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Daily News

EAST WINDSOR, Conn. – The Collins Companies, one of the largest privately owned industrial distributors of pipe, valves, fittings, and engineered specialties serving the Northeast, announced it has acquired International Valve and Instrument Corp. (IVI), headquartered in Springfield.

“The Collins Companies has long been recognized as a large, regional distributor of automated control valves with nine degreed engineers on staff to assist our customers with the specifying, sizing, and selection of their control-valve requirements,” said Brian Tuohey, owner and president of the Collins Companies. “However, with the acquisition of IVI, we will now be able to expand the services that we can offer to the marketplace through the significant capabilities of this great company, which over the last 37 years has built a stellar reputation in the safety-valve-testing and valve-repair market.”

Founded in 1982, IVI is engaged in repairs of all types of valves, hydraulics, and pressure-relief valves.

“Collins has an outstanding reputation, and this merger will provide the additional resources we’ve always needed to grow to the next level,” said Marianne Brodeur, president of IVI. “We’ve always prided ourselves on having the technical expertise that has allowed us to bring a consultative approach to problem solving for the valve industry. Now, combined with Collins’ size and expertise in valve automation, I’m very excited to see both companies get started on this next chapter.”

Added Tuohey, “Marianne Brodeur is a born entrepreneur who had a dream 37 years ago and followed it, and today we are thrilled to have Marianne and her 22 associates join the Collins family.”

Daily News

WESTFIELD — James Hagan, president and CEO of Westfield Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Western New England Bancorp Inc., announced that the bank will open a new branch office in Bloomfield, Conn. in mid-2020.

The bank will open a full-service branch in the Copaco Center shopping plaza on Cottage Grove Road. The office will include lobby and safe-deposit services, an image-technology ATM, and multiple drive-through teller lanes. The bank looks forward to breaking ground as soon as it secures the necessary permits and approvals, with construction being facilitated by AmCap Inc., the property owner and manager, and Borghesi Building and Engineering Co. Inc. of Torrington. Plans are subject to regulatory approval.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Westfield Bank as a valuable member of the Copaco Shopping Center,” said Carly Beetham, leasing senior associate at AmCap Inc. “Their first-class commitment to community and customer service is evident in every interaction with their team. I know the town of Bloomfield will enjoy working with them as much as we have.”

The Bloomfield location will follow a new Financial Services Center, which is expected to open in West Hartford Center earlier in 2020. In addition to a full-service branch, the West Hartford Financial Services Center will include a suite of offices for residential lending, commercial lending, and business and government deposit services. Representatives of these departments currently occupy temporary space at 977 Farmington Ave. to assist with their community-outreach activities.

The two new offices will represent the bank’s 23rd and 24th branches and are part of the organization’s strategic expansion into Connecticut, which began with the opening of its Granby and Enfield branch offices in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

“We are very pleased to announce that Bloomfield will be home to our newest branch location,” Hagan said. “Combined with our new West Hartford Financial Center, the bank is excited to expand deeper into Connecticut and serve the Greater Hartford market. Both of our new locations will offer the deposit, lending, and technology solutions our customers need, and we’re confident that our community-bank values and customer-first approach will be a great fit.”

Daily News

LONGMEADOW — In the last decade, artificial intelligence (AI) has rocketed from a science-fiction dream to a pervasive and critical part of our everyday lives — you just might not know it yet. As the technology expands, so does our ability to imagine what it might mean for the future. Can machines carry out tasks in a way that humans would consider smart? If machines have access to data, could they then learn for themselves?

Healthcare is on the verge of a revolution driven by an expansion of knowledge and big data. Challenges in medical informatics motivate and demand the development of novel machine-learning principles, models, and algorithms. Advances in machine learning and data mining have resulted in diagnostic standards, medical genomics, and rapid advances in treatment matching and patient personalization.

On Thursday, Nov. 7, Jinbo Bi, professor and associate head of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the School of Engineering at the University of Connecticut, will discuss recent trends and several medical topics where machine learning helped advance the field of medicine. 

This free event, scheduled for 5:30 to 7 p.m., is open to the public, and will be held at Breck Suite in Wright Hall, Bay Path University, 588 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow.

This event is sponsored by Bay Path’s Center of Excellence for Women in STEM. For more information or to register, visit baypath.edu/events.

Daily News

AMHERST — Levellers Press in Amherst received a Manufacturer of the Year Award at the fourth annual Manufacturing Award Ceremony at the State House on Oct. 22.

Collective Copies, a collectively managed and worker-owned printing company, celebrated the 10th anniversary of its publishing wing, Levellers Press, on Sept. 18. Levellers’ beginning was marked by the launch of its first title, Robert H. Romer’s Slavery in the Connecticut Valley of Massachusetts, still one of its bestsellers. One hundred titles later, it has expanded its book-printing and distribution capabilities with Off the Common Books to help self-publishing authors get their books out in a more collaborative way than is possible through the big vendors. Levellers offers a wide selection of printing papers and welcomes input from authors throughout the layout and design process. 

Levellers Press is a member of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers and was nominated by state Rep. Mindy Domb.

“Levellers Press and Collective Copies are icons in Amherst,” Domb said. “They are a successful, unionized, collective-managed shop that has shown great flexibility in adapting to and maximizing advances in printing technology and changes in the publishing industry. As a result, in a community of students and writers, many authors have succeeded in partnership with Levellers to publish their work and reach new audiences.”

The award ceremony was sponsored by the Legislature’s Manufacturing Caucus. Along with Levellers Press, 76 manufacturers were recognized for truly ‘making it’ in Massachusetts.

Daily News

WEST SPRINGFIELDJack Jonah, a JCFilms project that was shot mid-August in West Springfield and Agawam, is set to premiere Saturday, Nov. 9 in the West Springfield High School auditorium.

Jack Jonah is a new feature film and a true story about a family’s endurance and struggle after unspeakable tragedy. Actor Dean Cain leads the cast in this multi-plot drama uncovering the deadly drug culture in Western Mass.

Showtime is 6 p.m. with members of the cast in attendance. Doors open at 5 p.m. for a reception with light appetizers. Tickets are $10 to attend the event, with all proceeds to benefit a national tour of the film in conjunction with the Jack Jonah Foundation and an actor from the film, Dean Cain. 

Jack Jonah Foundation President Kirk Jonah said he is pleased with the outcome of the movie, which focuses on an anti-opioid education message.

“With such a huge interest in the film and people traveling from all over the region to be involved, we are able to select a fantastic team of over over 200 people to help in creating this film. Everyone involved was passionate about this issue, and everyone had an opioid life event,” he said. “Jack Jonah is bigger than just another teen film; it’s a challenge — a challenge for teens to better understand the dangers of heroin and other opioid drugs.”

After the premiere, the Jack Jonah Foundation is teaming up with Cain to host Community Action Events. “This film will be shown in schools all across America, so It just makes sense to hold the premiere at a school. Also, and ironically, this was Jack Jonah’s actual high school. That’s a great honor for us,” said Jason Campbell, writer and director of the project.

This red-carpet premiere event will host two separate screenings — an afternoon show for the cast, crew, and the large volunteer base from the community that participated in the film, and the evening show, which is open to the public.

For more information regarding the event, tickets, and ordering a copy of the film, visit www.jacksfilm.com.

Daily News

NASHUA, N.H. — Melanson Heath has joined the BDO Alliance USA, a nationwide association of independently owned local and regional accounting, consulting, and service firms with similar client service goals. As an independent member of the BDO Alliance USA, Melanson Heath can expand the services offered to clients by drawing on the resources of BDO USA, LLP, one of the nation’s leading professional-services firms, and other Alliance members.

The firm serves clients through more than 60 offices and 550 independent Alliance firm locations nationwide. As an independent member firm of BDO International Ltd., BDO serves multi-national clients through a global network of more than 73,000 people working out of 1,500 offices in more than 162 countries.

“Our client base throughout New England is increasingly exploring business opportunities in other domestic markets and foreign countries. The BDO Alliance USA allows us to better serve these clients as they expand regionally, nationally, and globally, while maintaining our autonomy,” said Scott Toothaker, managing principal of Melanson Heath. “Along with the geographic benefits, our firm will have access to broader, and in some cases deeper, technical knowledge and specialty services of BDO USA and its Alliance firms. This also allows our team to work alongside larger firms and BDO USA while accessing expansive training opportunities which will enhance our abilities to help our own clients and staff.”

The BDO Alliance USA enhances member-firm capabilities through the availability of supplementary professional services, comprehensive management-consulting services, focused industry knowledge, customized state-of-the-art computer systems, and internal training programs.

“We believe the professionals of Melanson Heath share BDO’s commitment to exemplary client service, and we want to welcome them into the BDO Alliance USA,” said Michael Horwitz, partner and executive director of Alliance Services for BDO USA, LLP.

Daily News

STOCKBRIDGE — Sarah Eustis, CEO of Main Street Hospitality Group, announced the appointment of H. Jackson Donoyan as vice president of Operations for the growing hotel-management company.

“It is a great pleasure to welcome Jackson Donoyan as the newest addition to Main Street Hospitality Group,” Eustis said. “Jackson’s proven leadership and expertise in the hospitality industry is a valuable addition to our team, and we look forward to having him spearhead a number of key initiatives across Main Street’s expanding portfolio of properties.”

As vice president of Operations, Donoyan will work closely with Eustis and Main Street’s leadership team to oversee operations at each hotel property in the portfolio. He will focus on revenue generation, operational oversight, owner relations, talent development, and strategic growth. In addition, he is tasked with stabilization and development of the brand while also enhancing the overall guest experience and reinforcing brand standards.

Donoyan brings a wealth of industry ingenuity to Main Street Hospitality Group, including a background opening and operating newly constructed and renovated hotels. Most recently, he was the general manager at NYLO Providence Warwick Hotel in Warwick, R.I. Prior to that, he was a hospitality consultant in Boston and held positions as the director of Food and Beverage and director of Operations/interim general manager at both the Liberty Hotel in Boston and Hotel Viking in Newport, R.I.

“Jackson’s understanding of the New England market is especially valuable as Main Street continues to grow, particularly with the spring opening of our properties in Newport and Providence, Rhode Island,” Eustis said.

Daily News

HADLEY — During the recent Empower U conference in Boston, Credit Union Student Choice presented its third annual Honor Roll Award to UMassFive College Federal Credit Union. The award recognizes excellence in higher-education financing and is given to the winning financial institution in conjunction with a $5,000 Chip Filson Scholarship, which may be awarded by the credit union to an outstanding student-member of its choice.

“UMassFive first launched its private student-lending program with Student Choice in 2009, and over the last 10 years they have built a strong and sustainable portfolio while helping thousands of members,” said Scott Patterson, president and CEO of Student Choice. “In addition to the value they have delivered to their members, they have also returned tremendous value back to Student Choice in the form of insightful feedback, strong collaboration on innovative marketing efforts, and helpful guidance that has been instrumental in the continued evolution of our solutions.”

Jon Reske, vice president of Marketing for UMassFive, accepted the award in Boston on behalf of the credit union. “The partnership we have with Student Choice is invaluable,” he said. “They’ve allowed us to help our members overcome higher-education funding challenges. Throughout our relationship, the Student Choice team has always been very receptive to ideas we’ve presented and extremely supportive in testing new marketing strategies with us. We look forward to putting the scholarship funds to good use.”

The scholarship was given to UMassFive College Federal Credit Union in honor of Chip Filson, a credit-union industry icon and former Student Choice board member, who played an influential role in the founding and ongoing development of Credit Union Student Choice.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) has been awarded a $2.2 million Title III: Strengthening Institutions grant from the Department of Education for the AIC Plan for Excellence (APEX) program. The grant, to be distributed over five years, will cover a wide range of activities associated with the development of the APEX program.

APEX is a shared curricular experience designed to achieve four main learning goals for students, including intellectual development and lifelong learning, personal growth, social and cultural competency, as well as career and professional development. Further, APEX will improve the value of an AIC education by creating synergy between practical, real-life skills and academic knowledge. The program will blend traditional classroom learning with co-curricular experiences and other experiential learning opportunities. By making participation in APEX a requirement for all undergraduates, every scholar will be afforded the resources to succeed academically and graduate with a set of tools to ensure lifelong personal and professional success.

“American International College is proud to be among the 36 colleges and universities across the United States to receive this grant,” said President Vince Maniaci. “As an institution committed to providing access and opportunity to a diverse student body, this greatly assists in serving students from socioeconomic backgrounds for whom attending college is not a guarantee.”

The grant will cover program and personnel costs, technology and equipment needs, curriculum development, an endowment match, and other related project expenses.

Daily News

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The West of the River Chamber of Commerce (WRC) announced its Annual Food Fest West will be held on Thursday, Nov. 7 at Springfield Country Club in West Springfield from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

This popular event will feature cuisine from all over Western Mass., as well as a DJ, raffle, and sports auction. As guests sample the cuisine, they will be voting for the People’s Choice Award, which will be given to the eatery with the most votes. A portion of the proceeds raised by Food Fest West will go toward the West Springfield Partnership for Education and the WRC Foundation Fund, which provides grants to businesses for on-the-job training and continuing-education needs.

Tickets are on sale now and cost $35 in advance or $45 at the door. Tickets may be purchased online by visiting WRC’s website at www.westoftheriverchamber.com.

Event sponsors include OMG Inc., bankESB, and Haselkorn Inc. Media Sponsors are BusinessWest and iHeart Media. Sponsorship opportunities are still available for Food Fest West.

Daily News

HOLYOKE — On Oct. 21, students from 20 different schools in Massachusetts walked the runway and acted out anti-bullying performances at a fashion show dedicated to celebrating diversity. The show was attended by 500 guests at the Log Cabin in Holyoke.

“This fashion show has far surpassed anything we ever initially imagined possible,” said Edward Zemba, president of Robert Charles Photography and founder and chair of Unify Against Bullying. “What makes the show special is that we celebrate students of all shapes, sizes, styles, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and physical ability. We make sure that kids know it’s who they are that’s truly important, not just what they look like.”

Jamison Mae Rohan, a senior at Minnechaug Regional High School in Wilbraham, was presented the 2019 Hero Award, which is given to an individual who exemplifies the strength and spirit to empower themselves and others. Rohan is an inspiration and role model for young people who have been or are being bullied, Zemba said. She wholeheartedly believes in everyone’s right to be treated with kindness and respect.

Unify also recognized Michaeline DeJoria Heydari, vice chairman for John Paul Mitchell Systems, with its inaugural Champion Award. “A champion is an individual who supports an initiative to bring a program or idea to reality that will improve the quality of life for our youth,” Zemba said. “Ms. Heydari is an inspired visionary who saw an issue and took a leadership role to transform it. Due to her efforts, the Neon product line and Stick It to Bullying campaign does just that. She was chosen for her efforts to help raise awareness to this issue and to empower our youth to stick it to bullying.”

This year, Unify combined its annual grant awards ceremony with the fashion show, awarding a record $20,000 in microgrants to help fund anti-bullying initiatives to benefit youth in schools and the community. Julie Solwold, vice president of Corporate Communications for the John Paul Mitchell Corp., was in attendance to award an additional $1,000 grant to Arianna Hopkins, a sixth-grade student from West Springfield Middle School.

“We were excited to combine the two events this year as we get to showcase the individual recipients of the Unify fundraising efforts to a larger audience,” said Christine Maiwald, executive director of Unify Against Bullying. “Without the generosity of our donors, the grassroots efforts to promote the anti-bullying message would be in doubt. We are grateful to the countless businesses who stepped up to support our youth. It’s through their generous donations that we can help families struggling with this pervasive issue throughout our region and beyond. Unify is grateful to Carla Cosenzi and TommyCar Auto Group for once again being our presenting sponsor.”

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — On Sept. 19, the Children’s Study Home held a child and youth art show and auction at the Carriage House at the Barney Estate in Forest Park. More than 30 pieces of artwork from all mediums, including acrylic, watercolor, colored pencil, chalk, and sculptures were shown from the students of the Children’s Study Home’s Mill Pond School and Curtis Blake Day School, as well as artwork from the children of the Children’s Study Home’s residential programs.

Local area artisans participated and donated art pieces to the event. The art was displayed for the evening and sold to raise money for the Children’s Study Home’s art and culturing programs.

“The first annual art show and sale was a tremendous success,” said Leslie Fisher-Katz, executive director of the Children’s Study Home. “The tent and artwork setup at the Barney Estate was spectacular, the food from Al Dente’s Catering was amazing, and it was an overall wonderful evening with friends, enjoying beautiful artwork that the children created.”

Fisher-Katz offered thanks to Jesse Lederman, a Springfield City Council member who presented an event proclamation; Don Blanton, a former art teacher at Mill Pond School who donated a dolphin painting to Baystate Children’s Hospital; all the local artists for their art donations; and all those in attendance. “Almost every single piece of art was bid on and bought,” she noted. “We look forward to our second annual art show and sale in 2020.”

Cover Story Event Galleries Women of Impact 2019

Scenes from the Dec. 5th Luncheon

 

This is the second class of Women of Impact, a new recognition program created by BusinessWest to recognize individuals who are making a difference in this community and tell stories that need to be told.

This is a diverse class of winners, in every sense of that phrase, but especially when it comes to the manner in which they’re making an impact, whether it’s through public service, turning around a nonprofit, connecting individuals with opportunities to serve their communities, managing a school system, mentoring entrepreneurs, helping individuals and families find financial security, running a successful business, or donating time and talent to area nonprofits and institutions.

Join us as we celebrate them on Dec. 5 at the Sheraton Springfield. We invite you to come and applaud these truly impactful women.

Photos by Dani Fine Photography

The Women of Impact for 2019 are:

Tricia Canavan

President, United Personnel Services

Carol Moore Cutting

President, CEO, and general manager, Cutting Edge Broadcasting

Jean Deliso

Principal, Deliso Financial Services

Ellen Freyman

Partner, Shatz, Schwartz & Fentin

Mary Hurley

Massachusetts Governor’s Councilor

Lydia Martinez-Alvarez

Assistant superintendent, Springfield Public Schools

Suzanne Parker

Executive director, Girls Inc. of the Valley

Katherine Putnam

Managing director, Golden Seeds

Event Information

Date: Thursday, December 5, 2019
Time: 11 a.m.-1:45 p.m.
Tickets: ON SALE NOW $65/person; $650/table of 10
Location: Sheraton Springfield, One, Monarch Place, Springfield, MA 01144
For more information: Call (413) 781-8600 x100 or email at [email protected]

 

THE 2019 WOMEN OF IMPACT AWARDS LUNCHEON IS SOLD OUT

Keynote Speaker

Lisa Tanzer, president of Life is Good, has over 25 years of consumer brand experience. Prior to becoming president, Lisa served as the company’s head of Marketing after spending over 20 years on the board of directors of the Life is Good Kids Foundation. She’s held executive positions in the entertainment, ecommerce, and education sectors. Earlier in her career, Lisa held marketing and strategy roles at Hasbro, Staples, The Gillette Company, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. She received her BA from Tufts University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Co-emcee

Taylor Knight joined 22News in July of 2018 as a multimedia journalist. Currently, Taylor is the co-anchor of the 22News weekday morning newscasts and a reporter for the 22News I-Team.  Before arriving in Springfield, Taylor was a reporter for FiOS1 News in New Jersey. Taylor began her career as a multimedia journalist in Connecticut, covering news and sports in Fairfield County.  Taylor earned her B.A. in broadcast journalism at Temple University in Philadelphia. During college, she interned at WFSB in Connecticut and NBC Sports Philadelphia. In her free time, Taylor enjoys spending time with her dog, running, and watching the Philadelphia Eagles. She is excited to now be “Working for You!”

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Features

Driving Force

Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood with Mango.

A few years ago, Cheryl Clapprood was thinking about retirement. But a love of the work and opportunities for advancement kept her in uniform, and with the abrupt resignation of Commissioner John Barbieri, she was put on a path to lead what has become an embattled department, one dealing with fallout from scandals, controversy, and staffing issues.

His name is Mango.

He’s a 1-year-old German shepherd who carries a badge.

Legend has it — and he’s already becoming legend — that he lacked the temperament or concentration needed to be to be a medical alert dog, like his parents — a highly trained canine that can sense when its master is about to have a seizure, for example. And he wasn’t (and still isn’t) aggressive enough to be a true police dog.

So … he has become a comfort dog for the department (more on that later) and an ambassador of sorts — his business card (yes, he has one) reads ‘Comfort K9’) — visiting area schools, showing up at various events, and becoming a face of the Springfield Police Department.

He joined the force, if that’s the proper term, in June, and he is getting comfortable in his new role and seemingly enjoying it more every day.

Those are sentiments are shared by the person he shares an office with — Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood, who dropped ‘interim’ from her title and was officially sworn in to her new position a month ago.

But she has been leading the force for roughly nine months now, since the abrupt resignation of John Barbieri amid a growing number of scandals involving the department. These include the arraignment of 13 current or former police officers on allegations that they either participated in or helped cover up the alleged 2015 off-duty police beating of four men outside Nathan Bill’s Bar & Restaurant, and also federal indictments stemming from alarming video showing Officer Greg Bigda threatening two juvenile suspects arrested for stealing an unmarked police car, among other recent incidents.

“When a couple of incidents happen, it sets you back, and people tend to lump us all together — it’s a profession where, when one officer does something, the rest of us pay the price, and that’s nationwide.”

In the wake of these scandals, Clapprood said, all those in the department are being painted with the same broad brush as those accused of abusing their power, and this is unfortunate, because the vast majority of officers don’t.

“When a couple of incidents happen, it sets you back, and people tend to lump us all together — it’s a profession where, when one officer does something, the rest of us pay the price, and that’s nationwide,” she said. “They treat us all the same, as if we had all committed these crimes. The video got out of Bigda in the cell block, and a lot of people were appalled and shocked at the behavior, but now, people think, ‘oh, that’s how the Springfield Police Department treats prisoners, that’s how they treat juveniles; it’s like we were all in that cell block with him.”

Still, the culture of the department needs to change, she said, adding that these scandals are just one of the challenges facing a department of roughly 500 officers. She told BusinessWest that police work is not as popular and glamorous as it was years ago, and it is, by almost all accounts, more dangerous. That means there are fewer people looking to enter law enforcement, she went on, and when you couple this with the number of officers currently on suspension and those planning to retire early next year, the department is facing a potential staffing crisis.

“We cannot recruit, and we cannot retain,” said Clapprood, adding that Springfield is certainly not alone when it comes to this challenge — other departments are facing the same issues. “We’re having a very difficult time recruiting and retaining officers, and every city in Massachusetts, and, from what I hear, every major city in the country, is facing the same problem.”

Despite these pressures and challenges, the department is, by most measures, creating progress when it comes to the incidence of many types of crimes, and in improving the perception of the city when it comes to public safety, especially in a downtown that is drawing ever-larger numbers of visitors since the opening of MGM Springfield.

Cheryl Clapprood, see here being sworn in as police commissioner, says the Springfield Police Department must change its culture to regain the confidence of the public.

“Violent-crime numbers are down, in large part because there are a lot of officers in the downtown area now,” she said, adding that the department’s relatively new Crime Analysis Unit, which crunches the numbers when it comes to what types of crimes are being committed and where, is also helping make the streets safer.

For this issue, BusinessWest talked at length with Clapprood about the state of public safety in the City of Homes and her efforts to change the perceptions of, and the culture within, the department she has been part of for four decades.

Out of the Blue

Clapprood told BusinessWest she recently met up with a woman she attended elementary school with a half-century or so ago. “She gave me a hug and said, ‘do you remember in the second grade when you said you wanted to be a cop?’”

Clapprood didn’t remember actually making that specific comment at that time, but she did recall always being drawn to that type of work.

“I was the crossing guard, I was in school security — I was in all those things,” she recalled, adding that her family lacked the money to send her to college, so she joined the Air Force, where she also gravitated toward the security side of the equation, and fully embraced it.

“It’s going to take some time. I knew we would not win back a good reputation in a short amount of time. It’s going to take some years to build this back up again. But you do it slowly; you show the community that you have officers who are professional officers who have integrity and do a good job.”

While stationed at Westover, she read in the local paper about the upcoming Springfield police cadet exam.

“I was 19, and I said, ‘that sounds really interesting,’” she recalled. “I took it, I passed, and became a police cadet in April 1979. And it’s just followed a course from there — I love the Springfield Police Department; it will be 41 years next April.”

Most police officers retire long before getting to 41 years — a fact of police work that is contributing to the staffing issues we’ll get to later — but Clapprood said she loved the work, and opportunities to advance continued to present themselves.

