Day: July 11, 2019

SPRINGFIELD — Nine months after MGM Springfield’s opening, the UMass research team gathered at the UMass Center at Springfield to present preliminary information about the social and economic impacts of the casino.

In 2013, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission engaged a research team at UMass Amherst to conduct a comprehensive, multi-year study called Social and Economic Impacts of Gambling in Massachusetts (SEIGMA) to understand the impacts of expanded gaming in Massachusetts. The study established baselines for all social and economic variables that may be affected by expanded gaming, and the team now collects, analyzes, and reports each year to identify the actual impacts in the casino host and surrounding communities, providing key information to policymakers.

On May 15, more than 35 people, largely from the Springfield area, were on hand as the SEIGMA team showcased their latest analysis of Springfield and surrounding communities, including their work on the Massachusetts Gambling Impact Cohort study. 

The SEIGMA study is believed to be the first of its kind in the world in terms of establishing a baseline prior to the development of casinos and its comprehensiveness.

Rachel Volberg, principal investigator on the two major studies, led the team’s sixth Public Research Day, with researchers presenting findings on the socioeconomic characteristics and gambling behaviors of the casino host and surrounding communities in the state, gambling behaviors across Massachusetts, and future plans for the team’s research.

“I’ve lived here [in Massachusetts] for many years, and I love it. If I can help this state and my community through the research we conduct, then that’s a great place to start,” Volberg said. “There are not many places in the world that have set out from the very beginning to establish essentially a monitoring system to understand the impacts of expanded gambling within a jurisdiction and then use that information to try to minimize and mitigate those impacts to the best of our collective abilities.”

Information showed that Springfield has the largest population, along with the highest poverty and unemployment rates, of the three host communities, and showed that the city has more at-risk and problem gamblers. The research team intends to further examine whether these indicators have changed since the opening of MGM Springfield in their next Targeted Population Survey of Springfield this fall.

The study’s two other executive team members, Robert Williams from the University of Lethbridge and Mark Melnik from UMass Donahue Institute, were also on hand, explaining the team’s work and numerous data-collection efforts being conducted as MGM Springfield nears the one-year anniversary of its opening.

“It’s the strongest team I’ve ever worked with,” Williams said. “I’ve been involved with many large-scale gambling projects over the last 25 years, and the quality of this team is impressive, as every single team member is an expert in their area.”

Added Melnik, “it’s rare to have an instance where an industry just appears where it hadn’t been before. That’s exactly what we have here when we’re studying casinos in Massachusetts. The state itself had the forethought to say, ‘hey, here’s an industry that’s controversial. People are excited about it because of what it may mean for job creation. On the other hand, they’re also concerned about some of the social problems that may come. How can we track this and better understand it?’”

May’s Public Research Day in Springfield provided the UMass Amherst researchers the opportunity to get real feedback and questions about their preliminary information, helping to guide them for future reports and surveys.

“This was a new format for us,” Volberg said. “This is the first time we had the opportunity to move off campus and come to the community where the casino is actually operating. The goal is to provide information to people who will hopefully be able to use that information to help their community here in Springfield.”

Added Williams, “this is meaningful work. We want to make sure the general public is aware of what we’re doing, what the findings are, and give us feedback in terms of what they would like studied. It’s more interactive, to get the message out and elicit feedback.”

HOLYOKE — Tom Senecal, president and CEO of PeoplesBank, announced four appointments: Amy Roberts to senior vice president and chief Human Resources officer, Steven Gardner to assistant vice president and East Longmeadow Banking Center manager, Jacquelyn Guzie to assistant vice president and regional manager for First Suffield Bank (a division of PeoplesBank), and Nicole Stevenson to West Springfield Banking Center manager.

Roberts oversees all human-resources and employee-engagement activities for 325 employees spread over 21 banking centers and three additional locations under development in Massachusetts and Connecticut. She leads a team that is responsible for talent recruitment and development, HR compliance, benefits, employee relations, compensation management, and HR-related associate communication. She has extensive experience in leadership development and coaching, change management, performance improvement, organizational learning and development, and employee engagement, as well as more than 20 years of experience serving in leadership positions in human resources.

“We were lucky to attract a person with Amy’s experience to our executive leadership team,” Senecal said. “With her previous experience at a large retail organization that has an employee base similar to ours, we know that Amy is the right person to build our team of associates to serve our current needs as well as future aspirations.”

Roberts holds a master’s degree in human resource development from American International College and a bachelor’s degree in communications from Bridgewater State University. She has also earned certificates in leadership development and succession planning, talent development and retention, and human capital management principles from the Human Capital Institute.

Roberts’ volunteer service includes serving as a board member for the Center for Human Development, the United Way of Hampshire County, Leadership Pioneer Valley, and the STCC Foundation, as well as serving as an advisory board member for Big Brothers Big Sisters and a Read Aloud volunteer for Link to Libraries.

In his new position, Gardner oversees and manages all aspects of a full-service banking center, including staffing, sales, lending, operations, business development, and community relations. He has 18 years of financial-services and banking experience.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Westfield State University and an associate degree in retail management from Holyoke Community College. He serves as vice president of the East Longmeadow Rotary Club, is a member of the ERC5 and West of the River chambers of commerce, and is a volunteer for Revitalize CDC and Junior Achievement.

In her new position, Guzie is responsible for assisting in the growth of relationships for the Connecticut region. She has 20 years of banking experience.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and an associate degree in business administration from the New England College of Business and Finance. She has served as treasurer of Suffield Chamber of Commerce and president of Suffield Rotary Club, is a member of the Asnuntuck Community College Foundation, and has volunteered for Suffield on the Green, the Suffield Business Showcase, and the Suffield Volunteer Ambulance Assoc.

In her new position, Stevenson oversees and manages all aspects of the West Springfield banking center, including staffing, sales, operations, business development, and community relations. She will also ensure that the banking center exceeds service and sales goals, provides excellent customer service, operates according to all bank policies and procedures, and serves as a leader within the community. She has 10 years of banking experience.

She holds an associate degree in business administration and management from Holyoke Community College. Her volunteer service includes serving as a committee member for the West Springfield St Patrick’s Day, Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade, and the Agawam St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. She also served as booth chair for Credit for Life Springfield and is a Big Sister for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden County, second vice president of the Safe Deposit Group of Western Mass., financial group volunteer for Rays of Hope, and a volunteer for Rebuilding Together. She is a member of the finance group for JDRF, the Irish Cultural Center of Western New England, and the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield.

HOLYOKE — The Valley Blue Sox game on Sunday, July 14 against the Vermont Mountaineers will be Military Appreciation Night, presented by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The gates will open at 4:05 p.m., with the first pitch scheduled for 5:05 p.m.

All veterans and active military personnel will be admitted free with one guest at Sunday’s game with valid identification. In addition, throughout the game, the team will honor servicemen and women who have fought for their country. Veterans Affairs will also be present behind the home-plate area to provide more information about the services they provide. Blue Sox players and staff also visited with veterans at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Leeds on July 10. 

Veterans Affairs has been a supporter of the Valley Blue Sox since the team’s inception in 2008.

Military nonprofit organizations seeking tickets for Sunday’s game should contact the Blue Sox at [email protected].

SPRINGFIELD — Nominations for the third annual class of Healthcare Heroes are due this Friday, July 12. Individuals and organizations making an impact in Western Mass. may be nominated in seven different 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.

In the spring of 2017, BusinessWest and its sister publication, HCN, created the Healthcare Heroes recognition program. 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.

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 for the class of 2019, click here.