and-answer session with the audience. Each participant will walk away with a copy of the film and the experience of creating a professional-quality film together. 

Specific topics covered will include story structure, screenwriting, character development, cinematography, sound recording and mixing, lighting, editing, sound design, and marketing. 

“We are thrilled to be offering this filmmaking workshop for the young people in our community,” said Diane Pearlman, executive director of BFMC. “Video is becoming more and more important as a tool for communication. We need to teach our kids the importance of working cooperatively on a project, while giving them the tools necessary to tell a compelling story.”

The course is being taught by writer, director, actor, and educator Patrick Toole. For four years, Patrick taught filmmaking and animation at the Darrow School in New Lebanon, N.Y. He also co-created the After School Film Project with the Chatham Film Club and numerous other afterschool film and theater programs for middle- and high-school students. Toole has written, directed, and edited more than 30 short films and founded and curated several local film festivals, including the Berkshire Shorts Film Festival. He is the co-founder of the Whitdiots improv troupe and Emergent Ensemble Theater Co. He studied film at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. 

All equipment will be provided. The cost for the week-long workshop is $325. Students will need to bring lunch. Class size is limited. To register online, visit shop.berkshirecc.edu or call (413) 236-2127.

SPRINGFIELD — The Massachusetts Casino Career Training Institute (MCCTI) is offering the opportunity for students to take the necessary training to become a casino dealer in Massachusetts. Everyone who successfully passes two classes is guaranteed an audition with MGM Springfield. It will be possible to begin training in June and be working by September.

There are two options, one on weekdays and one on weekends. The weekday class meets Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from June 3 to July 23, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Immediately following blackjack is the carnival-games course, which runs during the same time frame and ends on Aug 26.

The weekend class meets Saturday and Sunday, June 1 to July 20, from noon to 6 p.m. Immediately following blackjack is the carnival-games course, which runs during the same time frame and ends on Aug 18.

“You bring the fun, guest-services personality. We’ll teach you everything else you need to know,” said Michele Cabral, director of MCCTI.

Classes are taught by MGM Springfield supervisors on the casino grounds. The tables, chips, and cards are close replicas of those on the casino floor.

The cost for the two classes is $598. To receive more information or help signing up, stop by MassHire Springfield on Wednesday, May 15 from 10 a.m. to noon; Friday, May 17 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.; or Thursday, May 30, from 9 to 11 a.m. MassHire Springfield is located at the STCC Technology Park, 1 Federal St., Building 103-3. Drop-ins are welcome.

MCCTI is a partnership between Holyoke Community College, Springfield Technical Community College and MGM, and is authorized by the state of Massachusetts to provide the training required to become a licensed dealer. To get more information or to enroll, visit www.mccti.org. Class space is limited.