Fast-forwarding through four decades with the force, she said she gradually moved up in the ranks and eventually reached captain and eventually captain of the Community Action Division, which includes traffic, canine, C3 Policing (or what Clapprood calls “community policing on steroids”), and other programs. And that experience inspired her to stay on for a few more years.

She then took the assessment test for deputy chief, thinking it would be a good experience for her. She would soon discover that everyone else on the list for that post had retired, and with more retirements pending, she decided to hang in still longer.

It was a decision that would eventually propel her to the commissioner’s office, first as interim in February, and then on a permanent basis earlier this fall.

Since taking the helm, she has made it a point to get out in the community and meet with as many constituencies as possible, learning of their needs and concerns and letting them know what the department is doing to address them.

She’s also brought Mango into the department, giving him a role that is new to the force — comfort dog.

Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood says one challenge facing the police department — and all departments — is recruiting and retaining new officers.

“I don’t think people realize what the police officers go through on a daily basis, the things they see, and how it affects them,” she explained. “And he’s been a home run; I bring him to roll calls and the report room, and so far, everyone loves him. He makes trips around the station every day and goes to community events and meetings.

“Sometimes people come in here and they can be jacked up a little bit — they have problems and complaints,” she went on, referring to both members of her department and the general public. “I always ask, ‘are you all right with a dog?’ By the time they’re done petting him and him kissing them, they’ve come down to a level that’s very amicable for me.”

Arresting Developments

But there are a number of issues and problems that can’t be solved with a visit to or from Mango, and these are the matters currently absorbing most of Clapprood’s time.

The department’s scandals and the image problems they’re creating are at the top of this list, she said, adding that she knew changes needed to be made even before she became commissioner.

“You can’t waffle, and you can’t wait for problems to go away — that tends to cause you more problems than you had before,” she told BusinessWest, adding that she is taking a proactive approach to the issues facing the department and bringing about a change in the culture.

“It comes back to instilling discipline, it comes back to training, it comes back to accepting responsibility,” she explained. “That’s what I preach at the staff meetings and with the officers, and you have to lead by example.

“When I was a young police officer here, you’d have to force people out at 65; they were fighting it, calling it age discrimination and threatening to file suit. They didn’t want to go at 65. But it’s a tough job now, and I can’t blame people for wanting to retire earlier.”

“And it’s going to take some time,” she went on. “I knew we would not win back a good reputation in a short amount of time. It’s going to take some years to build this back up again. But you do it slowly; you show the community that you have officers who are professional officers who have integrity and do a good job.”

Meanwhile, another matter is keeping the department staffed, a considerable challenge given the fact that many officers are retiring at an earlier age than a generation ago and fewer young people are looking to enter what was once a proud profession.

“They go early now,” she said, referring to officers and retirement. “When I was a young police officer here, you’d have to force people out at 65; they were fighting it, calling it age discrimination and threatening to file suit. They didn’t want to go at 65.

“But it’s a tough job now, and I can’t blame people for wanting to retire earlier,” she went on. “There have been a few on-duty deaths in recent years, and the last one [Officer Kevin Ambrose] shook up a lot of people.”

Clapprood told BusinessWest that the staffing challenges will soon force some hard decisions on which programs it can continue to operate. For the long term, she worries that such issues will force her department and others to lower their standards when it comes to who can eventually wear a badge.

“In time, lowering standards can cause more problems,” she said, adding that, while once the department desired a bachelor’s degree and later an associate degree, it will now accept a GED. “You might see people here who maybe are not mature enough or didn’t want it for the right reasons; it will bring about a host of other issues.”

As she noted, there are positive things happening within the department and across the city from a public-safety perspective, but these developments are getting lost amid the scandals and negative press.

In an effort to shed some light on them, Clapprood has gone on radio talk shows and writes a regular column for the Republican in an effort to get the word out.

This month’s offering is typical of the submissions: there is commentary on timely topics — October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, so she discussed the department’s team of domestic-violence advocates — as well as relevant updates, specifically one on the pending decision on which vendor will supply the department with body-worn cameras.

“Cameras aren’t perfect, but they will be beneficial both to our officers and our residents,” she wrote, echoing comments she offered to BusinessWest on this subject. “Just about every department to which we’ve spoken said complaints about officers nearly disappear once they implement a body-worn camera program.”

She also shares news about the department — this month there was mention of how Bill Schwarz, the department’s Crime Analysis director, was recently presented with the International Assoc. of Crime Analysts membership award — as well as another warning about scams and a reminder that photos of she and Mango for the police officers’ ball book can be seen on Mango’s Facebook page.

“I’m trying to get out a lot of good and a lot of the things that we do here,” she said. “And it’s been received very well.”

Paws for Effect

Like most dogs, Mango now has the run of the house — well, Clapprood’s office, anyway

There’s a dog bed not far from the commissioner’s desk, and she likes that he recently developed an affinity for the couch that sits in the corner.

“No one else likes to sit there, so I guess it’s Mango’s,” she said, adding that she and the department’s comfort dog are both growing into their jobs — and they both have a detailed job description.

Clapprood’s can be boiled down to putting her department and all its officers in a position to succeed while also changing the culture within the department, and, at the same time, making the city a safe place to visit and for those who live and work here.

There is considerable work to be done and challenges to be overcome, but Clapprood believes the department can get where it wants and needs to go. It won’t happen overnight, as she said, but it can happen slowly but surely.

Leading those efforts has been a life-long ambition, or at least since the second grade, according to at least one account.

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

Holiday Party Planner

Many Ways to Celebrate

Lynn Kennedy says the Log Cabin, Delaney House, and Log Rolling catering services have something for every business during the holiday season, no matter their size. 

Companies have long celebrated the hard work they’ve done over the course of the year with a holiday party. Whether hosting a small gathering or a large corporate bash, plenty of restaurants, banquet facilities, and caterers in the Western Mass. area are willing to get the job done each year. Although these parties have been popular for decades, owners and managers say trends are always changing in how people want to celebrate the year and ring in a new one.

Lynn Kennedy says one of the most common things she hears from employers booking holiday parties is that they want to do something special for the people that work for them.

“This is something people don’t want to do halfway,” said Kennedy, director of Sales and Marketing at the Log Cabin. “They want to go all in because they realize it’s the best way for them to show their employees the appreciation they deserve for a lot of hard work that they put out there.”

While end-of-the-year holiday parties have long been a tradition for companies of all sizes, employers are finding new ways to show employees their appreciation this season.

Aside from the traditional but enjoyable small group parties and restaurant reservations, companies are going above and beyond to make sure all employees are able to join in the celebration, no matter how big the organization may be.

The Log Cabin offers a wide array of options for holiday parties, including small-group holiday parties that are always a hit. Indeed, the facility is hosting a total of six this year, as opposed to the usual four or five, because of how popular they are.

“This is something people don’t want to do halfway. They want to go all in because they realize it’s the best way for them to show their employees the appreciation they deserve for a lot of hard work that they put out there.”

The Starting Gate at GreatHorse is another popular venue for small-group holiday parties, including a Breakfast with Santa, a Holiday Dinner Dance with the Clark Eno Orchestra, and the annual Holiday Luncheon with Dan Kane & Friends.

Cathy Stephens, director of Catering Sales, says these events are affordable options for small to mid-sized companies looking to enjoy a festive night.

“It is cost-effective for the smaller and even the mid-size companies to host their holiday celebration at venues that are providing live entertainment and a festive menu that satisfies just about everyone,” she said. “It also provides the opportunity to network with other local businesses.”

In addition to Center Square Grill, Bill Collins recently opened another restaurant, HighBrow, in Northampton.

There is no shortage of businesses in the Western Mass. area, and all have their own preferences as to what kind of gathering will appeal to their employees. This encourages restaurants like Center Square Grill to expand their options and accommodate unique requests.

Owner Bill Collins says he does his best to work with any request, no matter how big or small, and often does so himself to make sure everything goes smoothly.

“What makes this restaurant stand out is that the owner is on deck,” he said, adding that General Manager Kim Hulslander is also frequently involved with booking parties. “If you want to call and work with me, you’re going to get me on the phone. You’re in ownership’s hands when you’re booking an event with us, and we see it through to the end.”

The holiday season poses a strong business opportunity for restaurants and banquet facilities, but it is also a great time for caterers.

“We have people who book at the end of the prior year. Once their holiday party finishes, most people, within a week or two, are booking already for the next year.”

Nosh Restaurant and Café in Springfield may be fairly small on the inside, but its catering business is booming, and uses creative food and elegant edible centerpieces to stand out from the competition.

“I think our food is super creative, and we present it beautifully,” said owner Teri Skinner. “It’s important to be creative in how you present the food, the taste, and the flavors. It’s really what a catering company is built on.”

These caterers are seeing a lot more business around the holidays over the past few years for a number of reasons. For this year’s holiday party planning issue, BusinessWest spoke with local restaurants and caterers about these changing traditions and how they strive to stand out among local competition.

Teri Skinner, owner of Nosh, says it’s important to be creative when it comes to food presentation.

Keep Them Coming Back

When Missy Baker at Arland Tool e-mailed Skinner to set up the company’s annual party, she sent just five short words: “all set for the 24th?” Skinner responded, “yes, we’re all set.”

That’s because this is the seventh or eighth time Skinner has hosted Arland’s annual party, and she knows exactly what they like and need.

“It’s great for the customer because they know I’m going to be there, they know the quality of food, and it’s great for me because I know how much they eat and how long it takes,” Skinner said. “It’s a very precise job that we can control very well.”

These kinds of relationships are not uncommon for restaurants and caterers, and it’s often the unique experiences customers have that keeps them coming back year after year.

Collins noted that a loyal clientele books parties at Center Square Grill every year.

“For us not being a big corporate chain, I just try to go above and beyond for the customer,” he said. “It’s worth it for me to do that to try to build in the business year after year.”

Some sites, like the Log Cabin, are so popular that regulars will book their next annual event just weeks after they enjoy their party this year.

“There are a lot of companies where their business is heaviest during this season, and it doesn’t make sense for them to actually have the celebration before Christmas, so they do it as a type of new-year celebration.”

“We have people who book at the end of the prior year,” Kennedy said. “Once their holiday party finishes, most people, within a week or two, are booking already for the next year.”

This mainly includes the larger parties that rent out big rooms at the Log Cabin for 300 to 400 people, like Tighe & Bond, Florence Bank, and PeoplesBank.

Because of the desire for a smaller, more intimate setting, Kennedy says the company’s Delaney House, where several rooms can fit 15 to 50 people, is also jam-packed during the holidays. Whatever the booking party’s size, she has seen an increase in catering over the last few years, which she credits partly to a changing workforce schedule.

“A major component of that is work schedules because you have first and second and third shifts of people,” she said. “Heads of businesses are really trying to figure out a way to incorporate their entire workforce in a holiday celebration and not just limit it to a particular time.”

These multi-shift businesses include news crews, manufacturers, and even hospitals, where it is nearly impossible to get everyone in the same room at the same time. This is where Log Rolling, the catering service for Log Cabin and the Delaney House, comes in handy.

“They’ll come in and ask us, ‘can you set up a breakfast for our morning crew? Can you set up a lunch for our afternoon crew? Can you set up a dinner for our evening crew?’ so everyone is kind of being hit at a different time and everyone gets to enjoy that holiday experience,” Kennedy said.

Making Spirits Bright

Caterers aren’t the only ones bringing unique styles to holiday celebrations. At Center Square Grill, Collins says customized packages are available for parties of any size, including both food and décor.

The restaurant offers packages for private dining that start at $20 and typically go up to $45 per person, although that isn’t the limit. Lower packages might offer unlimited alcoholic beverages with an entrée choice and a salad. With the $45 packages, everyone is greeted with a glass of champagne and gets an appetizer, salad, entrée, and dessert.

Collins also said he can arrange rooms in a variety of ways, with everything from decorated tables for a sit-down dinner to cocktail tables for a more casual night out.

“What’s unique about us is that you can come here casually, or you can come here dressed up, and you’re not going to feel bad in either direction,” he said. “We want you to be comfortable coming in for a burger and a beer or filet, oysters, and a bottle of champagne.”

Perhaps one of the most important parts about a holiday party is the quality and presentation of food, Skinner said. From everything from the plate the food goes on to the way the food itself is presented itself, Nosh puts together each “edible centerpiece” with with care.

“We call them edible centerpieces because they’re so beautiful when they go out,” she elaborated. “That’s how we build things here. We want them to look gorgeous and taste great, so that’s our goal at the end of the day.”

Cathy Stephens says events at Great Horse, including the holiday dinner dance and holiday luncheon, are perfect for businesses with a smaller budget.

More recently, Nosh catered a Halloween party for Northwest Mutual and provided edible centerpieces, appetizers, and a bartender dressed up for the spooky season.

Skinner agrees that catering has become more popular over the years and thinks a lot of people just want to feel comfortable and laid-back. “I think having it at home or at an office is relaxing,” she said.

Perhaps one of the most relaxing options all these restaurants have seen is the decision to hold off on a holiday party until the beginning of the following year to avoid the craziness of booking during peak season.

Kennedy says people normally book parties at the Log Cabin through the first few weeks of January, but some even book all the way into February.

“There are a lot of companies where their business is heaviest during this season, and it doesn’t make sense for them to actually have the celebration before Christmas, so they do it as a type of new-year celebration,” she said.

This happens frequently at restaurants in the area as well, and it’s the reason why Center Square keeps decorations up well into the new year so customers can still feel the holiday spirit even after the holidays are over.

In short, whether businesses are going with a new tradition or sticking with an old one, there is no shortage of options for holiday parties in Western Mass. — and banquet halls and restaurants say they’re happy to oblige.

Kayla Ebner can be reached at [email protected]

Manufacturing

Tight Squeeze

President Trump has made no secret of his hope that a series of tariffs on goods from China and other countries will eventually force a more favorable balance of trade for the U.S. But in the meantime, the escalating trade war has posed very real, often negative impacts for manufacturers, particularly in the form of higher costs and a general sense of uncertainty that makes it difficult to pursue growth. And no one seems to have any idea when the situation will ease up.

A trade war can hurt business in more ways than one, Kristin Carlson says.

For example, as a contractor for the U.S. Department of Defense, her manufacturing company, Westfield-based Peerless Precision, doesn’t buy a lot of foreign materials, like steel and aluminum — in fact, she buys about 95% domestic — so she hasn’t been subject to the direct cost increases on imported goods resulting from the volley of back-and-forth tariffs posed by President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“As a result of tariffs and increased pressure on domestic supply, we’ve had supply and demand issues. We’ve been seeing pricing going up 25% to 40% from what we have historically paid.”

But those increased costs of Chinese products have pressured the domestic supply chain, so she is, indeed, paying more.

“As a result of tariffs and increased pressure on domestic supply, we’ve had supply and demand issues. We’ve been seeing pricing going up 25% to 40% from what we have historically paid,” she said. “Costs are a big issue.”

Peerless Precision, which makes parts for the aerospace and defense industries, employs 32 people and has generated strong revenue in recent years, but profits are being squeezed by the trade war.

Kristin Carlson says manufacturers are dealing with price increases and supply-chain disruptions due to the recent tariffs.

Lead times are also affected, she added. “Because of this supply and demand issue on the domestic supply chain, companies are stocking up to make sure they’re getting the prices they need. When times are normal, we’ll get material in one to three business days, and that’s turned into one to four weeks.”

Trump’s trade war, now about 18 months old, has had a ripple effect on the global supply chain of many products, driving up the price of imported raw materials and finished goods. It’s not just manufacturers feeling the heat — for example, farmers have lost lucrative markets as well.

NPR recently reported that cranberry growers worked for years to develop a market in China, and sales of dried cranberries to China increased by more than 1,000% between 2013 and 2018. But after the White House approved tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods in July, China immediately retaliated with tariffs on dozens of U.S. goods, including dried cranberries, and now growers — many of them in Massachusetts — are faced with a serious glut of product.

That’s just one example of the impact of tariffs, but for manufacturers, the equation can have even more moving parts (pun intended). Many shop owners say the uncertainty of the situation is causing them to hold off on hiring and expansion because they’re not sure how or when a deal will take shape.

“The imposition of 15% tariffs on $112 billion worth of Chinese goods on Sept. 1 underscores the uncertainty facing employers, particularly manufacturers, who do business in overseas markets,” Raymond Torto, chair of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Board of Economic Advisors, wrote last month. “At the same time, employers are beginning to see evidence from both customers and suppliers of a slowdown in the U.S. economy.”

Stirring the Pot

Robert Lawrence, professor of International Trade and Investment at the Harvard Kennedy School and a former member of President Clinton’s Council of Economic Advisers, recently told the Boston Globe that, while U.S. strategy over the past century has been to use protectionist measures like tariffs sparingly, Trump has a more aggressive outlook.

“This is at odds with the entire thrust of our policies over the post-war period,” he said. “We’re acting unilaterally. We’re bullying the Chinese by putting these tariffs on them.”

The Trump administration has taken aim at China for a variety of economic reasons, from the nations’ trade imbalance to accusations that Chinese companies steal intellectual property from American companies. But, as Carlson noted, China isn’t the only affected supplier.

“When we submit a quote for a customer purchase, we’re locked into the price we quote them. If our cost changes, we have to suck it up. We can’t go back to the customer and say, ‘oops, materials went up 50%, so we have to raise the price.’ We don’t do that.”

“Tariffs weren’t just slapped onto China, but onto Canada, Mexico … maybe three to five countries in the entire world don’t have tariffs on them.”

Not all manufacturers see the impact the same way. Eric Hagopian, who owns Pilot Precision Products in South Deerfield, told the Globe that, while the price of domestic steel he buys has gone up 43% this year, the tariffs are boosting American industry as many companies are moving to American products as a result of tariffs on products from Pilot Precision’s Chinese competitors. “It actually helps our business,” he said.

Rick Sullivan, president and CEO of the Economic Development Council of Western Mass., said he has heard from members with differing perspectives on the impact of the trade war.

“Some people, I think, are really impacted; they feel there are some pretty serious impacts on cost and competitiveness,” he told BusinessWest. “Then, if you go to someone like Eric Hagopian, he’s a little less adamant that it’s a big issue.”

MassBenchmarks, an initiative of the UMass Donahue Institute and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, reported on economic trends in Massachusetts this week, pointing out that the economy is doing well overall, with low unemployment, but employment and output growth are decelerating.

“Growth in the global economy is slowing, and labor-supply constraints, softening demand, and rising international geopolitical uncertainty all signal concerns for the economy going forward,” the report notes.

Rick Sullivan says manufacturers — and other businesses — have differing takes on the pros and cons of a trade war, but no one likes the uncertainty it generates.

Board members focused on a number of broad sources of uncertainty in the economic and geopolitical environment and what they could mean for the Massachusetts economy. One board member said the current environment is characterized by “considerable internal and external disharmony,” which includes ongoing trade conflicts, as well as continued tension around Brexit, the apparent impacts of climate change, particularly as it relates to agricultural production in various places around the world, and increasing instability in global markets among advanced economies. Against that backdrop, Trump’s ongoing impeachment inquiry is yet another wild card.

But there’s a reason MassBenchmarks placed trade conflicts at the top of that list.

“I think they create an uncertainty, and they increase costs,” Sullivan said. “Certainly, costs are a concern, and competitiveness is a concern.”

Cost and Effect

Those costs aren’t easily passed on to customers, Carlson said, and manufacturers, by and large, would rather not do that.

“When we submit a quote for a customer purchase, we’re locked into the price we quote them,” she explained. “If our cost changes, we have to suck it up. We can’t go back to the customer and say, ‘oops, materials went up 50%, so we have to raise the price.’ We don’t do that.”

AIM releases its Business Confidence Index every month, gauging exactly that — how member businesses are feeling about the economic outlook of the state and their own businesses. The overall Index, which is scored on a 100-point scale, has lost 3.7 points since a year ago but remains within optimistic territory.

“For a long time, a lot of us have been eating the material cost increases. Everything I hear is there’s not really an end date. We’ll see what happens.”

However, September’s reading was weighed down by weakening sentiment among Bay State manufacturers. The Index’s manufacturing component dropped 2.4 points in September and has lost 7.9 points for the year. Non-manufacturers were more confident than manufacturers by a 6.5-point margin.

The results mirrored the national Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing index, which fell to its lowest level since 2009 last month. A separate report by IHS Markit showed that the manufacturing sector suffered its worst quarter since 2009, though activity increased during September.

“Manufacturers are bearing the brunt of both actual and threatened tariffs against goods imported from China,” Torto wrote. “Many Massachusetts companies have also become caught in retaliatory tariffs and are seeing significant weakening of their overseas business.”

Michael Tyler, chief investment officer at Eastern Bank Wealth Management and a BEA member, noted that the gaps in confidence between manufacturing companies and other businesses appear to be growing.

“Manufacturing has been hit by the steady increase in tariffs imposed by the United States, China, and other nations since 2018,” he noted. “The World Trade Organization estimates that the flow of goods across borders will increase by just 1.2% this year, and manufacturing companies are feeling that downdraft.”

Carlson is feeling it, for sure, and as president of the Western Mass. chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Assoc., she knows others are, too.

“For a long time, a lot of us have been eating the material cost increases,” she told BusinessWest, conceding that the uncertainty around the trade war has been equally vexing. “Everything I hear is there’s not really an end date. We’ll see what happens.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Technology

High-tech Harvest

Vice President Paul Whalley

From its humble beginnings in a Southwick basement 40 years ago, Whalley Computer Associates has become a technology company with remarkable reach, providing a host of services to more than 3,000 business clients, ranking WCA in the top one-tenth of 1% of all computer resellers by sales volume. That growth has come through constant evolution in response to industry needs and trends, but also simply by making life easier for clients, who increasingly demand no-fuss solutions to their network needs.

Paul Whalley knows his company might have a larger brand presence in a larger city.

“Our biggest challenge, marketing-wise, is being in Western Mass. — because you know what they think of us in Eastern Mass.,” he said. “And then we’re in a town called Southwick, and if you look up Southwick, you see a farming community, and the name of the company is a family name. So I think people have an image of my brother and me with pitchforks, milking the cows in the morning and feeding the chickens when we get home, and maybe selling one or two computers.

“But that perception isn’t what people get when they walk through here,” he quickly added, and for good reason.

Out of its 62,500-square-foot headquarters in Southwick — it also maintains facilities in Westfield, Milford, and Providence, R.I. — Whalley Computer Associates (WCA) has grown to be the 175th-largest computer solution provider in North America. That’s among more than 200,000 such companies, placing Whalley squarely in the top one-tenth of 1%.

What started as a software-consulting firm is now an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), building computers and other devices for 25 brands, a few of them major national names. In so doing, WCA is the largest reseller of Lenovo products in the U.S. and has been the top reseller for Dell in the Northeast many years.

“I think people have an image of my brother and me with pitchforks, milking the cows in the morning and feeding the chickens when we get home, and maybe selling one or two computers. But that perception isn’t what people get when they walk through here.”

Initially, the firm served customers mostly based in Massachusetts and Connecticut. However, in the past decade, it has expanded its range, providing technology products and services across all of New England and Upstate New York.

It’s not easy to pin down what WCA does in a few words. Early in its history, it focused on imaging and configuration, delivery and deployment, and maintenance and repair. But today, services include pre-sales consultation, system design and implementation, infrastructure, data storage and management, client and server virtualization, disaster recovery and business continuance, VoIP, wireless cloud computing and cloud infrastructure services, server, storage, and network health checks — and more.

The company provides services to more than 250 school systems, 50 colleges, and 3,000 businesses, while continually expanding its range of offerings as the technology world continually evolves.

“It’s the full life cycle,” said Whalley, WCA’s vice president. “We’re consulting on what they should buy, selling them what they should buy, preparing what they bought, delivering what they bought, taking care of what they bought, managing what they bought — perhaps even remotely — and then, at the end of its life, gathering it back and disposing of it or returning it to the leasing company or giving it to a school, whatever the customer wants.”

Up from the Basement

Like many high-tech success stories, WCA grew from humble beginnings. As a part-time programming consultant in the Agawam school system in the 1970’s, math teacher John Whalley — Paul’s brother — purchased a small software-consulting firm. Working after school and during the summer from his Southwick basement, he built a small customer base.

Then, in 1979, incorporating his experience teaching his students programming on the school’s new computer, he started Whalley Computer Associates. He moved to new quarters in Southwick twice, all the while trying to convince his brother to come on board.

Paul started helping out part-time, and in 1985, they both dove in full-time, with John (still the company’s president) leaving his teaching job and Paul resigning from his position as a programmer at MassMutual, in the process becoming WCA’s fourth employee. The acquisition of customers such as Northeast Utilities, United Technologies, General Electric, and Cigna helped drive the company’s rapid growth.

Dean LeClerc says WCA’s engineering training lab helps keep the team on top of current technology.

That growth necessitated several moves in Southwick, from John Whalley’s cellar to a former hair salon, to a 1,500-square-foot office, to an 18,000-square-foot building on Route 202, to the current headquarters on Whalley Way, in the industrial-park section of town, built in 1999.

Through all that growth, Whalley said, the idea has always been to make life easier for customers. For example, the Southwick facility has hundreds of linear feet of ‘bench space’ where computers and other devices are not only built, but tested by connecting directly with the client’s network.

“The benefit for the customer is they can just walk to the desk, unplug the old one, plug in the new one, and walk away. Otherwise, they’d have to go the desk and spend 15 minutes with the product and get it fully configured on their network. It’s much more efficient and cost-effective, and allows them to work on more strategic things. Their IT staff doesn’t really want to be doing this. They’re certified at a pretty high level and want to be doing more challenging things.”

Dean LeClerc, director of Engineering, pointed out one bench that was being used to test Chromebooks headed to a Holyoke school.

“They leave here as if it had already been brought to Holyoke and connected with their network and tested,” he explained. “So they’re opening a box they already know works on their network.”

LeClerc added that Whalley can even set up each device for the individual student who will be using it, and a WCA representative will often visit sites to hand them out to specific users.

Early in BusinessWest’s recent visit, LeClerc showed off one of the facility’s newer features, an engineering training lab outfitted with WCA’s most commonly sold storage devices, switches, and servers — a half-million-dollar investment in making sure the engineering team stays on top of technology.

“Our engineers are doing it for the second, third, or fourth time before they’re getting to a customer’s environment,” he explained. “They’re not doing it for the first time at a customer’s live environment.”

In addition, if a customer is in a bind with equipment going down that could affect the flow of business, the lab might loan a piece of equipment for a day or a week to get the customer up and running again immediately instead of having to wait for shipment of a new product.

“If you listen to anybody in technology, they’ll tell you the majority of problems come when people aren’t being vigilant and open e-mails they shouldn’t be opening.”

“So we try to balance it,” he said. “This is our lab for our engineers, but if we have a couple extra pieces of equipment that we know we can bring out to get a customer back up and running, we can do that.”

Safe and Secure

WCA has evolved in other ways as well, Whalley said, mostly in response to changing industry needs and trends. Take security, for example, in the form of building security, surveillance cameras, access-control cards, and other products and services.

“We weren’t even thinking about that stuff 10 years ago, but it’s becoming a bigger piece of our business now,” he said, adding that WCA has a contract with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as an ITC71 vendor for security systems.

Cybersecurity is another growing niche, he noted. “We’ll do assessments, look at the network, and help them prevent someone from attacking them. Even the biggest companies get attacked. We’ll build up a robust system with a lot of redundancy so if something does happen, whether it’s ransomware or malware or a virus, they experience no — or very little — downtime.”

He recalled two incidents, one involving a customer of WCA’s managed services, who had invested in a needs analysis and network cybersecurity protection and monitoring. “Within seconds of a ransom attack, we shut everything down, isolating the problem to one desktop, and brought the whole network back up, so they were down for only minutes, and then worked on clearing out that one bad desktop where the ransomware came in.”

Meanwhile, another local company, not a customer of those managed services, got attacked, and it took three weeks and 100 hours of engineering time to get it back up and running, Whalley noted.

“One computer down for an hour, versus the entire network down for three weeks. One did the preparation and the engineering ahead of time to have a robust defense of their system, and because it was monitored at the point, we immediately knew there was a problem and could quarantine it and get the rest of the company working again. That’s the power of having the combination of the managed-service group and Dean’s engineers.”

WCA also sends a trainer to conduct security-awareness trainings for clients, because so many breaches result from human mistakes, he noted.

“If you listen to anybody in technology, they’ll tell you the majority of problems come when people aren’t being vigilant and open e-mails they shouldn’t be opening. So we offer a very affordable service, coming into a company and going through a two-hour presentation on how to stay out of trouble and how not to make those mistakes that put your company in jeopardy.”

Staying atop such trends and others is critical, which is why WCA presents the annual Foxwoods Technology Show, the biggest technology event in the region solely for IT professionals. Every year, it attracts more than 1,000 attendees, including 300 representatives from 60 different manufacturers.

“We’re in an industry where you either change or you die,” Whalley told BusinessWest. “Everything’s moving so fast now. You either change and embrace the change — and try to lead the change — or you go out of business.”

Growth Pattern

In a business market where 80% of computer companies fail in less than five years, WCA employs more than 150 computer professionals and continues to grow its client base. It’s not exactly a small company, but tries to maintain a small-firm spirit, through events like monthly breakfasts, lunches, and birthday parties, as well as kickoffs of baseball and football season, where employees wear their favorite teams’ jerseys. Just this month, employees gathered to celebrate WCA’s best September ever.

“We pride ourselves on being a family business,” Whalley said, with the concept of family extending beyond the company’s founders, reflecting a general spirit of camaraderie in Southwick as well as the other sites.

At the same time, its work is serious business — and a long way from milking cows and feeding chickens.

“Our challenge is to stay as ahead of the curve as we can, but provide the stability and assurance to our customers that we’re not just jumping onto the new shiny penny and abandoning our core business,” LeClerc said. “We’re large enough that we can afford to do that. We have enough resources to stay ahead of the curve but still deliver traditional services to our customers until they’re ready for a change.”

Whalley agreed. “We try not to jump around from one thing to the other; we just try to add additional capabilities and continue to be exceptional at the legacy of services and products that we provide.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Community Spotlight

Community Spotlight

Mike Vezzola says the North Central Connecticut Chamber of Commerce’s new headquarters at Enfield Square has given the organization greater visibility.

If a long-discussed tribal casino takes shape in East Windsor, Conn., the town of Enfield would find itself in an intriguing geographic spot between two destination casinos — which could bring benefits in a number of ways, Mike Vezzola says.

“It’s still going through a large permitting process, but if the casino does wind up coming to East Windsor, we’re right smack dab in the middle of MGM Springfield and that proposed East Windsor site, so the hope here is that Enfield can become a little bit more of a destination,” said the executive director of the North Central Connecticut Chamber of Commerce during a recent conversation at the chamber’s office in the mall known as Enfield Square.

“It’ll certainly create a lot of runoff for hotels and restaurants,” he went on. “We have a plethora of great restaurants, stores, and activities right at our fingertips. We need to build on those things and make sure the right pieces are set in place, and certainly the town is doing its part to try and see that through. We’re excited for what’s on the horizon over the next five to 10 years.”

As a border town that may eventually be flanked by two casinos, Enfield is, in many ways, at a crossroads — one that town officials hope will be bolstered by a new train platform in the Thompsonville neighborhood.

Earlier this month, the Town Council unanimously voted to transfer $670,000 from the general fund into a separate fund for the development of a train platform in Thompsonville, a project that has been 15 years in the making and is expected to attract traffic to town and give residents and businesses more reason to relocate or stay there.

Other financial hurdles need to be cleared, as the total cost of a platform would be around $2.5 million. A full train station could follow down the road, at a cost of tens of millions; Enfield is just one of several train-stop communities in the Nutmeg State waiting for DOT action on such projects. In Enfield, town officials say any upgrade will bring a number of economic benefits, particularly for Thompsonville itself, which has been the focus of a planned revitalization project for some time.

The town implemented a tax increment financing (TIF) plan in Thompsonville and the Enfield Square area earlier this year. TIF is an economic-development tool that allows municipalities to use tax revenues generated from new capital investment to assist in a project’s financing.

“We have a plethora of great restaurants, stores, and activities right at our fingertips. We need to build on those things and make sure the right pieces are set in place, and certainly the town is doing its part to try and see that through.”

Patrick McMahon, CEO of the nonprofit Connecticut Main Street Center, who was hired by the town as a consultant in January to help revitalize Thompsonville, told legislative and business leaders at a recent economic-development breakfast that Enfield leaders envision significant private investment in new business ventures, redevelopment of historic properties, and new public infrastructure.

“Hopefully, the new TIF project will bring some revitalization to that specific area, especially with the commuter rail between New Haven and Springfield,” Vezzola told BusinessWest. “We’re one of the primary stops on that rail, and they’re hoping to get the platform built in the next couple of years.”

Pipeline to Progress

At the same time, Enfield has seen growth in recent years in its manufacturing, distribution, and warehousing sectors, while Asnuntuck Community College (ACC) — which hosted the recent breakfast — has built a reputation as a manufacturing-education leader through its Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center (AMTC).

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and other guests toured the space, speaking to students and taking in the 11,000-square-foot machining lab with its 90 CNC and manual machines, the state-of-the-art additive manufacturing lab, and other high-tech training areas.

Enfield at a Glance

Year Incorporated: 1683
Population: 44,654
Area: 34.2 square miles
County: Hartford
Residential Tax Rate: $34.23
Commercial Tax Rate: $34.23
Median Household Income: $67,402
Median Family Income: $77,554
Type of Government: Town Council, Town Manager
Largest Employers: Lego Systems Inc., MassMutual, Retail Brand Alliance, Enfield Distribution Center
* Latest information available

With programs that get students working at good-paying manufacturing jobs in two years or even one in many cases, ACC — and, by extension, its town — has become a promising answer to workforce needs at area plants, which have long lamented persistent skills gaps.

Asnuntuck has forged partnerships and talent pipelines with area manufacturers and businesses including Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, Eppendorf, and Stanley Black & Decker, among others, contributing to a 98% job-placement rate for AMCT graduates.

“With more than 25,000 skilled workers needed in the next two decades, the advanced manufacturing technology centers at Connecticut community colleges offer the opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds to find a rewarding career in our state,” said Connecticut State Colleges and Universities President Mark Ojakian, who participated in the tour.

The rise in Enfield’s manufacturing reputation coincides with retail struggles, particularly in Enfield Square, where the only remaining anchor is Target. However, numerous small stores still call the property home, and Party City made a major investment there two years ago.

“The mall is very open to interpretive ways of using their retail space,” Vezzola said, the chamber’s presence there being just one example. “We get a lot of foot traffic in here, community members looking for referrals to some of our members or just information about who we are and what we do and how that benefits the community. Certainly, we’re here and excited to help facilitate any potential new clientele the mall might see in the future.”

While Enfield hasn’t attracted many new large retail establishments over the past year, the community continues to be a haven for sole proprietors, he noted.

“With more than 25,000 skilled workers needed in the next two decades, the advanced manufacturing technology centers at Connecticut community colleges offer the opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds to find a rewarding career in our state.”

“These are folks who have their own businesses and work from home, whether it’s social-media development or graphic design, things of that nature,” he said. “A lot of young people are starting these businesses — and we’re excited that they want to put their talents and work skills to use right here.”

So excited, in fact, that the chamber is hoping to launch a young professional networking group next year as a subsidiary of the chamber.

“We want to encourage other younger folks who might not necessarily know how to navigate creating their own business or are looking for a new opportunity to learn and develop, so it’ll be a bit of an educational piece as well as a networking piece,” Vezzola explained. “That’s a big focus of what we do; we’re continuing to encourage our businesses to help each other, utilize each other, and benefit each other the best way they can.

“We peg ourselves on changing with the times, and certainly the scope of what a chamber does is completely different now than it was 20 years ago,” he added. “We’re just trying to stay relevant and active and evolve with the times.”

Life on the Border

Vezzola understands, too, the potential for his chamber and its members to make connections across the state line as well.

“Being a border town, I think it helps us get some exposure over the border in Massachusetts for our businesses and vice versa, and we’re considering some partnerships with chambers in Western Massachusetts to maybe do some cross-border development with each other, with networking groups,” he said. “Again, it’s about always evolving and just trying to do the best we can with what we’ve got here.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Technology

Bit by Bit

From left: Patrick Fortunato, business development manager; Jitu Changela, CEO; and Marc Solomon, director of Operations. 

While growing his business and keeping his employees busy at all times is Jitu Changela’s primary goal, his mission in business is to keep his clients’ employees busy and help those companies grow.

He and his team at the IT solutions company Azaya believe this is one of the best ways to measure success in this highly competitive, still-evolving field. Indeed, companies can’t grow and prosper, and their employees can’t be highly productive, if their IT systems are down. Or if the equipment is old and obsolete. Or if a business isn’t making the most of its investments in IT.

Azaya, a 25-year-old managed-service provider based in Palmer and founded by Changela, helps clients maximize their IT systems and ensure they are reliable and sustainable, thus enabling employees to work better and smarter. It does this through a philosophy of putting the client first and continually learning from each customer experience.

“You can never know everything; we’re always learning,” said Changela, leader of this six-person tech company that provides essential technology components and service to many different types of businesses. “The best way we keep up with what’s happening in this industry is by having a variety of different clients. They’re all from different industries, so working with each one of those clients in a different industry forces us to look at all the different hardware and software solutions that are out there.” 

The company’s overarching goal is to become what a provider must be in this changing industry — a one-stop shop. And it is well on its way to becoming just that.

The company offers something it calls eZ Virtual IT, which creates a team of IT professionals available at a client’s disposal and capable of handling a variety of services, including customized systems, security, website hosting, data protection, and server system setup and maintenance.

It also provides eZ Voice, a complete solution to business phone-line needs, and eZ Projects, help with specific IT projects, which, as Changela puts it, enables the company to “audition” for the client for future partnerships.

“With our model of one fixed cost, we’re there as many times as we need to be without it being any extra expense to them. Being able to be preventive solves a lot of their problems before they become problems.”

But the company’s ongoing success and continued growth is due not only to what it provides clients, but also how — specifically a fixed-cost model that is somewhat unique in the industry and provides a number of benefits for clients.

“That’s our core focus today, providing fixed-cost services,” Changela said, adding that most companies still charge hourly rates. “What we do is very unique; it’s a win-win partnership. Clients pay us a fixed cost, and our goal is to make sure we maintain their infrastructure at a very high level.” 

Overall, the company preaches to its clients to be proactive, or preventive, and not reactive, when it comes to technology, investing in it and ultimately making the most of it, said Marc Solomon, Azaya’s Director of Operations, and the fixed-cost system helps them do just that.

For this issue and its focus on technology, BusinessWest talked with the team at Azaya — that word means ‘shelter, refuge, and support’ in Sanskrit — as it celebrates 25 years in business and looks ahead to what the future can bring for this forward-looking company.

Tech Talk

Before looking forward, though, Changela first flashed back a quarter-century or so to when the internet was young and he was looking for work.

With a strong background in electrical engineering, he knew he wanted to do something computer- or electronics-related but was unemployed and couldn’t find a job. That’s when he decided to make his own luck. 

“I just decided that I had some experience in purchasing high-level computer equipment, and I found clients that needed stuff like that,” he told BusinessWest. “At that time, the internet was very new, so they had to go through some channel to get the high-level computer equipment, and I had the source.” 

So, he provided that equipment to them. Then, the fledgling venture grew from what is called “reselling” to the next phase, which focused on providing a variety of needed services to local clients. 

 “We then became internet service providers in town here in Palmer,” Changela said, adding that the company continued evolving into a multi-layered IT solutions provider. 

Solomon joined the team after an internship while he was attending Southern New Hampshire University. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, and has been with the company for three years. 

“I’ve always been interested in technology,” he said. “After I graduated, Jitu brought me on board and has really shown me the ropes of the managed-service-provider industry.” 

 More recently, Azaya added Patrick Fortunato as its Business Development Manager to lead the sales of IT managed-services support, digital and VoIP business telephone systems, and cutting-edge security surveillance technologies, and he has plenty of experience in the technology industry. 

“I used to replace telex machines with fax machines,” he said with a laugh, adding that technology has certainly evolved even more since then, and all three men emphasized the importance of keeping up with the changing times. 

This means finding ways to stand out within a deep and talented pool of competitors, bringing more services to a wider array of customers.

Indeed, Changela said he realized years ago that Comcast was going to take over some of Azaya’s internet business, so the company knew it had to change something up. That’s when it evolved from being an Internet service provider to a managed-service provider,

And one that features what it calls a guaranteed network uptime policy — essentially a promise to keep clients up and running all the time. 

 “It’s all about being preventive over being reactive,” Solomon said. “A lot of times, with billable hours, which is the other side of the coin of fixed cost, it’s difficult to be preventive when you’re working on a limited source of hours. With our model of one fixed cost, we’re there as many times as we need to be without it being any extra expense to them. Being able to be preventive solves a lot of their problems before they become problems.”

“Downtime is obviously not cost-effective. It costs a lot of money when employees cannot work. We want to work smart, not hard, and they want to see their network up and running all the time. Everybody is winning at that point.”

This policy, said Changela said, puts pressure on Azaya as a vendor and partner, but ensures that each party involved is happy.

“Downtime is obviously not cost-effective. It costs a lot of money when employees cannot work,” he said. “We want to work smart, not hard, and they want to see their network up and running all the time. Everybody is winning at that point.”

Overall, Azaya focuses on efficiency and security, bringing the technological support a business needs for greater effectiveness to internal business processes. Changela also says they customize services based on what the business needs, and guides companies through the process. 

This is what the team’s leaders mean when they say the company works in partnership with its clients, another key to its success.

 “We’re constantly talking to our clients and trying to figure out what technology they can utilize to best serve their needs,” he said. “We have to do some research and figure out what’s out there that can help them.”

 For Adaptas Solutions, for example, a phone system that could handle all its needs throughout multiple offices was something it lacked. Azaya installed the Cisco BE6000 in five of its locations, giving Adaptas the ability to connect all its locations seamlessly, providing the phones, servers, and phone lines all throughout the entire operation, creating a one-stop solution.

Bottom Line

While this model seems to be working well for the tech company, Changela says the team has big plans for where they want to be in the future. 

“Our biggest goal is to become that one-stop-shop,” he told BusinessWest. “Anything that is connected to the network, whether it’s printers, cameras, security cameras, or phone systems … we should be involved in it.”

Fortunato said the future of technology is related to security and speed, and Solomon added that becoming a specialty leader in multiple industries is also at the top of Azaya’s list. 

“We have clients from architects to veterinarians, so our range is quite large,” he said. “To be able to pick a vertical and become the dominant leader in that vertical is something that is on the business plan. We want to be viewed as equals in the industry, against the companies that have a little more exposure.”

Changela added that one main thing that separates Azaya from competitors is the culture of the company, with a focus on honesty and integrity. 

“It’s not always about making money, it’s about helping our clients become successful,” he said. “And at the end of the day, if they’re successful, we’ll make money anyways.”

Kayla Ebner can be reached at [email protected]

Opinion

Editorial

When BusinessWest decided a few years back to create a new recognition program to honor women in this region, the next big decision involved assigning a name to this initiative.

‘Women in Business’ would have been the obvious choice, and publications with similar missions and audiences have gone that route. But that would be short-sighted, and it would leave out a good number of women who are making a real difference in this community.

‘Women Leaders’ is another option, and it would certainly work, because these are the individuals that this program was created to identify — and celebrate.

But we chose ‘Women of Impact’ for a reason. When we hear that word ‘impact,’ we think of people who are influencing this region in some way, creating positive change, improving quality of life, and moving the needle on many of the important issues facing society. And while doing that, they may also be very successful in business as well.

We also chose ‘Women of Impact’ because there are countless ways to make an impact in this region — each one of them important in its own way. It was and is our desire to show the variety of ways that people, and especially women, can be impactful. We were quite successful with this assignment in our first year, 2018, and we can say the same for the class of 2019. The stories for this year’s class are unique:

• Tricia Canavan, president of United Personnel, is a highly successful businesswoman, but she is having an impact in many ways, especially in her various efforts to help ensure that individuals possess the skills they need to succeed in the workplace;

• Carol Moore Cutting, president, CEO, and general manager of Cutting Edge Broadcasting, is also a successful businesswoman and a role model for women of color across the region. She also epitomizes the hard work, sacrifice, and the ability to overcome adversity that is necessary to succeed in business — and in life;

• Jean Deliso, principal with Deliso Financial Services, is also a successful business owner and has spent her career helping individuals, and especially women, become empowered when it comes to financial planning and securing a solid future;

• Ellen Freyman is an accomplished business lawyer, but she would be the first to tell you the biggest impact she is making concerns helping others, especially women and minorities, get involved in their communities and make an impact themselves.

• Mary Hurley has been a life-long public servant and has made an impact at every stop in her career — as a lawyer, a Springfield city councilor, mayor of the city, District Court judge, and, most recently, as governor’s councilor. At each stop, she has impacted lives in countless ways;

• Lydia Martinez-Alvarez, assistant superintendent of schools in Springfield and the first Hispanic woman to hold that post, is being impactful in many ways, from helping to ensure students can succeed in the workplace after they accept their diplomas to serving as a role model for young women, and especially Hispanic women;

• Suzanne Parker, executive director of Girls Inc., has transformed that agency into a powerful force when it comes to empowering young women and enabling them to seize career opportunities. As a mother and master of the art of balancing life and work, she is also a role model to those girls across the region; and

• Kate Putnam, managing director of Golden Seeds and a successful businesswomen in her own right, is making an impact in several ways, but especially in her efforts to mentor entrepreneurs, and especially women entrepreneurs, helping them attain much-needed capital and grow this region’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Eight stories. Far more than eight ways to have an impact on this region and the people who call it home. This is why we created a new recognition program and why we chose this name. And that’s also why the class of 2019 is worthy of celebration.

Opinion

Editorial

State governments are, by and large, clunky and inefficient bodies known for their slow pace, general indecisiveness, and tendency to study rather than act decisively.

Those are generalities, to be sure, but they’re also truisms.

While most all state legislatures share those qualities, the Bay State’s leadership seems to stand out from the rest. There are many recent examples of this — everything from east-west rail to the education bill currently being debated.

And then, there’s casino gambling, and most recently, sports gambling.

For reasons we’ve never fully understood, this state lost a great many years — at least a decade by most accounts — when it came to legalizing casino gambling.

While legislators were debating the relative merits of gaming — and debating them some more — a host of other states were moving forward with facilities and establishing a solid foundation that has made it more difficult for the casinos now operating in the Bay State to achieve the kinds of revenues that were originally projected.

And now, the Legislature, which has shown a propensity in recent years for letting the voters make some of the most difficult decisions through referendum questions, is repeating, and compounding, its mistake on gaming by dragging its feet on sports gambling.

Legislative leaders have expressed interest in the concept, and some project a vote might — that’s might — come before the end of this legislative session. If and when it is approved, by next July, it will be another six to 12 months before someone can actually place a bet on a sports team in Massachusetts.

By then, the state will have lost tens of millions of dollars in needed tax revenues to Rhode Island, New Hampshire (set to launch its own program), and other states that saw the light and decided to take action.

We’re not sure why our Legislature couldn’t do the same thing. Waiting and watching and learning doesn’t seem to make any sense at this point.

Sports gambling is a fact of life in this country. Legalizing it and taking advantage of the revenues would seem to be a no-brainer, especially given the heightened degree of competition within the gaming industry and the need for the state’s casinos to be able to keep pace with its neighbors on every level.

Indeed, the state’s two resort casinos, Encore Boston and MGM Springfield, while off to decent starts, are both turning in gross gaming revenue (GGR) numbers below what they projected, primarily because of lagging slots revenues.

These casinos need a shot in the arm; they need another arrow in the quiver when it comes to bringing people to the doors and giving them more to do when they arrive.

Sports gambling seems like a very attractive ‘something more.’

It should have happened by now. Maybe it will happen soon. The state’s Legislature has a history of waiting, studying, procrastinating — and losing out on opportunities.

It looks like history is repeating itself on sports gambling, and the state is almost certain to lose out again.

Picture This

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

Empowering Women

Girls Inc. of the Valley hosted Joyce Roché, businesswoman and author of The Empress Has No Clothes: Conquering Self-Doubt to Embrace Success on Oct. 10 at the Delaney House. She was interviewed by Girls Inc. teens Maya and Janira and shared her story from humble beginnings to becoming the first African-American woman vice president of Avon.

Joyce Roché autographs copies of her book after the event

Maya, Girls Inc. Executive Director Suzanne Parker, Roché, and Janira.

 


Discussing Brexit

On Oct. 3, American International College hosted Stavros Lambrinidis, European Union ambassador to the U.S., and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal to discuss the history of the EU as well as the organization’s role in international trade. Lambrinidis told Neal and a packed audience that there is a “divorce” happening in the EU, referring to Brexit, the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the EU, and discussed the importance of a continued relationship with the U.S.

 


 

Smoothing Career Pathways

Under a new agreement with Springfield Technical Community College, students at Springfield High School of Commerce will be able to take courses at STCC and earn up to 20 college credits at no cost to them. The Early College initiative allows high-school students to explore high-need career pathways, avoid student-loan debt, and ultimately complete a college degree more quickly.

Pictured, from left: Matthew Brunell and Colleen Beaudoin, co-executive directors, Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership; John Cook, STCC president; Chris Gabrieli, chair, Massachusetts Board of Higher Education; Daniel Warwick, Springfield Public Schools superintendent; and Paul Neal, executive principal, Springfield High School of Commerce.

 


 

Earning an A+

The Parmar family of Pioneer Valley Hotel Group received the 2019 Legacy Award at the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual A+ Awards Dinner at Hadley Farms Meeting House on Oct. 3.

From left: state Rep. Mindy Domb, Elena Cohen of state Sen. Jo Comerford’s office, Laxman Parmar, Kishore Parmar, Shardool Parmar, and chamber Executive Director Claudia Pazmany.

Lisa Solowiej and Jocelyn Potter, A+ awardees for Community Service, are joined by their children and Pazmany to receive a citation from Domb for their leadership creating and coordinating the Amherst Survival Center Neighborhood Food Project.

 


 

Illusionist Performs for a Cause

Illusionist Jason Bishop and his dog, Gizmo, greet Treehouse Foundation youth Destiny and Sheyenne after his performances at the Armory at MGM on Oct. 13. The magician made Gizmo disappear and reappear, turned one-dollar bills into one hundred-dollar bills, and wowed the audience with his illusions and humor. Bishop performed two shows to benefit the Treehouse Foundation, an Easthampton nonprofit that supports children and youth who have experienced foster care.

 


 

Responding to the Call

Polish National Credit Union (PNCU) recently made a $10,000 donation to the Chicopee Fire Department. The donation will be used to purchase an industrial-sized washer extractor, an innovative machine that reduces the amount of carcinogens in turnout gear without damaging the equipment.

Chicopee firefighters with Chicopee Mayor Richard Kos, PNCU President and CEO James Kelly, Chicopee Fire Chief Daniel Stamborski, and Chicopee Fire Fighters Local 1710 IAFF President Glen Olbrych (fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh from left, respectively).

 


 

Mercedes-Benz of Springfield Turns Two

On Oct. 16, family and friends of dealership owners Michelle and Peter Wirth joined to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the dealership’s opening in 2017. Since launching the Chicopee location, the dealership has sold more than 2,000 cars. The celebration included cake, cupcakes, and balloon décor provided by Rise Event Production.

 

 

 

 

Court Dockets

The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

HAMPDEN DISTRICT COURT

R.E. Michel Co. Inc. n/k/a R.E. Michel Co., LLC v. Ahmad N. Almaoula a/k/a Ahmad Almaoula d/b/a American Independent Contractors

Allegation: Money owed for goods sold and delivered: $47,040.97

Filed: 9/24/19

Reinhart Foodservice, LLC v. Lona Ventures Inc. d/b/a Corner Grill Pizzeria and Seafood, Brahim Abed, and Marcondes Martins de Assis

Allegation: Money owed for goods sold and delivered: $5,748.22

Filed: 9/24/19

American Builders & Contractors Supply Co. Inc. d/b/a ABC Supply Co. Inc. v. Charles Laveck a/k/a Charles T. Laveck d/b/a Charles Laveck Home Improvement

Allegation: Money owed for goods sold and delivered: $19,792.24

Filed: 9/24/19

American Builders & Contractors Supply Co. Inc. d/b/a ABC Supply Co. Inc. v. Averil H. Westley a/k/a Averil Westley d/b/a Twice as Nice Roofing and Lamont E. Westley a/k/a Lamont Edwardjoe Westley a/k/a Lamont Westley d/b/a Twice as Nice Roofing

Allegation: Money owed for goods sold and delivered: $18,629.12

Filed: 9/25/19

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

RFT Industries Inc. v. Columbia Manufacturing Inc.

Allegation: Breach of contract: $320,156.89

Filed: 9/5/19

Grossman, Tucker, Perreault & Pfleger, PLLC v. Troy Industries Inc.

Allegation: Breach of contract: $94,126.02

Filed: 9/6/19

Anthony Vincenzo v. the PAHK Inc.

Allegation: Negligence causing personal injury: $58,000+

Filed: 9/10/19

Marie O’Connor v. New England Orthopedic Surgeons

Allegation: Employment discrimination: $50,000+

Filed: 9/12/19

Sonja Bergeron and Joseph Bergeron v. E Ink Corp.

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $59,363.14

Filed: 9/18/19

Quaishaun Bias v. Supreme Systems Inc,

Allegation: Negligence causing personal injury: $69,180

Filed: 9/23/19

Thomas Lukasik v. Matthew S. Collins, M.D.; Baystate Health Inc.; and Baystate Medical Center Inc.

Allegation: Medical malpractice: $250,000

Filed: 9/24/19

Anderson Green v. Curry Automotive, LLC

Allegation: Violation of Massachusetts wage law: $25,000

Filed: 9/24/19

Jeffrey Josinvil v. Samuel’s Tavern, LLC and Edward Grimaldi d/b/a Samuel’s Tap & Table

Allegation: Negligence causing personal injury: $1,072,000

Filed: 9/27/19

HAMPSHIRE DISTRICT COURT

Split Excavating Inc. v. Silverman Realty Group Inc. and Haven Plaza East Associates, LP

Allegation: Breach of contract for snow removal, ice control, and litter sweeping: $59,745.25

Filed: 9/23/19

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

Graybar Electric Co. Inc. v. Couglin Electrical Contractors Inc. and Montague Road Solar, LLC

Allegation: Breach of contract: $86,234

Filed: 9/24/19

Christine Canavan v. Shawmut Design and Construction

Allegation: Negligence causing personal injury: $465,730.93

Filed: 9/26/19

Agenda

Drone Pilot Certification Course

Nov. 5-26: Holyoke Community College (HCC) is once again offering a one-month, hands-on program for individuals who want to become FAA-licensed drone pilots. “Flying Drones for Profit, Public Safety, and Commercial Applications” will run on four consecutive Tuesdays, Nov. 5 through Nov. 26, from 6 to 10 p.m. in HCC’s Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development on the HCC main campus, 303 Homestead Ave., Holyoke. The cost for the four-week, non-credit course is $315. Space is limited. The course will prepare individuals to take the Federal Aviation Administration Remote Pilot in Charge exam, which they must pass to become licensed drone operators. Classes are taught by Steven Vigneault, an alumnus of the program and owner and operator of Expeditionary Drones, an aerial photography company in East Longmeadow. Vigneault worked at Barnes Air National Guard base on the Security Force and was previously an officer for the Springfield Police Department. The course focuses on all content required to pass the FAA Remote Pilot test, including regulations, national airspace system rules, weather, aircraft loading, aircraft performance and flight operations. It is geared toward professionals in a wide range of industries, including engineering, construction, insurance, agriculture, emergency services, public safety, security, environmental management, transportation, and retail, as well as those involved in more artistic pursuits like movies, video, and photography.

Employment Law & Human Resource Practice Conference

Nov. 7: The Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast (EANE) announced its annual Employment Law & Human Resource Practice Conference will be held on Thursday, Nov. 7 the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place. Ben Eubanks, principal analyst at Lighthouse Research & Advisory and the author of Artificial Intelligence for HR: Use AI to Build a Successful Workforce will be the keynote speaker. In his session, “Artificial Intelligence for HR,” he will cover how artificial intelligence (AI) works at a basic level and how it is infiltrating people’s daily lives at work and home. This session will cover key ways AI can support HR functions, the diversity and inclusion argument for AI at work, and the five human skills of the future that AI alone can’t replace. Several sessions are scheduled throughout the day, including presentations from the Massachusetts Department of Paid Family Medical Leave, the Department of Labor, and Springfield law firm Skoler, Abbott & Presser. In addition to compliance-based training, there are sessions on the agenda to help employers invest in best practices for growing their businesses through video as a means of employee engagement and skill-development plans for their workforce. A complete agenda with the full roster of presenters and topics is available at www.eane.org/elhr. The cost for the program is $360 per person with discounts for three or more. Register at www.eane.org/elhr or (877) 662-6444. The program will offer 5.75 credits from the HR Certification Institute and SHRM. Sponsoring the program are the HR Certification Institute and Johnson & Hill Staffing Services.

Boys & Girls Club Black Tie & Sneakers Gala

Nov. 8: The Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee will host its eighth annual Black Tie & Sneakers Gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. Presented by Chicopee Savings Charitable Foundation and Westfield Bank, this event serves the club as its largest fundraiser of the year. Guests will enjoy a sit-down dinner, dancing, and silent and live auctions. They will have the opportunity to bid on auction items including a trip to Costa Rica, gift baskets, Adirondack chairs, jewelry, gift certificates, and more. Guests will also see a short production on the impact the club has on its members. This year, the mistress of ceremonies will be Michelle Wirth from Mercedes-Benz of Springfield, and the auctioneer will be John Baran of WWLP-22News. An Aura photo booth from Absolute Photo Booths, a signature cocktail, and a contest for best sneakers will be introduced this year. Guests can enter the contest as they arrive, and the top three will walk the runway for the audience to decide first place. Each year, the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee selects members of the community to receive recognition for their support and interest in the mission of the club and the members it serves. This year, the club will recognize Pilgrim Interiors Inc. with its Donald & Lois Prescott Founders Award. About 300 people are expected at this event, which begins at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $50 per person. To attend, e-mail Lynn Morrissette, Marketing & Development director, at [email protected]. The platinum sponsor for the event is Polish National Credit Union. Gold sponsors include Freedom Credit Union, Tru by Hilton Chicopee Springfield, Mahan Slate Roofing Co. Inc., PeoplesBank, Anne Gancarz, and Pilgrim Interiors Inc.

Asnuntuck Open House

Nov. 12: Asnuntuck Community College (ACC) will host an open house from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The open house will feature information about ACC’s credit and credit-free opportunities, information sessions from Admissions and Financial Aid, campus tours, as well as an information session and tour in the Advanced Manufacturing & Technology Center. ACC’s Follett Bookstore will also be open for business during the event. Walk-ins are welcome. Web registration for the spring semester will open on Monday, Oct. 28. Asnuntuck is currently accepting applications for the winter 2019, spring 2020, and fall 2020 terms. Visit www.asnuntuck.edu for information on how to register.

Chili Cook-off

Nov. 17: The Hampden County Bar Foundation and the Dante Club will hold a Chili Cook-off fundraising event from noon to 3 p.m at the Dante Club, 1198 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. All proceeds from this event will benefit the Hampden County Bar Foundation and the Dante Club Scholarships Inc. The Hampden County Bar Foundation funds the Colonel Archer B. Battista Veterans Scholarship, the John F. Moriarty Scholarship, the Hampden County Legal Clinic, and the Children’s Law Project. The cost to register chili for the competition is $25, and registration is open to all. For more information and to register, visit www.hcbar.org.

Forward Fifty

Nov. 20: Springfield School Volunteers (SSV) will host Forward Fifty, its golden anniversary fundraising gala, at 5:30 p.m. at MGM Springfield. The event will honor 50 individuals, businesses, and community officials who have helped SSV become the impactful organization it is today. They include: American Honda Finance Co., Wylene Bailey, Baystate Health, Evelyn Benedetti, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden County, Robert Bolduc, Gary Breton, A. Craig Brown, Bulkley Richardson, Jean and Durham Caldwell, Velada Chaires, Marsha Crapps, Helaine Davis, Maria DeAngelis, Mary Devlin, B. John Dill, Paul Doherty, Don Dorn, Carol Fitzgerald, Leo Foster, Sally Fuller, Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, Peter Hess, Alberta “Dolly” Howard, Marjorie Hurst, Judy Kelly, Pauline Kimball, Carol Kinsley, Kiwanis Club, Lucie Lewis, John Manzi, Mass Partnership Mentoring, MassMutual Life Insurance Co., Norma Nunnally, Gloria Peeler, Peter Pan Bus Lines Inc., Allen Reed, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, Edwin Shea, Ken Shea, Patricia Spradley/PACE, Springfield Regional Chamber, Springfield City Library, Springfield College, Springfield Public Schools, Smith College, James Trelease, state Sen. James Welch, Western New England University, and Sally Wittenberg. Forward Fifty will take place in the Bellagio Ballroom with a celebration of SSV’s rich history through speakers, photos, and videos. There will also be a buffet dinner, cash bar, and presentation of the Springfield School Volunteers Honoree Award to 50 individuals and businesses. Proceeds from the gala will help SSV continue its work improving the lives of Springfield’s students. Over the years, SSV has been a strong supporter of the Springfield Public Schools, developing programs in response to the diverse needs of the students and the district. Today SSV runs three distinctive programs — School-based Mentoring, Academic Support, and Read Aloud — that bring more than 1,000 volunteers each year into the schools. Tickets and tables to Forward Fifty are now on sale at ssvgoldengala.eventbrite.com.

Women of Impact Luncheon

Dec. 4: BusinessWest will present its second annual Woman of Impact Luncheon on on Dec. 4 from 11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. at Sheraton Springfield. The keynote speaker will be Lisa Tanzer, president of Life Is Good. The 2019 Women of Impact honorees are profiled in this issue of BusinessWest. Tickets cost $65 per person, or $650 for a table of 10. To purchase tickets, visit www.businesswest.com/women-of-impact or e-mail [email protected]. The Women of Impact program is sponsored by Country Bank and TommyCar Auto Group (presenting sponsors), Comcast Business and Granite State Development Corp. (supporting sponsors), New Valley Bank & Trust (speaker sponsor), and WWLP 22 News/CW Springfield (media sponsor).

HMC Annual Gala

Nov. 23: Holyoke Medical Center (HMC) will host its annual gala at the Log Cabin. All proceeds will benefit Valley Health Systems, which includes Holyoke Medical Center, Holyoke Medical Group, Holyoke VNA Hospice Life Care, and River Valley Counseling Center. The annual gala will feature a complimentary cocktail reception; a seven-course chef’s dinner, each with its own wine pairing; a silent auction to support Valley Health Systems; award presentations; and dancing to music performed by the O-Tones. Holyoke Medical Center has selected Dr. M. Saleem Bajwa to be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication and hard work on behalf of Holyoke Medical Center and the local community for more than 40 years. Also being recognized are select members of the Valley Health Systems staff who exemplify exceptional care in the categories of Best Physician, Best Caregiver, Best Supporting Employee, and Best Leader. Tickets for this black-tie-optional gala are $125 per person and can be purchased through the Holyoke Medical Center website at www.holyokehealth.com/gala19 or by calling the Development Office at (413) 534-2579.

Chamber Corners

1BERKSHIRE

www.1berkshire.com

(413) 499-1600

 

• Oct. 30: Good News Business Salute: Women in Business, 5-7:30 p.m. In recognition of Women in Business Month, we pay tribute to the good work that women do here in the Berkshires. Celebrate at the newly renovated Williams Inn in Williamstown, as 1Berkshire honors four successful area businesses both owned and run by women: Barrington Stage Co., Lenox Fit Inc., North Adams Yoga, and Your Color Connection. Cost: $35 for members, $50 for non-members. To register, visit 1berkshire.com.

• Nov. 13: Chamber Nite, 5-7 p.m. 1Berkshire’s monthly networking opportunity continues in November with an event to be held at Wohrle’s Foods in Pittsfield. Cost: free for members. To register, visit 1berkshire.com.

 

AMHERST AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.amherstarea.com
(413) 253-0700

• Oct. 30: Supplier Diversity Programs Community Day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., hosted by the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce.

• Nov. 5: 50th Anniversary Celebration, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Amherst Insurance Agency. Cost: free.

• Nov. 6: Startup Night at AmherstWorks, 5-7 p.m., presented by Valley Venture Mentors. Cost: free.

• Nov. 7: “Marijuana: Opportunities & Challenges,” 4-6 p.m., hosted by Jones Library. Cost: free.

• Nov. 13: Working Across Generations Workshop, 5-6:30 p.m., hosted by Look Park Garden House. Cost: free. RSVP at northamptonchamber.com.

• Nov. 15: Launching Women Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., hosted by Courtyard by Marriott. Cost: $25 for members, $45 for non-members.

• Nov. 18: Talk on Housing and Employment, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Amherst Survival Center. Cost: free.

• Nov. 21: Diversity and Inclusion Workshop, 8 a.m. to noon, hosted by Hadley Farms Meeting House. Cost: $25 for members, $45 for non-members.

BRADLEY REGIONAL CHAMBER

www.bradleyregionalchamber.org

(860) 653-3833

• Nov 1: First Friday, 7:30 a.m., hosted by Bobby V’s Restaurant.

• Nov 7: Business After Hours, 5:30 p.m. East Street Shops, East Granby, Conn., hosts a free, fully catered cocktail party during an expanded Business After Hours to support Friend to Friend Food Pantry. This event includes not only the Bradley Regional Chamber but also surrounding chambers and community members. The newly renovated center is located at 10 East St. next to Planet Fitness. Come and mingle with members of other area organizations while enjoying open bar and hors d’oeuvres. For those who would like to give, we will be accepting voluntary monetary donations to benefit Friend to Friend Food Pantry. Bring a friend. Registration required.

• Nov 12: Business After Hours, 5:30 p.m., hosted by Bradley International Airport. Tour new updates of the terminals and hear Kevin Dillon, Connecticut Airport Authority chief, speak.

• Nov 14: E-Circle Marketing Lunch & Learn, noon. “A Fresh Approach to Marketing and Sales That Will Drive Business Growth. Registration required.

• Nov 14: USA Mechanical grand reopening ribbon cutting, 4 p.m. USA Mechanical & Energy Services, LLC is doubling its footprint. With the growth of the company in both construction and HVAC service and maintenance, it has added employees, sheet-metal fabrication and warehouse space, offices, and a conference room and training center.

• Nov 20: Ambassador Luncheon, noon, hosted by DoubleTree Hotel/Shade Bar & Grill.

All events are free for Bradley Regional Chamber members, and there is small fee for non-members. The Ambassador Luncheon is a ‘pay your way’ event. Visit www.bradleyregionalchamber.org for more information and to register.

GREATER EASTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.easthamptonchamber.org

(413) 527-9414

• Nov. 7: Networking by Night, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Cooley Dickinson Urgent Care, located in the Southampton Shopping Center at 10 College Highway in Southampton. Refreshments will be served, and door prizes from Go with the Float will be awarded. Attendees will also have a chance at one of four $25 chamber gift cards courtesy of Michael Markiewicz, financial advisor. Cost: free for members, $20 for non-members. Pre-registration required. For more information and to register, visit www.easthamptonchamber.org or call the chamber at (413) 527-9414.

• Nov. 19: Speed Networking, 8-10 a.m., hosted by Inn on Boltwood, 30 Boltwood Dr., Amherst. Start your morning off at this high-energy, fast-paced, fun new way to network. Have some coffee, enjoy breakfast, and then do some speed networking. Cost: free for members only. Pre-registration required. 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

• Oct. 28: “Nonprofit Resource Roundtable with Jenny Ladd: Fundraising as Program, Program as Fundraising,” noon to 1:30 p.m., hosted by the Garden House at Look Memorial Park. How can our fundraising be a form of our programming, and how can programming be part of fundraising? All too often, the person, people, or department doing fundraising are off in a corner separate from the programmatic workings of a nonprofit. Cost: free. RSVP at northamptonchamber.com/connect-campaign-2019.

• Oct. 29: “Health Connector for Small Business,” noon to 1 p.m., hosted by Greater Northampton Chamber, 33 Hawley St., Northampton. Join us for an informative session with Rich Cahillane of American Benefits Group and Chaitra Sanders, account manager for the Health Connector for Business Distribution Channel. This event is part of the Greater Northampton Chamber 2019 Connect Campaign Event Series. Cost: free. RSVP at northamptonchamber.com/connect-campaign-2019.

GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.westfieldbiz.org

(413) 568-1618

• Nov. 4: Mayor’s Coffee Hour, 8-9 a.m., hosted by Amelia Park Arena, 21 South Broad St., Westfield. Join us for coffee with Westfield Mayor Brian Sullivan. Cost: free and open to the public. Pre-registration is requested so we may give our host a proper head count.

• Nov. 14: Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner, 5:30-8:30 p.m., hosted by Shaker Farms Country Club, 866 Shaker Road, Westfield. Join us as we roll out the red carpet and honor our 2019 ‘Of the Year’ Award winners: Business of the Year: Westfield Gas & Electric/Whip City Fiber; Nonprofit of the Year: Westfield 350th Committee; Lifetime Achievement: Sister Elizabeth Oleksak of Genesis Spiritual Life & Conference Center. Cost: $59. Members and non-members are invited to attend. For more information, to become a sponsor, and to register, visit westfieldbiz.org/events or call (413) 568-1618.

• Nov. 26: After 5 Connections, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Rosewood Home & Gifts, 34 Elm St., Westfield. Refreshments will be served, and a 50/50 raffle will benefit the chamber’s scholarship fund. Bring your business cards and make connections. Cost: free for members and non-members. For more information and to register, visit westfieldbiz.org/events or call (413) 568-1618.

• Nov. 29-30: Westfield #ShopSmall. The Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with many local businesses throughout Westfield, will support Small Business Saturday on Nov. 29-30. Forty businesses are featured on a game board. Event sponsor, Staples, will provide a posterboard of the game board for the 40 businesses to display in their window. Another event sponsor, the Pennysaver, will include the game board in its Nov. 21 issue. Shoppers can visit a minimum of 10 participating merchants to be eligible for cash prizes of $500, $300, and $150. For more information, visit westfieldbiz.org/events or call (413) 568-1618.

SPRINGFIELD REGIONAL CHAMBER

www.springfieldregionalchamber.com

(413) 787-1555

• Nov. 6: Rise & Shine Business Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., hosted by Springfield Country Club, 1375 Elm St., West Springfield. Featuring Roseann Sdoia Materia, author, motivational speaker, and Boston Marathon bombing survivor.

• Nov. 21: Government Reception, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Carriage House, Storrowton Tavern, 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield.

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

• Nov. 7: Food Fest West, 5:30-8 p.m., hosted by Springfield Country Club, West Springfield. Local restaurants and eateries show off their cuisine at this well-attended event. Vote for your favorite restaurant. A DJ, raffle, and entertainment will round out this event. Proceeds raised by Food Fest West will go toward the Partnership for Education and the WRC Educational Fund, which provides grants to businesses for on-the-job training and continuing-education needs. Tickets may be purchased online at www.westoftheriverchamber.com. For more information, contact the chamber office at (413) 426-3880 or [email protected].

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY OF GREATER SPRINGFIELD

springfieldyps.com

• Nov. 21: November YPS Third Thursday. 5-7 p.m., hosted by Worthington Street Pub, 211 Worthington St., Springfield. Join YPS for complimentary handcrafted appetizers and a cash bar with more than 50 craft beers and barrel-aged cocktails. Cost: free for members, $10 for non-members. Register at springfieldyps.com.

People on the Move

Ian Coddington

Christopher Soderberg

Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. announced the promotions of Ian Coddington and Christopher Soderberg to associate positions. Coddington started as an intern in 2018 and worked his way up to associate in less than a year. In his new position, his responsibilities include preparing individual and corporate tax returns and working with senior staff to conduct audit engagements. He works to understand clients’ needs and wants in the whole scope of their business. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business management, with a concentration in accounting, from Westfield State University, and is a member of the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants. Outside the office, he volunteers at Junior Achievement. Soderberg also began as an intern last year. As an audit associate, he assists and supports the audit team in day-to-day functions, including ensuring compliance of best practices of all audit procedures and standards and preparing and analyzing test work completed during the audit. He is passionate about developing a professional relationship with clients, with a focus on HUD and nonprofit organizations. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and management from Elms College. He plans to return there to pursue his master’s degree in accounting with a focus on financial planning, along with acquiring his CPA.

•••••

Kristi Bodin

Curtiss, Carey, Gates and Goodridge, LLP (CCG&G) is recently welcomed attorney Kristi Bodin to its practice. Bodin’s practice areas include business law, liquor licenses, special permits, zoning and land use, and civil litigation. She is a lifelong resident of the Pioneer Valley and is celebrating her 25th year as a lawyer in Western Mass. Bodin has successfully guided dozens of small-business clients through the processes of entity formation, asset purchases and sales, commercial leasing, and related transactions. She also works with businesses and individuals on issues involving state and local regulations and code enforcement. She is skilled at strategic analysis, business planning, and management. Before becoming a lawyer, Bodin worked in materials management and production control for companies whose products included metal-cutting tools, time-recording and building-management systems, and consumer health products. In addition, she has served as an assistant attorney general for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and assistant town counsel for several communities. She is a past member of the board of directors of the Franklin County Community Development Corp., a representative Town Meeting member in Montague, and an active member of the Amherst Rotary Club.

•••••

Mary Catherine “Marikate” Murren

Jynai McDonald

Yanira Aviles

The Springfield Technical Community College board of trustees recently welcomed two new members and a new chair, Mary Catherine “Marikate” Murren. The new members are Jynai McDonald, who was appointed by Gov. Charlie Baker in June, and Yanira Aviles, who was elected by the student body in April. Baker named Murren as chair of the board over the summer. She replaces Christopher Johnson, whose term recently expired. He had served as a trustee since 2006. Murren has served as a trustee for more than two years. She is vice president of Human Resources for MGM Springfield and graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in sports management. McDonald is the family child care coordinator for Service Employee International Union Local 509. In her role, she provides leadership training, professional development, and negotiation for more than 3,500 childcare providers throughout the Commonwealth. Previously, she served as Western Mass. regional manager for Training Resources of America Inc. She also has worked at Hampden County Career Center and Northeast Center for Youth & Families, Tri-County School. McDonald was honored as a rising star in the regional business community when she was named to BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty in 2019. She earned a bachelor’s degree in digital marketing and social media management from Bay Path University. Aviles, the student trustee, said she wants to use her position to help other students who have faced barriers. In her mid-30s, Aviles took courses at STCC to prepare for the HiSET, or high school equivalency test. After passing her HiSET exam in 2016, she enrolled in the liberal arts/general studies degree program at STCC.

•••••

Priscilla Kane Hellweg

The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN) awarded Priscilla Kane Hellweg, executive and artistic director of Enchanted Circle Theater of Holyoke, with one of two Lifetime Achievement Awards for 2019. The other recipient was Darnell Williams, president and CEO of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts. The awards were presented at MNN’s annual conference on Oct. 16. Enchanted Circle Theater is a nonprofit, multi-service arts organization that integrates arts and education to engage, enhance, and inspire learning. Under Kane Hellweg’s direction, it has become a regional leader in the field of arts integration. Enchanted Circle works in public school districts across Western Mass. and collaborates with more than 60 community-service partner organizations to develop work that bridges arts, education, and human services to chronically underserved communities, including youth in foster care, families in homeless shelters, and youth in residential treatment programs.

•••••

Dawn Creighton

Greenfield Community College recently welcomed Dawn Creighton as the college’s new chief Workforce Development officer. She will officially join GCC on Oct. 21, and her office will be located at the Downtown Center, 270 Main St., Greenfield. A 2005 GCC alumna, Creighton began her career as an employment specialist at MassLive before becoming regional director for the Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) — the state’s largest employers’ resource group — in 2009. During her tenure at AIM, she served thousands of employer members, uniting them around issues ranging from healthcare and employment law to sustainability, budgeting, and hiring. As the former board president of Dress for Success, Creighton also built Foot in the Door, a workforce-readiness program dedicated to helping women develop critical skills for entering and re-entering the workforce.

•••••

On Oct. 17, the Assoc. of Developmental Disabilities Providers (ADDP) and the Department of Developmental Services presented Talking Tech 2019, an event celebrating the promise of technology for empowerment and social inclusion of individuals with disabilities. Delcie Bean, CEO of Hadley-based Paragus IT, was a featured guest speaker alongside other experts in a wide range of technological areas, including remote monitoring, staffing solutions, assistive technologies, cybersecurity, and more. ADDP is a trade association representing more than 120 providers throughout Massachusetts. The organization is committed to enhancing the political, financial, and educational health of member organizations that serve people with disabilities, including intellectual and developmental disabilities and acquired brain injuries.

Company Notebook

AIC Gets High Marks in College Salary Report

SPRINGFIELD — PayScale, a Seattle-based software company that performs compensation research, including pay-scale indices and employee engagement, recently released its 2019-20 College Salary Report, ranking American International College (AIC) 39th in the country for health science and nursing programs when considering salary growth. The annual report, based on the salaries of 3.5 million college graduates, provides estimates of early and mid-career pay for 2,500 associate and bachelor’s degree-granting institutions. For health science and nursing programs, PayScale examined 679 institutions offering four-year degrees. At number 39, AIC ranks in the top 6% of the colleges and universities reviewed. “We are very proud of the dedication, motivation, commitment, and diversity of the students in our health sciences programs, including nursing, exercise science, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and public health, who strive to be the very best,” said Karen Rousseau, dean of the School of Health Sciences. “Central to American International College’s mission is to provide access, opportunity, and inter-professional collaboration to scholars in the School of Health Sciences, which will serve them well in their career goals as they advance in their chosen fields.” PayScale pioneers the use of big data and unique matching algorithms to power the world’s most advanced compensation platform and continues to be the compensation market leader based on user reviews.

Square One Receives $25,000 Grant from Tufts Health Plan Foundation

SPRINGFIELD — Square One has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Tufts Health Plan Foundation. The grant is part $1 million the Tufts Health Plan Foundation is donating to area nonprofits that are focused on health equity and the social determinants of health in honor of Tufts Health Plan’s 40th anniversary and its longstanding tradition of giving back to the community. “It is a true honor to be recognized by Tufts Health Plan Foundation in such a meaningful and generous way,” said Joan Kagan, Square One President and CEO. “Each and every day, our families are impacted by health disparities and social determinants of health. With these funds, we will continue to seek out creative and effective ways to support the physical, social, and mental health and well-being of our children and families.” The $25,000 grants — 10 in each of the states where Tufts Health Plan serves members — support a range of nonprofit organizations doing exemplary work to promote community health and wellness. “We recognize that nonprofit organizations are on the front lines of service and play a crucial role in building stronger and healthier communities for all of us,” said Tom Croswell, president and CEO of Tufts Health Plan. “These angel grants are a way of saying ‘thank you’ to Square One and other organizations addressing the economic and social conditions that influence the health of our diverse communities and helping them to keep up the great work they do.” The Tufts Health Plan Foundation has given more than $35 million to community organizations since 2008 and will give nearly $5 million in community grants this year.

KeyBank Recognized as a Leading Disability Employer

CLEVELAND — For the third year, KeyBank was recognized by the National Organization on Disability (NOD) as a Leading Disability Employer. “We are honored to accept this award from the NOD, a leader in inclusion for people with disabilities,” said Kim Manigault, chief Diversity and Inclusion officer. “Inclusion is intentional. This award reflects the work across many lines of business and partnerships that provide supportive experiences for people with disabilities who engage with and work for KeyBank.”

Jewish Family Service Receives $250,000 Grant

SPRINGFIELD — Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts (JFS) has been awarded a competitive two-year $250,000 Citizenship and Assimilation Grant from the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This grant will allow JFS to expand its current citizenship program to better serve prospective citizens’ assimilation into American civic life in Hampden County. The fiscal-year 2019 grants, which run through September 2021, promote prospective citizens’ assimilation into American civic life by funding educational programs designed to increase their knowledge of English, U.S. history, and civics. “Our country welcomes legal immigrants from all over the world who come to the United States, positively contribute to our society, and engage in American civic life,” said USCIS Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli. “Immigrants who assimilate, embrace our Constitution, understand our history, and abide by our laws add to the vitality and strength of this great nation. Through this grant program, USCIS continues to support efforts to prepare immigrants to become fully vested U.S. citizens.” JFS is one of 41 organizations in 24 states to receive nearly $10 million in funding to support citizenship-preparation services. Now in its 11th year, the USCIS Citizenship and Assimilation Grant program has helped more than 245,000 lawful, permanent residents prepare for citizenship. A ‘permanent resident’ is a person authorized by the US government to live and work in the country on a permanent basis.

Junior Achievement Wins Community Partner Award

SPRINGFIELD — Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts (JAWM) was recognized recently by Massachusetts’ Department of Youth Services (DYS) for its work with local youth. DYS, the juvenile-justice agency for the Commonwealth, gave JAWM the 2019 Commissioner’s Award for Outstanding Community Partner in the Western Region at a ceremony on Oct. 4 in Dorchester. JAWM, which provides workforce-readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial-literacy programs to K-12 youth, was nominated by Sharon Bess, youth employment development specialist at the Center for Human Development (CHD) in Springfield. Bess wrote in her nomination that “Junior Achievement has allowed us to introduce career readiness and financial literacy in a unique way that leaves a lasting impact on our young people and creates a foundation toward positive change to their futures.” CHD is a nonprofit that delivers social and mental-health services to people in Western Mass. and Connecticut. “We’re honored to be recognized with this Community Partner award,” said Jennifer Connolly, president of JAWM. “Starting in 2005, our partnership with CHD helped establish their Exclusive Tees program by introducing local high-school students to the JA Be Entrepreneurial program and the JA Company program. Our partnership also established the Teen Reality Fair, which provides high-school students with information on career opportunities and introduces financial literacy in a hands-on, eye-opening fashion. It’s always a pleasure to work with the youth and the staff at CHD.”

Country Bank Receives Award for Marketing Video

WARE — Country Bank was recognized for its “Pioneers” video at the American Bankers Assoc. Bank Marketing Conference in Austin, Texas. “Pioneers” competed against hundreds of national video submissions, winning first place in its category. The winners were selected by bank marketing professionals who judged the entries based on creativity, production value, and overall messaging. “We were so honored to receive this award; ‘Pioneers’ truly portrays the hardworking communities that we serve in such an impactful way. The imagery captured local landscapes, people, and businesses, which resulted in a genuinely moving video for us,” said Shelley Regin, senior vice president of Marketing at Country Bank. “The closing line, ‘even hard work needs a partner,’ supports the bank’s belief that relationships are life’s most valuable investments.” When the bank decided to create new videos last summer, it turned to its agency partner, Small Army, to develop a storyline that would truly represent both Central and Western Mass., she added. “We could not be more grateful to our agency for creating a true representation of Country Bank’s local communities.”

Employer Confidence Holds Steady in September

BOSTON — Business confidence remained essentially flat in Massachusetts during September despite a darkening outlook among manufacturers. The Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Business Confidence Index rose 0.2 points to 58.9 last month after retreating in August. The Index has lost 3.7 points since September 2018 but remains within optimistic territory. The September reading was weighed down by weakening sentiment among Bay State manufacturers. The Index’s manufacturing component dropped 2.4 points in September and 7.9 points for the year. The results mirrored the national Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing index, which fell to its lowest level since 2009 last month. A separate report by IHS Markit showed that the manufacturing sector suffered its worst quarter since 2009, though activity increased during September. The constituent indicators that make up the Index were mixed during September. The Massachusetts Index assessing business conditions within the Commonwealth fell 0.6 points to 63.3, while the U.S. Index rose to 56.5. The Massachusetts reading has decreased 1.2 points and the U.S. reading has fallen 7.1 points during the past 12 months. The Future Index, measuring expectations for six months out, lost 0.5 points to 56.4, leaving it 4.4 points lower than a year ago. The Current Index, which assesses overall business conditions at the time of the survey, increased 0.8 points to 61.3 — 3.0 points lower than its reading of September 2018. The Employment Index rose a point for the month but remained down 3.1 points for the year. Employers continue to struggle to find qualified workers in a full-employment state economy. Non-manufacturers (61.9) were more confident than manufacturers (55.4). Large companies (60.2) were more optimistic than medium-sized companies (59.9) or small companies (55.4), reversing a trend established during the summer. Companies in Eastern Mass. (62.6) continued to be more optimistic than those in the west (53.8).

Incorporations

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

AGAWAM

BBB Auto Inc., 266 Walnut St., Agawam, MA 01001. Larisa Mironova, same. Auto repairs.

BRIMFIELD

Brimfield Community Partnership Inc., 367 Brookfield Road, Brimfield, MA 01010. Ryan Evan Olszta, same. To bring our community together as one. We are dedicated to holding events and giving back to the people in our community. We will bring the community together through community-based events.

CHICOPEE

500 Century Inc., 400 East Main St., Chicopee, MA 01020. Saima Amir, 10 Oakley Dr., South Hadley, MA 01075. To operate convenience store and smoke shop.

HOLYOKE

Angie-Del Inc., 30 Leary Dr., Holyoke, MA 01040. Angelo Deleon Olguin, same. Grocery retailer.

BBF Wellness Inc., 37 Commercial St., Holyoke, MA 01040. Frank Dailey, 109 Pennsylvania Ave., Springfield, MA 01118. Medical consultation not requiring licensing.

Boston Bud Factory Inc., 37 Commercial St., Holyoke, MA 01040. Frank Dailey, 109 Pennsylvania Ave., Springfield, MA 01118. Retail sales of cannabis.

LUDLOW

Bumble Inc., 140 Posner Circle, Ludlow, MA 01056. Kimberley Grandfield, same. Automotive, transportation. Transport goods.

NORWOOD

America Santos Painting Inc., 1200 Washington St., #3, Norwood, MA 01062. Ildeu Aparecido Dos Santos, same. General construction, painting, and cleaning.

PELHAM

Ad-Avis Inc., 338 Daniel Shays Highway, Pelham, MA 01002. Joseph R. Davis, same. Internet marketing.

PITTSFIELD

Assembly of God El Shamah Ministry, 563 East St., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Leonardo Marques, 166 West Housatonic St., Pittsfield, MA 01201. To establish and maintain a church and to provide a place of public worship for the same.

SPRINGFIELD

4 Seasons Painting Inc., 33 Derryfield Ave., Springfield, MA 01118. Douglas E. Guyette, same. Painting.

Anyeliz Market Corp., 546 Worthington St., Springfield, MA 01108. Antonina Sabala Rodriguez, 544 Worthington, Springfield, MA 01105. Grocery sales and restaurant.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Bienia Powerwashing Inc., 635 Rogers Ave., West Springfield, MA 01089. Kevin Bienia, same. Provide power washing services to residential and commercial properties.

WILBRAHAM

Be Bronze Inc., 31 Glenn Dr., Wilbraham, MA 01095. Maria J. Serra, same. Sunless tanning salon and sell tanning treatments.

DBA Certificates

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

AMHERST

Evan’s Trees & Trash
86 Bridge St.
Evan Montuori

Feel Worldwide
26 Hallock St., Apt. 5
Arbab Naseebullah Kasi

Moose Tracks Media
619 Main St., Apt. 55
Alexander LaMarche

Thistlebloom Farm
784 South East St.
Barking Stoat Inc.

CHICOPEE

J. Polep Distribution Services
705 Meadow St.
Eric Polep

Juke, LLC
349 Chicopee St.
Jessica Popp

King Gray Coach Lines
70 Justin Dr.
Terrien Transportation Inc.

Pierce’s Floor Covering
59 Gilmore St.
Jason Pierce

Quality Contractors
15 Edgewood Ave.
Juan Diaz

DEERFIELD

New England Meetinghouse Design
222 Greenfield Road
Ann Satkowski

P & G
102B North Main St.
Gary Bunker, Patricia Bunker

EASTHAMPTON

Mercado’s Flooring
78 Everett St.
Jose Mercado

Vignette Studio & Exchange
52 Union St.
Beverly Rosenthal

EAST LONGMEADOW

New England Clean Rooms
92 Denslow Road
John Maybury

Skin Tight
576 North Main St.
Monica Hunter

The Threading Club and Spa
632 North Main St.
Mena Tiwari

WBS Solutions, LLC
27 Skyline Dr.
Nathan Lee

HADLEY

Countryside Farms
199 Russell St.
Alex Rytuba

Esselon Farm
111 West St.
Mark Krause

Hadley Home Improvement
106 Middle St.
Kevin Royko

North Hadley Logging
51 Stockbridge St.
Michael Moriarty

Orange Theory Fitness
7 South Maple St.
Silverstrand Fitness 2, LLC

Sound Systems
23 Newton Lane
Michael Wiater

Southern New England Spice
35 Lawrence Plain
Joseph Oleksak

Together Physical Therapy
245 Russell St.
Robert Hurley

Twin Oaks Farm
116 Stockbridge St.
Edwin Matuszko

HOLYOKE

A Plus Convenience Store/Smoke Shop
301 High St.
Naila Akram

Bugalu Ballroom
120 High St.
Emily Ortiz, Militza Carattini

E & C Services
19 Concord Ave.
Edward Glica

Fitzgerald’s Inc. of Holyoke
224 Westfield Road
Michael Fitzgerald

Highland Non Stop Cuts
1375 Dwight St.
Ruben Rodriguez

Loose Gravity Management
62 Main St., Suite 3
Joelisse Garcia

Springdale Lunch
827 Main St.
Araceli Lopez Rivera

LONGMEADOW

JKA, LLC
45 Mayfair Dr.
John Kim

Tremblay Maison, LLC
153 Longmeadow St.
Alexandra Tremblay

Zen’s Toyland
44 Tania Dr.
Harshal Patel

LUDLOW

John Pedro Real Estate Associates
77 Winsor St., Suite 203
John Pedro Sr.

NORTHAMPTON

Forest Flowers
25 Market St.
Marisa Filippone

Hannah Tsutsumi Crowl
16 Center St., Suite 511
Hannah Crowl

Hissho Sushi
228 King St.
Lwin Family Co., LLC

National Grid
548 Haydenville Road
Massachusetts Electric Co., National Grid USA Service Co. Inc.

Rhodes, Bixby & Wakefield
125A Pleasant St.
John Rhoades, Keith Bixby, Jeffrey Wakefield

Rise Over Ruin
159 Bridge St.
Kimberly Tutor

River Valley Co-op
330 North King St.
Evan Lash

Salon 241
30 Market St.
Katie Clifford, Andrea Clifford

a saner way
83 Maynard Road
Roberta Saner Sullivan

PALMER

Delta T HVAC Service
2078 Palmer St.
Rebecca Girard, Timothy Girard

Palmer Counseling Center
1001 Church St.
Bonnie Gaumond, Beatrice Leveille

PTS Truck-Trailer-Construction Supply
1158 Park St.
Elaine Boone

Top Notch Abatement, LLC
21 Wilbraham St., Suite 208
Russell Orcutt

Your Comfort Zone
2094 Main St.
Jeffrey Drolet

SPRINGFIELD

Baez Collision Glass & Sales
424 Albany St.
Baez Collision Glass & Sales

Beacon Hospice
815 Worcester St.
Jennifer Guckert

Better Healthcare Solutions
1182 Parker St.
Allice Baiyee, Pierre Baiyee

Bob’s Computer Service
1432 Parker St.
Robert Gregory

Budget Home Improvement
48 Summit St.
Jorge Santos

Cleaning Service Expert
82 Blaine St.
Luis Pena

Coffee and Candles
75 Penncastle St.
Sujatha Rajarathnam

Gonzalez B. Construction
204 Oak St.
Alejandro Gonzalez

Good Quality Barber
494 Central St.
Good Quality Barber

Greg LaFountain Plumbing
1187 Dickinson St.
Greg LaFountain

JHS Shipping
2335 Main St.
Soraia Abdulbaki

Johnny Wraps
56 Redden St.
John Haire

Junior Trucking
38 Clarencon St.
Jesus Roman

L & G Domestic Cleaners
113 Massteco St.
Lisa Boteau

La Isabela Mini Market
26 Longhill St.
Victor Sanchez

Morning Star Care at Home
212 Wollaston St.
Keisha Lindsay

MVP Bookkeeping
48 Victoria St.
Valencia Maldonado

Nadeau Construction
38B Yorktown Dr.
Samuel Nadeau

OFD Construction, LLC
141 Mallowhill Road
Michael Brown

Pete’s Painting
245 Old Farm Road
Miguel Garcia

Rock Solid Remodeling
35 East Alvord St.
Hannah Freeman

Rumor Has It, LLC
836 St. James Ave.
Kya Petris

Rust Bucket Express
14 Bryant St.
Aaron Owens

S & S Wholesales Corp.
90 Pinta Circle
Sujari Omar

Smith & Wesson
2100 Roosevelt Ave.
Robert Cicero

Sok’s Siam
272 Worthington St.
Sokharun Yim

Soul Pole Dance and Fitness
125A Main St.
Amanda Cumberbatch

Springfield Commonwealth Academy
1 Ames Hill Road
Springfield Commonwealth Academy

Steve’s Alignment and Brake
170 Taylor St.
Roger Karrasch

Thompson/Center Arms
2100 Roosevelt Ave.
Robert Cicero

Wytas Marketing and Media
768 Belmont Ave.
Alex Wytas

YMM Services Inc.
295 Allen St.
Yasir Osman

ZMaster Productions
74 Lamont St.
Zulfiqar Manzi

WESTFIELD

Alessio’s Pizza
280 Southampton Road
Mejias, LLC

The Country Clipper
Sara Noska
9 Russell Road

Dancer’s Image
77 Mill St., #123
Beth Drugan

East Mountain Hemp Co.
East Mountain Road
East Mountain Hemp Co.

Frosted Swirls Cupcakes
36 Jeremy Dr.
Frosted Swirls Cupcakes

The Groomer
77 Main St.
Tracy Durkee

S & P Trucking
3 Provin Ter,
Silvano Paganini

Spirit of the Forest Therapeutic Massage
77 Mill St.
Donna Szuba

Stone Paper Silver
234 Bates Road
Stone Paper Silver

Styles by Sara
338 Springdale Road
Sara Auclair

Top to Bottom Cleaning
23 Reservoir Road
Lynn Cornelius

Whip City Music
126 Elm St.
Whip City Music

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Cashway Oil
75 Union St.
Michael Vickers

Charge-Less Oil
75 Union St.
Michael Vickers

Direct Results
2005 Riverdale St.
John Epstein

Fast Fill Oil
75 Union St.
Michael Vickers

Fuel Co.
75 Union St.
Michael Vickers

Gorecki Enterprises Inc.
1446 Riverdale St.
Mary Gorecki

Sharp Lines Painting
1583 Riverdale St.
Vanessa Horsman

Studio 20 Salon
1027 Westfield St.
Jennifer Venn

Super Petro Inc.
75 Union St.
Michael Vickers

Supreme Oil
75 Union St.
Michael Vickers

Vickers Fuel Oil
75 Union St.
Michael Vickers

WILBRAHAM

PNCU Financial Services
2002 Boston Road
Charlotte Hansen

Profiles Hair Salon
85 Post Office Park
Sonia Flagg

US Database, LLC
299 Mountain Road
Garry Nickerson

Bankruptcies

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

Aguilar, Jose E.
Martinez, Anabelle
76 Barber St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/23/19

Armata, Chantelle Lynn
27 Dartmouth St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/17/19

Baceski, Tina Marie
7A Oak Knoll Dr.
South Deerfield, MA 01373
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/16/19

Bachand, Judith L.
562 River Road
Clarksburg, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/23/19

Bailey, Lisa M.
8 King Ave.
Millers Falls, MA 01349
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/21/19

Bass-Green, Ruth
34 The Hollow
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/26/19

Beloved Earth Company, Inc.
Cultivate and Nest, Inc.
Missildine, Terra Irene
940 Main St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/17/19

Brown, Kimberly Iona
80 Damon Road
Apt 5208
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/25/19

Bushee Brothers LLC
Bushee, Christopher S.
PO Box 1196
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/18/19

Cadieux, Joanne J.
160 Point Grove Road, Apt. 48
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/18/19

Canavan, Vincent M.
210 Meadow St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/26/19

Carpenter, Amanda L.
27 Enterprise St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/27/19

Case, Kimberly T.
73 Catalpa Ter.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/17/19

Chaput, Nina M.
a/k/a Shaw, Nina M.
64 Brookline Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/21/19

Clink, Leroy R.
Clink, Terry R.
291 Russellville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/26/19

Corbett, Shannon M.
210 Meadow St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/26/19

Cruz, Jeanette
47 James St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/23/19

Dion, Laura E.
1760 Westover Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/27/19

Dotson-Rudder, Trecitia N.
37 Westwood Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/23/19

Dunn, Kelly A.
38R Coleman Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/26/19

Gagne, Sarah A.
2140 Palmer Road
Three Rivers, MA 01080
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/23/19

Gingras, Gary Edward
Gingras, Susan Quinn
145 Prouty St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/18/19

Gray, Jamie M.
a/k/a Naughton, Jamie M.
208 High St.
Lee, MA 01238
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/18/19

Hammond, Edwin K.
656 Dalton Division Road
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/18/19

Irwin, Amy C.
29 Westbrook Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/27/19

Jay, Gregory B.
8 Hickory Place
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/30/19

Johnson, David A.
Johnson, Elizabeth H.
52 Cold Hill Road
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/24/19

Kulis, Artur
28 Main St., Unit 1112
Chicopee, MA 01021
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/23/19

Laporte, Joshua D.
386 Poplar St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/25/19

Leite, Maria N.
25 Smith Ave.
Brockton, MA 02302
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/23/19

Lepine, Lori A.
44 Governor Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/23/19

McCabe, Edward J.
15 May St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/24/19

McWilliams, Lizbeth H.
339 New Boston Road
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/27/19

Mitchell, David
56 Sunnyside Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/17/19

Morin, Steven J.
88 Cora Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/24/19

Neal, Stacey L.
a/k/a Gonzales, Stacey
35 Washington Ave.
Basement Apt.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/21/19

Ortiz, Reinaldo
Ortiz, Cari L.
235 Cabinet St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/26/19

Paynter, Jennifer Ann
29 Gay St.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/27/19

Perez, Ventura R.
Brown-Perez, Kathleen A.
18 High St.
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/20/19

Reed, Meagan E.
a/k/a Reed, Meagan Emily
a/k/a Conroy, Meagan Emily
89 Britton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/17/19

Roman, Jesus M.
Roman, Martha L.
38 Clarendon St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/23/19

Rubert, Jose M.
Rubert, Nancy
10 Ford Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/16/19

Scott, Martha
19 Chauncey Walker St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/17/19

Shandor, James F.
Shandor, Elaine M.
17 Constitution Ave.
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/18/19

Smith, Ida B.
36 Taylor St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/17/19

Soto, Angela D.
88 Commonwealth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/25/19

Stocks, Diane Dean
55 Cedar Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/16/19

Tighe, Deborah Ann
1772 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/27/19

Wheelaholic Enterprises
Pratt, James Joseph
727 Chestnut Hill Ave.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/17/19

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

BERNARDSTON

186 Bald Mountain Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $115,700
Buyer: Troy Santerre
Seller: FHLM
Date: 09/27/19

69 Barton Heights
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Mary E. McEneany
Seller: William J. Young
Date: 09/26/19

115 Northfield Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $1,850,000
Buyer: 800 DG Bernardston LLC
Seller: Bernardston DG Series LLC
Date: 10/04/19

BUCKLAND

12 Howes Road
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Kevin M. Day
Seller: Nancy Katz
Date: 09/30/19

CHARLEMONT

81 Deer Run Lane
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $350,500
Buyer: Christopher M. Rose
Seller: William S. Lawless
Date: 10/01/19

COLRAIN

561 Adamsville Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Helen Rowan-Call
Seller: Charles J. Crosier
Date: 10/04/19

415 Main Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $123,500
Buyer: Donald Charron
Seller: Stanley Greenberg
Date: 10/01/19

DEERFIELD

94 Whately Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Michael Perreault
Seller: Don E. Matus
Date: 09/27/19

GILL

141 Center Road
Gill, MA 01354
Amount: $234,000
Buyer: William Kimball
Seller: Calvin M. Brown
Date: 09/26/19

26 Center Road
Gill, MA 01354
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Stephen W. Asseng
Seller: Lillian N. Niedbala
Date: 09/27/19

GREENFIELD

64 Adams Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $2,038,168
Buyer: G&I 9 Apollo SWM LLC
Seller: Store Master Funding 9
Date: 09/25/19

24 Barton Heights
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $249,500
Buyer: Jonathan S. Souza
Seller: Nelda P. Burke
Date: 09/27/19

22 Cleveland St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Lea D. Appel
Seller: Baker INT
Date: 10/01/19

313 Deerfield St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Richard C. Moody
Seller: Pamela J. Peramba
Date: 09/30/19

14 Farren St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Christina Williams
Seller: White, William H., (Estate)
Date: 09/27/19

69 Green River Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Nelson B. Beckwith
Seller: Joan H. Roach LT
Date: 09/30/19

46 Greenfield St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $1,797,038
Buyer: G&I 9 Apollo SWM LLC
Seller: Store Master Funding 9
Date: 09/25/19

49 Greenfield St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $2,713,306
Buyer: G&I 9 Apollo SWM LLC
Seller: Store Master Funding 9
Date: 09/25/19

139 Harrison Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Abigail S. Baines
Seller: Susan A. Ewart
Date: 09/26/19

122 High St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: WWKWTW LLC
Seller: Bnep LLC
Date: 10/02/19

220 High St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Eric C. Dumas
Seller: Kevin M. Kearns
Date: 09/27/19

96 Lunt Dr.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Daniel Cojan
Seller: 96 Lunt Drive RT
Date: 10/04/19

53 Madison Circle
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $225,500
Buyer: Amy L. Proietti
Seller: Oakes LT
Date: 09/27/19

53 Silvio O’Conte Dr.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $7,834,194
Buyer: G&I 9 Apollo SWM LLC
Seller: Store Master Funding 9
Date: 09/25/19

111 River St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: WWKWTW LLC
Seller: Bnep LLC
Date: 10/02/19

LEVERETT

15 2 Mile Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Nicholas Brewster-Tooker
Seller: Umassfive College FCU
Date: 10/07/19

LEYDEN

166 Kately Hill Road
Leyden, MA 01301
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Jeffrey R. Ethier
Seller: Irene E. Muka
Date: 09/26/19

310 West Leyden Road
Leyden, MA 01337
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Richard E. Allis
Seller: Betsey Yetter
Date: 09/27/19

MONTAGUE

73 5th St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $127,500
Buyer: Kyle W. Moser
Seller: Guadalupe Rose Properties
Date: 10/03/19

66 Davis St.
Montague, MA 01301
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: James F. Coyne
Seller: Jean T. Hoff
Date: 09/26/19

20 Norman Circle
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Henry M. Shaughnessy
Seller: Zewinski, Bernard J., (Estate)
Date: 09/27/19

515 Turners Falls Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: David V. Celino
Seller: Tammy J. Stanley
Date: 09/27/19

NORTHFIELD

754 Mount Hermon Station Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Raymond Sokoloski
Date: 10/01/19

ORANGE

51 East Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $272,000
Buyer: Jillian Whitney
Seller: Earl W. Cullen
Date: 09/30/19

416 South Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Thavath Sayarath
Seller: Michael J. Powers
Date: 10/04/19

445 West River St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $363,000
Buyer: West River Road Solar LLC
Seller: John P. O’Hara
Date: 10/07/19

24 Winter St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $209,000
Buyer: Kristen L. Dumas
Seller: Brian W. Schindler
Date: 10/03/19

112 Winter St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $203,000
Buyer: Selma Olsen
Seller: Daniel Bushee
Date: 09/26/19

SHELBURNE

10 Bridge St.
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Martin Ventures LLC
Seller: C To The Third Power LLC
Date: 09/26/19

10 Maple St.
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Seth D. Wilschutz
Seller: Melanie C. Dreher
Date: 10/01/19

989 Mohawk Trail
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $318,000
Buyer: Carrie J. Bergman
Seller: Frederick C. Gagnon
Date: 09/25/19

WARWICK

11 Revere Hill Road
Warwick, MA 01378
Amount: $189,900
Buyer: Mark A. Vieira
Seller: Derek J. Bergquist
Date: 09/25/19

WHATELY

Eastwood Lane #38
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Andrew Szkiladz
Seller: Jawk Inc.
Date: 10/04/19

3 Grey Oak Lane
Whately, MA 01373
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Seller: Jawk Inc.
Date: 10/04/19

7 Grey Oak Lane
Whately, MA 01373
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Robert R. Keller
Seller: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Date: 09/25/19

64 State Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Alisha Allen
Seller: Mary E. Chabot
Date: 10/03/19

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

15 2 If By St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $303,000
Buyer: Eric J. Dargie
Seller: Sean E. O’Clair
Date: 10/07/19

39 Beech Hill Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Karen L. St.Aubin
Seller: Kathleen Richter
Date: 10/03/19

15 Belvidere Ave.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Naples Property Group LLC
Seller: Walter E. Klaus
Date: 09/30/19

Beverly Lane #5
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Jose F. Mateus
Seller: Anthony Campiti
Date: 09/26/19

15 Ellington St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $171,750
Buyer: Bank New York Mellon
Seller: Gaery A. Costa
Date: 10/02/19

13 Gina Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Patrick W. Moloney
Seller: Paul R. Schuh
Date: 09/27/19

70 Hall St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $190,500
Buyer: Brandon M. Casey
Seller: Frank Alves
Date: 09/30/19

86 Hall St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: Matthew J. Vaughn
Seller: Frances A. Coache
Date: 09/30/19

44 King St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Daniel M. Krupa
Seller: Kevin K. Yarrows
Date: 09/27/19

28 Meadow St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $257,900
Buyer: Sarah E. Meinerz
Seller: Anthony F. Ruccio
Date: 10/08/19

528 Mill St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Tiffany Lagacy
Seller: Brenda J. Gooch
Date: 09/27/19

400 North St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Nicole M. Pone
Seller: Carol L. Gilmour
Date: 10/02/19

100 Oak Lane
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Sergey Novak
Seller: Valentin N. Zhupikov
Date: 09/27/19

25 Rowley St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $179,000
Buyer: Jeannie Sosa
Seller: Hoa Pham
Date: 09/27/19

73 Rugby Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $389,900
Buyer: Marc R. Lapierre
Seller: Ann M. Rivers
Date: 09/27/19

23 Spear Farm Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Richard Chavez
Seller: Kenneth E. Becker
Date: 09/27/19

878 Springfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Paul R. Schuh
Seller: Poppys Plan TR
Date: 09/27/19

1009 Suffield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Andrew M. St.Pierre
Seller: Richard Chavez
Date: 09/27/19

BLANDFORD

11 Kaolin Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $208,000
Buyer: Dario J. Trujillo
Seller: William T. Ragusa
Date: 09/26/19

BRIMFIELD

11 6th St.
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Daniel Rice
Seller: Kenney Stavros-Beatrix
Date: 09/26/19

390 Brookfield Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $249,000
Buyer: Justin D. Garfield
Seller: Nathanial W. Croke
Date: 09/27/19

34 Crestwood Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $184,500
Buyer: Nicole L. Noyes
Seller: Robert L. Bernier
Date: 10/03/19

322 Palmer Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Mackenzie Warren
Seller: Stephen R. Holuk
Date: 10/02/19

CHESTER

15 Main St.
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $129,900
Buyer: Perennial Flow LLC
Seller: Pamela S. Frazier
Date: 09/26/19

CHICOPEE

8 Bonneta Circle
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $157,440
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Carrie Schreiber
Date: 09/27/19

607 Burnett Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Keith Lapan
Seller: Mark D. Vega
Date: 09/27/19

124 Cabot St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Lagg LLC
Seller: 124 Cabot Street LLC
Date: 10/07/19

21 Casino Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Joseph F. Nai
Seller: Nathaniel J. Millard
Date: 09/27/19

196 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $164,900
Buyer: Carlos Lopez
Seller: Onota Rental LLC
Date: 10/07/19

606 East Main St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $186,000
Buyer: Amber L. Wassmuth
Seller: Andrzej Lipior
Date: 09/25/19

21 Ferry St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Lachenauer LLC
Seller: Rav Pen
Date: 09/25/19

28 Frontenac St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $135,500
Buyer: Juan Santana
Seller: Guild Mortgage Co.
Date: 10/03/19

58 Grattan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $244,900
Buyer: Denise Champiney
Seller: JJJ 17 LLC
Date: 09/27/19

27 Hearthstone Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: PHH Mortgage Corp.
Seller: John C. Dulchinos
Date: 10/08/19

110 Hilton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Linda I. Charbonneau
Seller: Debra G. Winnie
Date: 10/04/19

172 Lafayette St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Nicole M. Roy
Seller: Susanne J. Vickers
Date: 09/30/19

171 Langevin St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $249,800
Buyer: Carlos M. Seixas
Seller: Paul J. Washington
Date: 10/02/19

43 Loomis Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $337,500
Buyer: Adam R. Hollister
Seller: Katherine A. Collins
Date: 09/30/19

86 McCarthy Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $220,400
Buyer: Mary A. Olbrych
Seller: Tascon Homes LLC
Date: 09/27/19

98 North Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Pioneer RT
Seller: Stebbins, Robert L., (Estate)
Date: 09/27/19

47 Royal St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Yanjun Yang
Seller: Edward J. Smith
Date: 09/26/19

116 South St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $159,000
Buyer: Rachelle A. Pimental
Seller: Jeanette Seixas
Date: 10/02/19

137 Springfield St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $201,000
Buyer: Julio Rivera
Seller: Lynne Langford
Date: 10/01/19

29 Sullivan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $122,611
Buyer: Patrick E. O’Neil
Seller: Freedom Mortgage Corp.
Date: 10/07/19

126 Valier Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $212,500
Buyer: Tatyana Sevostyanova
Seller: Anastasiya Sevostyanova
Date: 10/03/19

37 Walter St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Izabela Frelek
Seller: Revampit LLC
Date: 09/27/19

105 Warregan St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $161,280
Buyer: Joseph A. Wellspeak
Seller: James R. Tomlinson
Date: 09/27/19

168 Wilson Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $226,500
Buyer: Neil Metcalf
Seller: Rudolph J. Gay
Date: 09/27/19

EAST LONGMEADOW

84 Brookhaven Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Jenna M. Serra
Seller: James A. O’Connor
Date: 10/08/19

7 Bunker Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01108
Amount: $331,000
Buyer: Kelsey Deary
Seller: Christina M. Sahd
Date: 09/27/19

31 Canterbury Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Emily R. Quinn
Seller: John E. Steffen
Date: 10/07/19

11 Converse Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Randy W. Sample
Seller: Joseph S. Dalessio
Date: 09/27/19

29 Day Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $229,900
Buyer: Jose Rivers
Seller: CIG 4 LLC
Date: 09/27/19

159 Elm St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $131,000
Buyer: Brahman Holdings LLC
Seller: Lara T. Kirk
Date: 09/30/19

22 Fairview St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: CIG 4 LLC
Seller: Lori L. Nickerson
Date: 09/25/19

32 Hazelhurst Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Robert J. Schroeter
Seller: CDB Realty LLC
Date: 10/04/19

47 Highlandview Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: David Daly
Seller: Elio Larocca
Date: 10/07/19

20 Hillside Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Jeremy M. Koske
Seller: Dennis M. Brasile
Date: 09/30/19

26 James St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Lindsey L. Dulude
Seller: Glenn M. Hastie
Date: 10/01/19

41 Marci Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Keith Daniels
Seller: Gary M. Burnham
Date: 09/30/19

267 Parker St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $279,900
Buyer: Nancy L. Pagan
Seller: Marada LLC
Date: 10/07/19

636 Parker St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Craig S. Gridley
Seller: Donna A. Skinner
Date: 10/07/19

18 Poplar St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $142,800
Buyer: Michael Akers
Seller: Michael Carabetta
Date: 10/08/19

22 Porter Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $384,500
Buyer: Center For Human Development Inc.
Seller: Aditus Inc.
Date: 09/30/19

GRANVILLE

1487 Main Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $499,000
Buyer: Marina T. Vaughn
Seller: James E. Litwin
Date: 10/03/19

HAMPDEN

25 Allen St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Bend Of Rock LLC
Seller: Bean Sprout Realty LLC
Date: 09/26/19

382 Allen St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Glenda I. Figueroa
Seller: US Bank
Date: 10/01/19

49 Fernwood Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $337,000
Buyer: Angel L. Oliveras
Seller: Jeffrey P. Conroy
Date: 09/27/19

Future St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Charles Richard
Seller: Arthur R. Thomas
Date: 09/26/19

South Road #4
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Kevin J. Conway
Seller: Ryan T. Morton
Date: 10/02/19

HOLLAND

15 Chaffee Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Nathan J. Canty
Seller: Benjamin C. Marinelli
Date: 09/26/19

261 Mashapaug Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Judith A. Dautcher
Seller: Joyce A. Dix
Date: 09/30/19

302 Mashapaug Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Glenn R. Greer
Seller: Nakita M. Sullivan
Date: 09/25/19

16 Pine Tree Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $186,000
Buyer: Jesse J. Flannery
Seller: Steven J. Oster
Date: 10/03/19

HOLYOKE

104-106 Beech St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Rsquareb Properties LLC
Seller: Temple Street Apartments
Date: 09/27/19

107 Carlton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: Marcus J. Simon
Seller: Manuel T. Reyes
Date: 09/30/19

49 Glen St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $208,000
Buyer: Kurt E. Miller
Seller: Megan E. Porter
Date: 09/27/19

25 Granville St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $238,000
Buyer: Eric J. Carreira
Seller: Daniel M. Pomerleau
Date: 09/30/19

26 Hadley Mill Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Hammond Hadley LLC
Seller: Hadley Mill LLC
Date: 10/07/19

48 Jefferson St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Lee M. Pouliot
Seller: Amy V. Meo
Date: 09/25/19

144-146 Lincoln St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $292,000
Buyer: Megan E. Frazier
Seller: Susan K. Monahan
Date: 09/30/19

859 Main St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: 861 Main Holyoke MA LLC
Seller: Kanien Properties LLC
Date: 09/27/19

64 Portland St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Genesis Hernandez
Seller: Michele L. Cummings
Date: 09/25/19

80-82 Saint James Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $264,000
Buyer: Jonathan Soto
Seller: Laurie M. Nichols
Date: 10/01/19

10 Scott Hollow Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Gricel M. Crespo
Seller: Edward R. Bardwell
Date: 10/08/19

6 Temple St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Rsquareb Properties LLC
Seller: Temple Street Apartments
Date: 09/27/19

134 Vermont St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $251,000
Buyer: William Rodriguez
Seller: Michael A. Chatel
Date: 09/25/19

75-77 Waldo St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Ramona Lorenzi
Seller: Delix M. Colon
Date: 09/27/19

LONGMEADOW

221 Burbank Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $522,500
Buyer: Jeffrey M. Peterson
Seller: Christopher H. Stamas
Date: 10/02/19

67 Colton Place
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Kari L. Salvador
Seller: Benjamin P. Mann
Date: 09/30/19

134 Cooley Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: David L. Treble
Seller: Leonard J. Shuzdak
Date: 09/27/19

23 Ely Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $564,000
Buyer: Narendran Dhamodharan
Seller: Mark L. Sirulnik
Date: 10/04/19

72 Farmington Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $488,000
Buyer: Benjamin P. Mann
Seller: Richard E. Kessler
Date: 09/30/19

533 Laurel St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $281,000
Buyer: Troung Vuong
Seller: Lesley G. Myers
Date: 09/26/19

9 Leetewood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Victor Degray
Seller: Casali, Anne B., (Estate)
Date: 10/07/19

24 Pinewood Hills
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $507,000
Buyer: Anya Verriden
Seller: William S. Hoff
Date: 09/26/19

30 Warwick St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $289,900
Buyer: Seth Cournoyer
Seller: John R. Montgomery
Date: 10/04/19

96 White Oaks Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $429,900
Buyer: Ramsey W. Crowe
Seller: Leslie G. Bennett
Date: 10/02/19

120 Wilkin Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $352,000
Buyer: Hussein Saleh
Seller: Todd A. Goodrich
Date: 10/07/19

558 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Seetharam R. Palreddy
Seller: Susan M. Juliano
Date: 09/25/19

946 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $308,500
Buyer: Rohit Teji
Seller: Mark Latino
Date: 10/08/19

97 Wimbleton Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $287,500
Buyer: Andrew R. Dacruz
Seller: James G. Card
Date: 09/27/19

LUDLOW

36 Berkshire St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $220,900
Buyer: Matthew E. Laamanen
Seller: Augustino A. Dias
Date: 10/04/19

58 Cady St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $116,000
Buyer: Irena Kubel
Seller: Zorana L. Owens-Imbody
Date: 10/03/19

578 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Vincent Bradway
Seller: Elaine T. Shanley
Date: 10/07/19

16 Georgetown Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Alec Ostrowski
Seller: Robert J. St.Jacques
Date: 10/07/19

15 Meadowlark Circle
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Kevin F. Ferrabelo
Seller: Colleen A. Coelho
Date: 10/01/19

22 Merrimac St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Ana Acevedo
Seller: Mariani, Dolores, (Estate)
Date: 10/04/19

245 Moore St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: SNAB LLC
Seller: Ruby Realty LLC
Date: 10/03/19

175 Reynolds St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $271,000
Buyer: Allan E. Brooks
Seller: Angel L. Oliveras
Date: 09/27/19

303 Winsor St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Steve J. McDaniel
Seller: US Bank
Date: 09/30/19

MONSON

9 Green St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Eric Dufresne
Seller: John F. Sweeney
Date: 09/27/19

171 Hovey Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $680,000
Buyer: John M. Leone
Seller: Timothy J. Hardick
Date: 10/01/19

130 Upper Palmer Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $230,500
Buyer: Matthew Pelletier
Seller: Edward T. Pacocha
Date: 09/27/19

PALMER

1 Carter St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $174,900
Buyer: Susan Clawson
Seller: Joshua J. Chaples
Date: 09/30/19

1026 Chestnut St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $144,000
Buyer: Laurie A. Bessette
Seller: John O. Moore
Date: 09/27/19

8 Desimone Dr.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Douglas K. Giza
Seller: Carol E. Giza
Date: 10/08/19

5 Highland St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $259,000
Buyer: Christine B. Reardon
Seller: Richard Flanagan
Date: 09/27/19

2107-2109 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $167,000
Buyer: Nicholas L. Flebotte
Seller: Eric A. Duda
Date: 09/27/19

2362 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Jean-Francois Jacquier
Seller: Kevin E. Lynn
Date: 09/30/19

4052 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01079
Amount: $118,000
Buyer: Kara Picard
Seller: Ronald F. Paul
Date: 09/26/19

2029 Quaboag St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $142,900
Buyer: Noah P. Genereux
Seller: David R. Chmura
Date: 09/25/19

1397 Ware St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Home Point Financial Corp.
Seller: David C. Darling
Date: 09/25/19

1 Woodland St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $194,900
Buyer: Ann M. Allienello
Seller: Paige M. Bernat
Date: 10/07/19

RUSSELL

70 Raymur Dr.
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $209,900
Buyer: Steven A. Grenz
Seller: Niles R. Lavalley
Date: 09/30/19

SPRINGFIELD

2nd St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Massconn Excavating & Landscaping
Seller: Lomoc LLC
Date: 09/30/19

20 Ashbrook St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Robert W. Duffy
Seller: Richard E. Duffy
Date: 10/02/19

97 Barre St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Janvi Patel
Seller: Michael R. Dupont
Date: 10/04/19

136 Bartels St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Danielle V. Bedford
Seller: Maureen Coughlan
Date: 10/01/19

1540 Bay St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $231,750
Buyer: Xiomara Santiago
Seller: Carmen Rivera
Date: 09/27/19

11-13 Baywood St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Olmsted Realty LLC
Seller: Valley Castle Holdings
Date: 10/02/19

25 Bircham St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $130,602
Buyer: FHLM
Seller: Jessecah M. Vandermost
Date: 10/07/19

40 Blanding St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Daniel Gonzalez
Seller: Abraham L. Powell
Date: 09/30/19

156 Bowles Park
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $211,000
Buyer: Emma E. Vazquez
Seller: Terry L. Champiney
Date: 09/27/19

727 Bradley Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Anibal Bermudez
Seller: Justin R. Beaudry
Date: 09/25/19

Cadwell Dr.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Massconn Excavating & Landscaping
Seller: Lomoc LLC
Date: 09/30/19

108 Cherokee Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Bryan O. Borges-Vega
Seller: Christopher Santiago
Date: 09/25/19

60 Chipmunk Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $198,000
Buyer: Gerardo Burgos
Seller: Whitney Simmons
Date: 09/30/19

153 Cloran St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $167,375
Buyer: FHLM
Seller: Vivian S. Borrowski
Date: 10/02/19

15 Crestwood St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Marie M. Vigo
Seller: Moldova Grigoriu
Date: 10/04/19

123 Croyden Ter.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: Johnathon Gonzalez
Seller: Ann A. Robar
Date: 09/30/19

149 Croyden Ter.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $147,500
Buyer: Joshua D. Barnett
Seller: Next Level Investments
Date: 09/30/19

34 Dana St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $162,000
Buyer: Nahin Rios
Seller: Francis R. Weatherwax
Date: 09/30/19

129-131 Darling St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Mykola Mevshyy
Seller: Mosellen, John M., (Estate)
Date: 10/04/19

37 Demond Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Tavar McKenzie
Seller: Carlos M. Cruz
Date: 09/27/19

178 Dorset St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Brooke S. Foss
Seller: Kenneth E. Lyon
Date: 09/30/19

284 East Allen Ridge Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $199,999
Buyer: Jamie L. Roberge
Seller: Judy A. Albano
Date: 10/03/19

220 El Paso St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $134,900
Buyer: Tiffany Madera
Seller: Olga Rodriguez
Date: 10/01/19

14 Farnsworth St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Starling Diaz
Seller: Amaurys Amadis
Date: 10/02/19

288 Fountain St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Chuan B. He
Seller: Angie Tao
Date: 09/25/19

19 Genesee St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $134,000
Buyer: Winifred H. Cardaropoli
Seller: Ronald M. Cardaropoli
Date: 10/01/19

43-45 Genesee St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $263,500
Buyer: Maria Bonilla
Seller: Jason Fitzgerald
Date: 10/04/19

85 Goodwin St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $203,500
Buyer: Stephanie Montanez
Seller: Manuel Gomes
Date: 09/27/19

89 Groton St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Yaritza M. Cruz-Rivera
Seller: Anne T. Ragusa
Date: 09/27/19

159 Groveland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $128,700
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Mary C. Biastoff
Date: 09/27/19

77 Grover St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Jonathan Bermudez
Seller: Toghlob Mourad
Date: 10/02/19

6 Heather Lane
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Scott Simpson
Seller: Linnette V. Sergeant
Date: 10/08/19

87 Island Pond Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Edgardo Aponte
Seller: Christina K. Emery
Date: 10/04/19

28 Jennings St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Luz M. Colon-Santiago
Seller: Juan Santana
Date: 09/26/19

72 Kensington Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Kan Zhang
Seller: Defining Solutions Ent.
Date: 09/27/19

34 Laurence St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Simbagoye Emmanuel
Seller: MS Homes LLC
Date: 10/03/19

751 Liberty St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: KHL Group LLC
Seller: Christopher Arillotta
Date: 10/02/19

18-20 Lombard St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Olmsted Realty LLC
Seller: Valley Castle Holdings
Date: 10/02/19

20 Lorimer St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Roberto Pagan
Seller: Chenevert Properties LLC
Date: 10/08/19

24 Maebeth St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $174,000
Buyer: India Tucker-Ross
Seller: John J. Yacovone
Date: 10/02/19

332-334 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Dario I. Grullon
Seller: Efrain M. Fernandez
Date: 10/01/19

387 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: BP LLC
Seller: Pedro D. Fernandes
Date: 09/26/19

35 Manitoba St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Claude Merisier
Seller: Ruben Negron
Date: 09/27/19

196 Marmon St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $171,000
Buyer: Maribel Phillips
Seller: Wilmington Savings
Date: 10/02/19

71 Marsden St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $121,351
Buyer: Miguel A. Mejia-Perez
Seller: Kevin Gonzalez
Date: 10/04/19

24 Melha Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Quevia P. Amaral-McCarthy
Seller: Patrick M. McCarthy
Date: 09/27/19

32 Mellon St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $178,500
Buyer: Vivian L. Hatwood
Seller: Zhanna Kot
Date: 09/30/19

30 Merrick Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Anthony E. Gibbs
Seller: Extremely Clean LLC
Date: 09/30/19

82-84 Monrovia St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Carlos I. Feliciano
Seller: Chris P. Bergeron
Date: 09/26/19

288 Naismith St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $326,000
Buyer: John Asante
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 09/27/19

514 Newbury St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Jose Fornes
Seller: CIG 4 LLC
Date: 10/01/19

1638 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $157,900
Buyer: Mayra L. Quinones
Seller: David B. Morton
Date: 09/30/19

1740 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Janice Desarden
Seller: Joseph D. Dougherty
Date: 10/01/19

59 Pennsylvania Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Thomas P. Rooke
Seller: Justin M. Mestre
Date: 09/27/19

154 Phoenix Ter.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $173,210
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Miguel Pascual
Date: 10/02/19

176 Pinevale St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $172,900
Buyer: Pinevale Realty LLC
Seller: Benlee Realty LLC
Date: 09/27/19

77 Primrose St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $209,000
Buyer: Kenneth A. Desmarais
Seller: Christian B. Wiernasz
Date: 10/04/19

221-223 Quincy St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $165,900
Buyer: Gustavo Kruschewsky
Seller: Valley Castle Holdings
Date: 10/04/19

45 Redlands St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Rockland Francisco
Seller: Nancy L. Pagan
Date: 10/07/19

551 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: C. O. Torres-Jimenez
Seller: Steven Niedbala
Date: 09/30/19

5 Rosella St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $169,500
Buyer: Elvin Rodriguez
Seller: David J. Stoia
Date: 09/30/19

214 Russell St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Carmen Munoz
Seller: JV Properties Inc.
Date: 09/30/19

178 Senator St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Craig O. McCarthy
Seller: Michael C. O’Sullivan
Date: 10/03/19

89 Signal Hill Circle
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: Steve Syrotchen
Seller: Kyle I. Dieters
Date: 09/30/19

57-59 Sterling St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Katherine Vergara
Seller: Tanya L. Harvey
Date: 10/04/19

36 Sunapee St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $162,000
Buyer: Mirialys E. Hernandez
Seller: Paula J. Sullivan
Date: 10/01/19

180 Sunrise Ter.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Janette Winterle
Seller: Attaford LLC
Date: 10/04/19

28 Tavistock St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Marta E. Pinero-Cotto
Seller: Maria B. Williams
Date: 09/30/19

70 Thyme Lane
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Hernando A. Cartegena
Seller: Meredith A. Sample
Date: 09/26/19

37 Tiffany St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Jose B. Mata
Seller: Minh T. Chau
Date: 09/25/19

22 Trillium St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Martha H. VonMering
Seller: Janosik Realty LLC
Date: 09/30/19

52 Tulsa St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $129,000
Buyer: Raymond S. Quill
Seller: Amy Breton
Date: 09/27/19

47 Vermont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Miguel Rafael
Seller: Prime Partners LLC
Date: 09/30/19

105 Victoria St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $129,000
Buyer: Jennifer M. Loglisci
Seller: Quevia P. McCarthy
Date: 09/27/19

18 Warrenton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Alexzandra Barba
Seller: Robert G. Cerdena
Date: 10/04/19

85 Wayne St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Alexi S. Martin
Seller: Bernadette A. White
Date: 10/07/19

53-55 West Alvord St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $145,300
Buyer: Ellen Pollock
Seller: Steven D. Lapierre
Date: 09/30/19

75 West Alvord St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Kortney Parent
Seller: Richard C. Mayberry
Date: 09/27/19

64 Westford Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Benjamin Akyereko
Seller: Felicia R. Harris
Date: 10/04/19

74 Weymouth St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Christopher Jaskulski
Seller: Robert J. Greeley
Date: 09/26/19

730-732 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $247,000
Buyer: Fatumo M. Barow
Seller: Mamba Capital LLC
Date: 10/07/19

25 Wilbraham Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $133,000
Buyer: Alexander N. Bineault
Seller: Jusuf Mutevelic
Date: 09/27/19

54 Winterset Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Ashley M. Boland-Cordero
Seller: Lisa M. Bruno
Date: 09/26/19

138-140 Woodlawn St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $201,200
Buyer: Amanda McCabe-Hernandez
Seller: Jennifer E. Chagnon
Date: 10/02/19

36 Yamaska Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $191,500
Buyer: Jason A. Williams
Seller: Anita M. Plumb
Date: 09/25/19

SOUTHWICK

17 Babb Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Christopher J. Gamelli
Seller: George D. Vaughn
Date: 09/30/19

18 Buckingham Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Raymond Remillard
Seller: Glen R. Dias
Date: 09/26/19

12 Renny Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $253,500
Buyer: John A. Vaillancourt
Seller: Timothy J. Kilbride
Date: 09/27/19

14 Revere Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $307,500
Buyer: Alicia E. Lewis
Seller: Paul R. Moran
Date: 09/27/19

6 Sawgrass Lane
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Jason Almeida
Seller: Hillside Development Corp.
Date: 09/30/19

3 Secluded Ridge
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Amie A. Taylor
Seller: Diamantis Diamantopoulos
Date: 10/01/19

17 Sunnyside Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $597,500
Buyer: Jeffrey P. Conroy
Seller: Victor M. Crusselle
Date: 09/30/19

WEST SPRINGFIELD

15 Beacon Hill Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Edward C. Sady
Seller: June A. Taylor
Date: 10/07/19

52 Birnie Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: RCG LLC
Seller: Wrobleski, Elizabeth C., (Estate)
Date: 09/30/19

57 Bonair Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Roger Whitworth
Date: 10/08/19

71 Charles Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $147,300
Buyer: Jacob Vosburgh
Seller: James A. Basile
Date: 09/27/19

31 Cornflower Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $242,500
Buyer: Lisa L. Barnes
Seller: Robert A. Leblanc
Date: 10/01/19

21 Edgewood Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $309,000
Buyer: Brendan Menard
Seller: Michael F. Barnes
Date: 10/01/19

20 Granger Place
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: L. Andrew Boucek
Seller: Glenn E. Vehr
Date: 09/25/19

41 Hanover St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Nefees Awan
Seller: Buoniconti, Dorothy, (Estate)
Date: 10/08/19

80 Herrman St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Leah K. Byrd
Seller: Thomas P. Boileau
Date: 09/27/19

74 Hillside Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $274,900
Buyer: Alexandru Munteanu
Seller: George, Reginald W., (Estate)
Date: 10/02/19

36 Jennifer Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Eric R. Fenton
Seller: Paul K. Garvey
Date: 09/26/19

324 Lancaster Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Lancaster Properties LLC
Seller: Ruby Realty LLC
Date: 10/08/19

346 Morgan Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Denise L. Shaikh
Seller: Mykola Mevshyy
Date: 10/02/19

33 Morton St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Michael Grillo
Seller: Joseph F. Colesano
Date: 10/07/19

42 Piper Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $207,500
Buyer: Jim Hernandez
Seller: Carolyn L. Gallo
Date: 09/26/19

362 Prospect St.
West Springfield, MA 01085
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Anthony P. Polo
Seller: Victor M. Franco
Date: 09/27/19

1254 Riverdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $6,645,000
Buyer: RRI Springfield LP
Seller: RRI 2 LLC
Date: 09/27/19

30 Railroad St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $120,750
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Grigoriy Vlasyuk
Date: 10/02/19

1309 Riverdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Hayes Real Estate LLC
Seller: Gloria S. Hayes
Date: 09/26/19

1313 Riverdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Hayes Real Estate LLC
Seller: Gloria S. Hayes
Date: 09/26/19

74 Talcott Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $267,000
Buyer: Lakpa Tamang
Seller: Neil T. Metcalf
Date: 09/27/19

306 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Scarlett Haven LLC
Seller: Wmendo Realty LLC
Date: 09/30/19

60 Woodward Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Stephanie Moynihan
Seller: Small FT
Date: 10/04/19

WESTFIELD

91 Beverly Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $184,900
Buyer: Robina Doherty-Dilworth
Seller: Herman, Victoria, (Estate)
Date: 09/30/19

54 Beverly Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $147,441
Buyer: Ruby Realty LLC
Seller: Tracie L. Blakely
Date: 10/04/19

10-1/2 Cherry St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Trust2u RT
Seller: G&G Homesavers LLC
Date: 10/03/19

12 Cherry St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Trust2u RT
Seller: G&G Homesavers LLC
Date: 10/03/19

10 Collins St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $234,900
Buyer: Dominic N. Vasquez
Seller: Bradley D. Buzzee
Date: 10/03/19

26-1/2 Crown St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Brandon T. Lagoy
Seller: Sergey B. Novak
Date: 09/27/19

Cycle St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $425,750
Buyer: Cycle Street Redevelopment LLC
Seller: Cycle Street Realty LLC
Date: 10/08/19

21 Cycle St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $1,112,500
Buyer: Big Factory LLC
Seller: Columbia Manufacturing
Date: 10/08/19

85 Dartmouth St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $133,000
Buyer: Megan Baillargeon
Seller: Deborah A. Vanwright
Date: 09/27/19

64 Deborah Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $404,900
Buyer: Darren F. Goddard
Seller: Stephen A. Webster
Date: 09/30/19

304 East Mountain Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Alex J. Marcyoniak
Seller: Jennifer A. McCaffrey
Date: 10/04/19

44 East Silver St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $225,400
Buyer: Santosh Nepali
Seller: Mark Roberts
Date: 09/27/19

28 Evergreen Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Audrelee Dallam-Murphy
Seller: Johanne H. Mackertich
Date: 10/04/19

Flynn Meadow Road #12A
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $117,900
Buyer: Michael D. Buell
Seller: RSP Realty LLC
Date: 09/30/19

1152 Granville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $153,000
Buyer: Michael C. Brochetti
Seller: Steven A. Brochetti
Date: 09/30/19

11 High St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Jennifer A. McCaffrey
Seller: Audrelee Murphy
Date: 10/04/19

14 High St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $156,000
Buyer: Jason P. Gauvin
Seller: Maria I. Vazquez
Date: 09/30/19

51 Highland View St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $219,000
Buyer: Dennis Lynn
Seller: Janis Turner
Date: 10/08/19

125 Highland Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Wendy L. Kane
Seller: Frances M. Frere
Date: 09/27/19

114 Holyoke Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $203,900
Buyer: Kenneth Lyon
Seller: Derryl E. Besaw
Date: 10/01/19

669 Holyoke Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Samantha Monyahan
Seller: Caitlin M. Costello
Date: 09/30/19

12 Joseph Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Robert B. Collins
Seller: Daniela Rondeau
Date: 09/27/19

88 Kane Brothers Circle.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $305,900
Buyer: Norman Storer
Seller: Andrew W. Vega
Date: 10/01/19

25 Kellogg St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Taisha Mendoza
Seller: Joseph Bacile
Date: 09/27/19

96 Lindbergh Blvd.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Tanya E. Simmons
Seller: Erik J. Lamothe
Date: 09/30/19

49 Little River Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $189,000
Buyer: Konstantin A. Belyakov
Seller: MTGLQ Investors LP
Date: 10/03/19

54 Pequot Point Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $257,000
Buyer: Tina M. Thorton
Seller: Michael A. Cosgriff
Date: 09/30/19

22 Phillip Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Carol Hicks
Seller: Kevin M. Quinn
Date: 10/04/19

450 Shaker Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Khadka Gurung
Seller: Richard Moss
Date: 09/30/19

478 Shaker Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $231,000
Buyer: Pramod Darjee
Seller: Craig M. O’Neil
Date: 10/04/19

29 Sunrise Ter.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Sergey Novenko
Seller: MTGLQ Investors LP
Date: 09/26/19

90 Sunset Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $267,500
Buyer: Kenneth E. Becker
Seller: Petr Kiforishin
Date: 09/27/19

195 Tannery Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Andrew M. Bruno
Seller: Theresa E. Degray
Date: 10/02/19

44 Tekoa Ter.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $278,000
Buyer: Stephen A. Webster
Seller: Kathleen A. Irwin
Date: 09/30/19

20 Tiffany Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Saba Shahid
Seller: Sandra J. Bevilacqua
Date: 10/08/19

48 Westwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $193,500
Buyer: William F. Barry
Seller: Dana R. Lessard
Date: 09/30/19

103 Woodside Ter.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $213,400
Buyer: Max T. Balukonis
Seller: Kathleen M. Scholpp
Date: 09/30/19

WILBRAHAM

12 Colonial Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $288,000
Buyer: Michael C. Rafferty
Seller: William D. Faneuff
Date: 09/27/19

822 Glendale Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $251,500
Buyer: Peter J. Banusewicz
Seller: Adam Hart
Date: 09/27/19

18 Red Gap Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $540,000
Buyer: William D. Faneuff
Seller: David E. Clark
Date: 09/27/19

126 Springfield St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Kenneth Darcy
Seller: Joseph F. Dempsey
Date: 09/25/19

964 Tinkham Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Heather L. Murphy
Seller: Marilyn Colby
Date: 09/27/19

9 Walter St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Joseph C. Underkofler
Seller: Bruce A. Chelkonas
Date: 09/27/19

16 Wandering Meadows
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: Christopher M. Shea
Seller: Sandra L. Wahr
Date: 10/04/19

6 Willow Brook Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $578,500
Buyer: Michael E. Andrews
Seller: Kent Pecoy & Sons Construction
Date: 10/02/19

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

846 East Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Eli Meir
Seller: William E. Pearson
Date: 10/04/19

103-105 Mill St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $459,000
Buyer: Molly J. Goren-Watts
Seller: Susan L. Leary
Date: 09/30/19

51 Morgan Circle
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $312,500
Buyer: Henry C. Sammis
Seller: Pamela Jones
Date: 09/25/19

24 Pine St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Phyllis Labanowski
Seller: Casey J. Dufresne
Date: 10/04/19

151 Rolling Ridge Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Zhenning Kang
Seller: Jeanne M. Ryan
Date: 10/01/19

79 Tracy Circle
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Carolyn A. Keedy
Seller: Sanford Keedy
Date: 10/03/19

87 Woodside Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Amherst College
Seller: David A. Cox
Date: 10/01/19

BELCHERTOWN

440 Allen Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Erin E. Thornton
Seller: Eric R. Brown
Date: 09/30/19

573 Federal St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $132,000
Buyer: Catherine H. Burt
Seller: Kathleen M. Hanas
Date: 10/01/19

206 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Bradford C. Erdmann
Seller: Richard A. Lamagna
Date: 09/26/19

15 Meadow Pond Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $421,500
Buyer: Edward D. Kelley
Seller: David Funk
Date: 09/27/19

5 Munsell St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $299,000
Buyer: Rachael K. Perkins
Seller: David A. Conkey
Date: 10/03/19

47 Orchard St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $392,000
Buyer: David Maine
Seller: Wright, Marion C., (Estate)
Date: 09/27/19

35 Turkey Hill Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $800,000
Buyer: 35 Turkey Hill Road Realty
Seller: 35 Turkey Hill Road LLC
Date: 10/04/19

345 Warren Wright Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $229,900
Buyer: James P. Dean
Seller: Adam A. Ouenneville
Date: 10/02/19

CUMMINGTON

224 Berkshire Trail
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $211,000
Buyer: James Saunders
Seller: Coureton C. Dalton
Date: 09/26/19

9 Nash Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Michael D. Tattan
Seller: H. Jason Kellogg
Date: 09/27/19

247 Stage Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $221,000
Buyer: Andrea Voytovich
Seller: Elizabeth E. Kapitulik
Date: 10/04/19

EASTHAMPTON

6 Ashley Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $470,000
Buyer: Clayton L. Sommers
Seller: Luke D. Cortis
Date: 09/27/19

25 Colonial Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Sarah B. Aspen-McAlpine
Seller: Emerald City Rentals LLC
Date: 09/30/19

9 Droy Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Eric Whittle
Seller: John R. Copen
Date: 09/26/19

65-67 Ferry St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $232,500
Buyer: Brett P. Pietraszkiewicz
Seller: Ann M. Parizo
Date: 09/30/19

23 Kingsberry Way
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $479,500
Buyer: Jacob M. Cunningham
Seller: Stanley S. Kim
Date: 09/30/19

26 Knipfer Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $382,000
Buyer: Scott D. Lemme
Seller: Sequoia Properties LLC
Date: 10/07/19

68 Loudville Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Brittany K. Rice
Seller: Erik C. Jones
Date: 10/01/19

2 Mutter St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $192,500
Buyer: Maureen McGuinness
Seller: Patrick D. Shea
Date: 10/04/19

17 Pine Hill Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Susan M. Storozuk
Seller: Alleyn T. Parent
Date: 09/30/19

8 Plumbrook Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Rayane F. Moreira
Seller: William J. Duffy
Date: 10/03/19

64 Pomeroy St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $462,865
Buyer: Leah A. Evans
Seller: David A. Hardy Contractor
Date: 10/07/19

13 Rabideau Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $233,500
Buyer: Patrick D. Shea
Seller: Michelle N. Lavalley
Date: 10/04/19

23 South St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $192,500
Buyer: Jonathan Hawkins
Seller: Northelm RT
Date: 09/30/19

37 Sterling Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $344,900
Buyer: David R. Paquette
Seller: Meagan Murphy
Date: 09/30/19

GOSHEN

179 Ball Road
Goshen, MA 01032
Amount: $225,900
Buyer: Steven W. Rida
Seller: Cassandra Grady
Date: 10/01/19

32 Fuller Road
Goshen, MA 01032
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Jessica Levine
Seller: R. Mimi Secor
Date: 09/27/19

GRANBY

396 Batchelor St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Michael E. Sroka
Seller: Linda R. Labbee
Date: 10/07/19

18 Darrel Ave.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $259,000
Buyer: Joshua Silver
Seller: Mark Hansel
Date: 10/07/19

29 Truby St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Terrence F. Szczygiel
Seller: Bruce W. Glenny
Date: 10/04/19

64 West St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $189,900
Buyer: Robert K. Wilson
Seller: Jason M. Smigiel
Date: 10/04/19

West State St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Granby DG Series LLC
Seller: Omer M. Gingras
Date: 10/07/19

HADLEY

17 Meadow St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Tammy J. Stanley
Seller: Roberta A. Boulanger RET
Date: 09/30/19

89 Stockbridge St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Ning Chen
Seller: Henry P. Hebert
Date: 09/30/19

21 Woodlawn Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $382,500
Buyer: Megan L. Lyster
Seller: Kathryn E. MacGregor
Date: 10/01/19

HATFIELD

97 Elm St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Amy V. Meo
Seller: Donald E. Watson
Date: 09/25/19

31 King St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $274,900
Buyer: Elizabeth Denny LT
Seller: Elizabeth P. Hoffman
Date: 10/04/19

Main St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Bruce E. Hulse
Seller: Charles N. Miller
Date: 09/30/19

15 Primrose Path
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Kerry Osullivan
Seller: Korza FT
Date: 09/30/19

HUNTINGTON

3 Harlow Clark Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Robin M. Anderson
Seller: Dylan M. Boyd
Date: 10/04/19

5 Park Ridge Dr.
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $284,500
Buyer: Benjamin M. Radville
Seller: Miriam T. Duval
Date: 10/07/19

8 Pine St.
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $258,325
Buyer: HSBC Bank
Seller: Donald A. Bartley
Date: 10/08/19

14 Upper Russell Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Randal E. Humason
Seller: 14 Upper Russell Road Land Trust
Date: 09/27/19

NORTHAMPTON

1136 Burts Pit Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $244,500
Buyer: Angela Tzoumakas
Seller: Nykorchuk FT
Date: 10/04/19

29 Edwards Square
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Strong Ave. LLC
Seller: Jane Procon
Date: 10/01/19

238 Emerson Way
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: Rosemund LLC
Seller: Brown Morrison FT
Date: 10/04/19

343 Glendale Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $374,000
Buyer: Kari Nykorchuk
Seller: Melyssa Brown-Porter
Date: 10/04/19

22 Lasell Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Navarana M. Reck
Seller: Patricia Tetreault
Date: 10/04/19

28 Marian St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Scott Short
Seller: Revampit LLC
Date: 10/04/19

387 Prospect St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $775,000
Buyer: Emily West
Seller: Alden Bourne
Date: 09/25/19

63 Rick Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $258,600
Buyer: Adina H. Davis
Seller: Marcia C. Blomberg
Date: 10/03/19

802 Ryan Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Regina L. Bates
Seller: Mary L. Quattlebaum
Date: 09/30/19

167 South St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Matthew A. Motamedi
Seller: Northeast ENT Realty Partnership
Date: 10/01/19

56 Summer St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $489,000
Buyer: Henry E. Yi-Chen
Seller: Julio, C. Capo Jr TR
Date: 09/25/19

161 Turkey Hill Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $464,500
Buyer: Sara N. Beith
Seller: Penelope Cuninggim
Date: 10/01/19

11 Walnut St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Michael J. Niedbala
Seller: Eliot B. Levine
Date: 10/08/19

1156 Westhampton Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Sarah A. Hamilton
Seller: Megan L. Lyster
Date: 09/30/19

14 Winslow Ave.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Sarah R. Karol
Seller: Nu Way Homes Inc.
Date: 10/02/19

SOUTH HADLEY

95 Charon Ter.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Raymond Poreda
Seller: Holly M. Cooke
Date: 09/30/19

31 College View Heights
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $439,500
Buyer: Trevor A. Baptiste
Seller: Jonathan T. Sickinger
Date: 09/30/19

25 Edison Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Revampit LLC
Seller: Leone F. MaClean
Date: 10/04/19

30 Fairview St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Fabian M. Anazco
Seller: John W. Sinnett
Date: 09/30/19

20 Ferry St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $251,000
Buyer: Susan M. Ryder
Seller: Daniel B. Ducharme
Date: 09/26/19

18 Forest Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $242,000
Buyer: Abigail E. Hamlin
Seller: Kuc, William J., (Estate)
Date: 09/30/19

13 Grandview St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $249,500
Buyer: Daniel J. Lococo
Seller: Danielle M. Drapeau
Date: 09/25/19

62 Hadley St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Jamroth LLC
Seller: Amber Labrecque
Date: 10/02/19

18 Harvard St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $176,000
Buyer: Anthony C. King
Seller: John E. Briant
Date: 09/27/19

13 Lawrence Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $399,500
Buyer: Scott A. Markham
Seller: RG East Street LLC
Date: 09/27/19

3 Linden Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Kelly M. Wilkerson
Seller: Ivan K. & Anita R. Corwin IRT
Date: 10/04/19

16 Maria Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Colin R. Moge
Seller: Scott A. Markham
Date: 09/27/19

13 North St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: David M. Portelada
Seller: Roanne Heroux
Date: 10/07/19

40 Park Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $293,000
Buyer: James R. Wile
Seller: Quentin S. Amrani
Date: 10/04/19

14 Silverwood Ter.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Quentin Amrani
Seller: Hall, Lee, (Estate)
Date: 10/04/19

SOUTHAMPTON

9 Bissonnette Circle
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $447,900
Buyer: Michelle Lavalley
Seller: David Matteson
Date: 10/04/19

8 Donna Marie Way
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $530,000
Buyer: Luke D. Cortis
Seller: Clayton L. Sommers RET
Date: 09/27/19

123 Fomer Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Amy Babikyan
Seller: David Nelson
Date: 09/27/19

6 Laurie Dr.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Mark E. Challet
Seller: Bruce Schulze
Date: 09/30/19

123 Russellville Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $344,900
Buyer: Susan B. Lynch
Seller: Melissa R. Plourde
Date: 09/27/19

WARE

5 Clifford Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Idalete Barbosa
Seller: Mary E. Stelmokas
Date: 10/03/19

14 Juniper Hill Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: Mark A. Cassavant
Seller: Kimberly Coache
Date: 10/07/19

22 Mechanic St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $179,900
Buyer: Jason M. Jurczyk
Seller: Stewart A. Terrien
Date: 10/03/19

174 Old Belchertown Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Alyn M. Coler-Thayer
Seller: Michael L. Ellis
Date: 10/07/19

26 Pulaski St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $361,000
Buyer: David C. Warren
Seller: Matteo Colletta
Date: 09/26/19

2-8 Ross Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Tim J. Barry
Seller: Chad T. Lynch
Date: 10/01/19

3 Sczygiel Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Patrick Baker
Seller: GM Properties LLC
Date: 09/30/19

WESTHAMPTON

82 Laurel Hill Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Linnea O. Lagerstrom
Seller: Mark E. Challet
Date: 09/30/19

33 North Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Mary L. Burgess
Seller: Deborah A. Costello
Date: 09/25/19

WORTHINGTON

8 Ring Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $154,500
Buyer: Rachel H. Flichtbeil
Seller: Steven W. Rida
Date: 10/01/19

Features

Time to ‘Level Up’

“To gain enough points in a computer game to enable a player or character to go up to a higher level.”

That’s one of the dictionary definitions of the term ‘level up,’ a verb that is becoming increasingly popular with Millennials and savvy employers in tune with what this generation is seeking in life and in a career.

Another definition is to “increase one’s stature in life.”

It is with both of those definitions in mind that BusinessWest chose “Level Up” as the title of a special publication it will be printing later this year, a publication devoted to informing young people across this region about job opportunities that exist in manufacturing and the trades — fields they may not be thinking about for various reasons but should be — and the skills one must possess to earn such a job.

This interactive publication and flipbook are being created in response to what is inarguably the most pressing economic-development issue in this region — creating a workforce that is large enough and skilled enough to meet the demands of employers in an economy that is increasingly driven by technology.

At present, employers in virtually every sector of the economy are facing a very stern challenge when it comes to recruiting and retaining talent. Meanwhile, Baby Boomers are retiring in ever-greater numbers, exacerbating this challenge, especially for manufacturers and the trades.

“Companies of all sizes and across all sectors say they’re having trouble finding good help — it’s their biggest concern,” said Kate Campiti, associate publisher of BusinessWest. “And with good reason; when business owners and managers say their employees are their best asset, that’s not a cliché; that’s a fact.”

In manufacturing, and within the trades, the problem is compounded by a general lack of information — or misinformation — about these fields, Campiti went on, adding that the perception is that sectors are dying when, in fact, they are thriving.

“Many of the parents of young people today remember when manufacturing jobs started leaving this area and venerable employers closed or downsized,” said Campiti. “Many are not aware of the many thriving companies in this region doing very exciting things.”

“Level Up” is being produced to generate such awareness, she said, adding that the profiles printed in this special publication will essentially tell a company’s story — from its history to its product line to current job opportunities — and let young people (and their parents) understand how they can become part of that history.

The magazine will be distributed to trade and technical high schools, middle schools, guidance counselors, community colleges, state college career-counseling offices, regional workforce-development groups, area manufacturers, non-manufacturing employers, and BusinessWest subscribers.

The stories inside should provide ample inspiration for young people to learn about the opportunities now presenting themselves across the region, and to level up — as in gaining enough points to move up a level when it comes to the job market, or ‘increase one’s stature in life.’

For young people, the publication represents an opportunity to learn; for those in manufacturing and the trades, it’s an opportunity to build awareness and reach out to your workforce of tomorrow.

Companies interested in being profiled and thus put under a bright, regional spotlight can call (413) 781-8600.

Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of October 2019.

AMHERST

Amherst – Colonial Village, LLC
200 South East St.
$17,995 — Roofing

Central Amherst Realty Trust
33-37 East Pleasant St.
$43,900 — Roofing

Sixty-Nine Ninety-One Main St.
69-73 Main St.
$2,000 — Brick in hole for exterior flaws

CHICOPEE

Chicopee Welding and Tool Inc.
40 Haynes Circle
$39,500 — Roofing

Elms College
199 Springfield St.
$54,425 — Install fire sprinklers throughout Gaylord Mansion

Fallah Rozzak
58-60 Ames Ave.
$16,000 — Roofing and siding

Julio Maria Dagloria Silva
16 Dwight St.
$20,000 — Roofing

Gary Ziemba
140 Broadway
$3,500 — Siding

EASTHAMPTON

City of Easthampton
43 Main St.
Install free-standing sign

EAST LONGMEADOW

ServiceNet
17 Angela Lane
$7,400 — Demolish pool

Taylor Rental
200 Shaker Road
$45,000 — Roofing

HADLEY

Dorn Carranza
73 North Maple St.
$6,300 — Rolled roofing on sunroom and shed roof replacement

Mill Valley Commons, LLC
1 Mill Valley Road
$200,000 — Build out new dental-care office in Unit D

LEE

Stephen Oakes
54 Main St.
$10,000 — Exterior masonry repairs at back of building

LENOX

4 Housatonic, LLC
4 Housatonic St.
$49,000 — Roofing

CR Lenox Residences, LLC
165 Kemble St.
$35,000 — Roof repairs to north section of hotel

L and S, LP
426 Pittsfield Road
$70,000 — Replace decking on canopy

St. Vincent DePaul Church
29 Crystal St.
$10,000 — New concrete sidewalk and ramp

Town of Lenox
65 Walker St.
$59,325 — Roofing and decking

NORTHAMPTON

Bowditch, LLC
155 Pleasant St.
$4,000 — Front wall sign for Rovithis Realty

Bowditch, LLC
155 Pleasant St.
$3,000 — Side wall sign for Rovithis Realty

High Five Books
29 North Maple St.
$3,970 — Awning

O & A Enterprises, LLC
351 Pleasant St.
$5,000 — Illuminated wall sign for new tenant

O & A Enterprises, LLC
351 Pleasant St.
$2,900 — Non-illuminated marquee sign for new tenant

Paul D’Amour
162 North King St.
$1,000 — Illuminated ground marquee sign for MyEyeDr.

LONGMEADOW

Bay Path University
588 Longmeadow St.
$20,000 — Repair damaged roof

SPRINGFIELD

Gisolfi Aniello, Franceso Ferrentino
106 Boston Road
$30,000 — Remodel interior bar area

Judith Calabrese
908 Allen St.
$8,000 — Modify building to be used as mercantile

Jeffrey McGeary
373 Worthington St.
$50,000 — First-floor alterations for recovery support center, including warming kitchen, office, and family bathroom

Smith & Wesson Inc.
2100 Roosevelt Ave.
$334,000 — Roofing

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Briarwood Three, LLC
249 Westfield St.
$7,000 — Install flat-roof application to concrete deck that covers electrical room to resolve water penetration below

Danielle Mineau
118 Riverdale St.
$2,000 — Repair/replace handicap-accessible ramp decking and structure

Town of West Springfield
429 Morgan Road
Install two new viewing platforms off new trail

WILBRAHAM

Gregory Cusson
2714 Boston Road
$36,500 — Roofing

Joseph Saimeri
65 Post Office Park
$5,000 — Renovation of existing interior space at Wilbraham Gymnastics Academy

Kim Kyung Won
28 Stony Hill Road
$61,595 — Roofing

Henry Zola
2660 Boston Road
$6,800 — Construct two accessible bathrooms

Women of Impact 2019

President, United Personnel

By Connecting People with Opportunities, She Impacts the Economy — and Many Lives

Tricia Canavan spent much of her early career as an educator. Today, in a much different role, education is never far from her mind.

“As I’ve done this job for the last eight years, I’ve learned how education is tied to workforce development and people being successful. It’s not just about being able to write well or have the fundamentals of math — can you support yourself?”

She’s been helping people support themselves for much of the last decade as president of United Personnel Services, but also as a voice for the importance of education and workforce development in giving people the skills they need to access job opportunities. At the same time, by helping connect employers with talent, she’s helping companies grow, which boosts the region’s economy.

“When we have good jobs and we have thriving businesses, that’s good for everybody,” she told BusinessWest. “The health of the economy in Western Mass. is absolutely critical to every single person who works here and lives here.”

That’s real impact — which is why it’s no surprise Canavan is being honored with this award. But she’s not one to seek out accolades, said Jennifer Brown, United’s vice president of Business Development, who nominated Canavan as a Woman of Impact.

“Tricia is incredibly humble,” Brown said. “In spite of her success, she never considers any task to be beneath her. On any given day in the office, you can find her sitting beside her staff, fielding phone calls, or greeting clients and candidates. When understaffed, she jumps in to help and consistently proves that she is not just a leader, but also a partner to her team.”

Canavan similarly deflects praise to her team. “I’ve been really fortunate to have the opportunity to run this company and be able to combine my interests with an amazing team of colleagues,” she said. “I’m so lucky in that regard. I would not be able to do everything I’m able to do without them behind me. No, not behind me — with me.”

Knowledge Is Power

Back to that role as an educator, though. “I’ve always been very driven to give back, and I really thought my career was going to be in education or nonprofit management of some sort, and that’s a lot of where my career has taken me,” she explained.

As a freshman at Trinity College in Hartford, Canavan volunteered teaching English as a second language, and later worked as a tutor-counselor with Upward Bound, a federally funded program that helps high-school students become first-generation college students.

“It’s not just about being able to write well or have the fundamentals of math — can you support yourself?”

“I really fell in love with these kids and their families. It became very clear to me that education is the key to so much,” she said. “I could see the impact that we can have working in partnership with them, helping them achieve their goals. I loved that opportunity.”

Prior to taking over her family’s business — her parents, Jay Canavan and Mary Ellen Scott, launched United Personnel in 1984 — Tricia ran the venerable lecture series known as the Springfield Public Forum. Prior to that, she worked in myriad teaching roles, including a stint at Berkshire Community College.

So her original career path wasn’t focused on following her parents’ path. Still, “when you’re part of a family business, it’s always part of you. I’ve worked here at various times as a younger person and have always been involved. My sister, my mother, and I are the board of directors. United has never been too far from my mind or my heart.”

After her father passed away about 20 years ago, Scott continued to run the company, and when she was getting ready to retire eight years ago, she was unsure what the best pathway forward was, Canavan said.

“So we hired some consultants to work with us and talk to me and my sister and the members of the senior management team at that time. At the end, they came to me and said, ‘we think you’re best suited to run this organization.’”

At the time, she was happy running the Springfield Public Forum, an organization she loved and remains involved with today.

However, “I had a mentor who knew I was considering this great opportunity — and how lucky am I to have had this opportunity? — anyway, she said to me, ‘you know, I think you want to make a difference in the world. And I think you will be able to make more of a difference running United Personnel than you will running the Public Forum. As great an organization as that is, you’ll have a different voice than you have now. And you’ll be able to make a difference and perhaps a bigger impact in your community than you currently can.’”

United Personnel moved its downtown Springfield headquarters to a larger space a few years ago.

That turned out to be a critical conversation as she considered how to move forward, she said. “I sometimes say I have a nonprofit heart, and I’ve tried to bring that sense of responsibility to the community and to my employees and my clients in this job.”

Clearing a Path

Many well-paying careers, Canavan noted, are in reach without a college education for those who are willing to access training, start small, and work their way up. Part of United Personnel’s mission is to dismantle as many roadblocks to employment as it can.

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. Meanwhile, it helps connect job seekers with the myriad workforce-training resources available in the community.

There are institutional barriers as well, such as the so-called ‘cliff effect,’ which 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.

Her advocacy for people seeking work starts where she believes it needs to start — in the schools, by making sure students are learning at an age-appropriate rate. 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.

“That’s my nonprofit heart, asking what does social justice look like for our kids and our families, and what role does education play in that, and then how does that feed into workforce development and a strong economy? It’s all tied together, for sure,” she told BusinessWest.

“How do we help our students and our families get to the point where they are at a living wage and they can support themselves and thrive?” she went on. “One of the social determinants of health, when we look at population health, is economic stability. So it even drives health outcomes. It’s critical.”

For that reason, making sure kids have the same educational opportunities no matter their address or family circumstance is nothing less than a social-justice issue, she said.

“I sometimes say I have a nonprofit heart, and I’ve tried to bring that sense of responsibility to the community and to my employees and my clients in this job.”

“I believe everyone is aware of these inequities, and we’re all working on them, but the reality is, if you live on the Springfield side of Forest Park as opposed to the Longmeadow side of Forest Park, you’re likely having a very different education experience.”

At the end of the day, helping people — from childhood through life — access the education and skills they need to live the life they want is a critical element of Canavan’s impact, and one she takes seriously.

“I feel like it’s a little bit glib to say the best way out of poverty is a job. But we need to help everybody achieve the educational background they need — and that can mean different things for different people,” she said, whether that’s a certificate or degree from college or vocational training in a trade. “What is the pathway to a living wage?”

Growth Pattern

And that brings her to the second pillar of United’s business, helping companies access the talent they need to grow.

“It’s all tied to economic development,” she said. “I see so clearly the importance of education to a strong economy. If our employers don’t have the qualified candidates they need, they’re not going to stay, and if they do stay, they’re going to struggle.”

United has grown significantly since Canavan’s parents 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.

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. Whether it’s helping clients with continuous improvement, staff-retention strategies, joint recruiting events, or simply serving as subject-matter experts in matters like HR compliance, she said United does its best work when it’s able to take on that level of partnership.

That said, she noted that legislative mandates from Boston, such as increased minimum wage and broadened leave laws, continue to burden employers and make it more difficult than ever to do business in Massachusetts.

“I’m interested in educational policy, but also regulatory policy as it affects businesses,” she said. “As a younger person, I would’ve said, ‘she’s sold out, she’s gone to the dark side, she’s become conservative.’ But being in this role has given me a much more nuanced picture of all the different elements that make up a thriving region. Businesses can look at competing, surrounding states and see a more favorable regulatory environment. So I think we in Massachusetts really need to make sure we’re balancing the needs of our residents with the burden on businesses. I don’t think we, as a state, have figured that out yet.”

After providing staffing and HR support to its clients, and career opportunities to its candidates, United’s third pillar has long been giving back to the communities it serves, Canavan said, and she encourages her staff to volunteer and serve on boards — both on work and personal time — while the company supports area nonprofits financially.

“I’m really fortunate to work in an organization I love where we’re doing work to help our candidates and help our clients, but also gives us a platform to do things in the community, whether it’s policy or volunteerism or being able to endow a scholarship. I feel very, very lucky to be able to do that,” she said.

Several years ago, Brown noted, United launched an annual Academic Merit Award. This program identifies one contract employee, or the child of a contract employee, currently enrolled in college or a recent graduate, as the winner of a $1,000 award to recognize hard work both inside and outside the classroom.

“It is opportunities like this that show her employees that she’s invested in their futures,” Brown said. “Tricia stands behind everything that her employees stand for — drive, determination, heart, and community involvement.”

Bottom Line

Again, that’s real impact on real lives — something Canavan wondered whether she’d have when she left a career she loved eight years ago.

“As my mentor said, ‘you can have a voice. You can have impact,’” she recalled, quickly noting that scores of other women in the region are just as worthy of being called Women of Impact, and she hopes more of them are publicly recognized as such. “I’m always struck by how lucky I am that a handful of people brought me to the table. It’s a privilege to be able do all this.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Women of Impact 2019

President, CEO, and General Manager, Cutting Edge Broadcasting

This Radio Pioneer Has Overcome Obstacles to Better Her Community

“Success,” Booker T. Washington once said, “is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.”

By both standards, Carol Moore Cutting is certainly a woman of impact.

It’s a quote she has long loved, not only because she admires Washington — who established Tuskegee University in Alabama, where she earned a degree and met her husband — but because of the truth it reflects about her own life, and the lives of others with a passion or dream that encounters stress, hardship, and opposition.

“Booker was very much an entrepreneurial person who built Tuskegee from nothing,” said Cutting, who grew up in a rural, segregated area of Alabama and came to Massachusetts with some entrepreneurial dreams of her own.

It was her husband’s first job that led them to settle in Longmeadow; Dr. Gerald Cutting, now retired, is a Boston native who eventually opened his own veterinary practice in Chicopee. Carol was initially struck by how difficult it was to connect with places where communities of color gathered — in particular, how little community information was available on the radio at the dawn of the ’70s.

“I grew up believing, when you come into a situation, you ask, ‘what can I do to improve it?’ As naïve as I was — I was very young — I began to do research at the library.” That research, on what was required to launch a career in broadcasting, led to a license from the Federal Communications Commission in 1971.

But that’s just the start of the story that saw the birth, 28 years later, of WEIB 106.3 FM in 1999 — currently the only locally owned commercial FM radio station in the Greater Springfield market, the only female-owned FM radio station in Massachusetts, and the only station — AM or FM — in New England owned by a person of color, and now celebrating its 20th anniversary of eclectic programming, community awareness, and, yes, impact.

“As an innovative thinker who believes that, more often or not, ‘no’ is a possible ‘maybe,’ Carol Moore Cutting has not allowed obstacles stand in her way of progress,” said Irene Thornton, who is both an on-air host and a member of the administrative, operations, and sales team at WEIB, in nominating Cutting for this award.

“In a world dominated by men, she has made bold decisions to command an on-air staff that is overwhelming female,” Thornton added. “She has broken the well-established industry stereotype that women are to be relegated as a second voice, a two-dimensional entity on the radio, and has placed women in her prime-time programing schedule. These women, most without formal training in radio communication, were mentored by Mrs. Cutting to become recognized and award-winning on-air hosts. These voices, with her support, are setting a standard for the next generation of female broadcasters who want to pursue the airways as themselves.”

“I grew up believing, when you come into a situation, you ask, ‘what can I do to improve it?”

That sort of pass-it-on influence is gratifying to Cutting, who has drawn inspiration from a strong role model in her mother and a series of pioneers who came before her.

“We had no resources, no money, and we were young,” she said of her idea to create the radio station. “Looking back, you might say, ‘the nerve of you, how did you think you could do that?’ Well, Booker T. Washington built Tuskegee University from nothing, so why not?”

Heading North

Cutting traces much of her ambition, in broadcasting and in life, to high expectations placed on her by her educational mentors, but more importantly her mother.

“I was told I didn’t have to let where I came from dictate where I was going in life — because where I came from, as I said, was this very segregated, southern environment,” she recalled. “But I also came from a family where my mom was an excellent role model in terms of pushing yourself and striving toward your goal.”

Her mother, a teacher, was a role model in several ways, she explained — as a kind, giving person who embraced people, but also a determined, hard-working woman who would teach all day, then drive from Livingston to Montgomery for night school — a 120-mile trek each way — then go back to school the next day to teach.

“That was the kind of environment I grew up in,” Cutting said. So, when she caught the itch to build a radio station, she drew on the same sort of determination her mother had displayed. “We just believed, ‘why not? It’s a long shot, but why not?’ Fortunately, I had a supportive husband.”

Others were less supportive. Cutting applied for a construction license to build the station in 1984, but she had a long fight ahead, particularly with a competitor who fought her in various courts for a decade and a half.

“It wasn’t easy. It was a tough 15 years. To be honest, it was a lot of prayer and being patient because it did not happen as quickly as one would think,” she recalled. “But even if you’re discouraged and people challenge you, that doesn’t mean you should just stop because you’re afraid of them. Knowing he had more resources and he was already in broadcasting made it even more difficult. But I prevailed at every level, all the way to the D.C. Court of Appeals.”

Carol Moore Cutting with T.J. Williams, who has been able to combine his twin passions for music and marketing at the station.

At least the long fight gave her time to hone her vision of what the station should offer. By the time the WEIB started broadcasting in 1999, she had been part of civic life in Greater Springfield for almost three decades, developing an understanding of what would draw in listeners and, crucially, advertisers.

“Because of my learned experiences and growing up the way I did, I’m more focused on the community, so I wanted to incorporate community things as well as broaden the scope of listening opportunities with programming that didn’t exist in this area,” she explained, adding that music that stirred her spiritually was one consideration.

“As much as I like gospel music, this is a commercial radio station, and even though it was a deep part of my faith and upbringing, I wanted something that brought everyone into the mix,” she went on. “So I decided on smooth, contemporary jazz, but I didn’t want to say ‘smooth jazz.’”

In the end, the mix that emerged is what WEIB calls “cool jazz, smooth sounds, and a touch of soul, with a cutting-edge blend.”

“But it took me a while to commit to that,” she added, with the process entailing copious research, attending broadcasting conferences, and plenty of soul searching. “I wanted something anyone can listen to.”

That mix has drawn a loyal core of advertisers who appreciate the station’s blend of a rich musical experience with community-focused information. Cutting’s mission, Thornton said, “is about getting a message out to her dedicated and loyal listeners, who she sees as family. In her eyes, it is vital that they are aware that there is someone right here in their own backyard who can support their needs. By tying this together, she effectively affirms the concept that we are one community, which promotes businesses and individuals growing together.”

And because she’s so rooted and invested in the Greater Springfield community, it’s important to stay here — and stay independent — at a time when most stations are owned by large conglomerates, Cutting said.

“It’s been difficult at times. It’s challenging because of the consolidation in the industry. Other stations have told advertisers, ‘well, we can cover everything, the entire market. You don’t have to deal with this little, independent radio station.’ But that isn’t true because our listeners are loyal, and [larger entities] don’t reach the audience we reach.”

That reach isn’t just local, she noted, but regional and even global through WEIB’s website, from which anyone can listen live.

“We get people writing us from all over the world saying, ‘we wish your terrestrial radio station could reach us,’” she told BusinessWest. “ So, we have listeners, but it’s something we’ve had to build. It hasn’t come easy.”

Voices Raised

Cutting’s commitment to the community includes the arts, as she has sponsored myriad cultural organizations and jazz festivals in the Pioneer Valley and beyond. Meanwhile, the station’s “WEIB After Work Cool Down” program has offered a platform for up-and-coming musicians to showcase their talent.

The station has also supported non-arts-related nonprofits over the years through announcements and coverage, some with media sponsorships, but some of it under the radar. For example, Cutting was personally moved by TommyCar Auto Group’s annual Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Golf Tournament, which raises money for brain-cancer research, because she had a friend with the same condition.

“We didn’t approach them as a sponsor, but we promoted the event because of its impact. We ran commercials about how people could get involved and put in on the website because it was creating awareness of something important,” she explained. “You don’t always have to get a pat on the back to do what’s right and use the resources you have.”

“As an innovative thinker who believes that, more often or not, ‘no’ is a possible ‘maybe,’ Carol Moore Cutting has not allowed obstacles stand in her way of progress.”

Of course, “we also do things in conjunction with organizations,” she was quick to add. “You can’t give away everything. I have to be careful because I have a soft heart and I empathize and I’m touched by so many needs in the community. If I was rich and had the resources, I’d be a force to be reckoned with. But we do have the radio station to get messages out.”

While striking that balance between lending community support and paying the bills, it helps that the station, unlike so many in America today, is locally owned.

“Because it’s local, we don’t have to go to corporate to decide what can we support. If we want to do something for breast-cancer awareness and there’s an event going on, or something for prostate cancer, we can do it. That’s what we strive for.”

Paying those bills is still a challenge, she said, because some potential advertisers will never see the value in partnering with a station with roots that are deeper than they are geographically broad. “They don’t get what we have to offer them, which is unique, and something they’re not going to find anywhere else in this market.”

The mother of two and grandmother of eight, Cutting has also taken on a caregiver role these days to her ailing husband — but says it’s a role she appreciates, cherishing the whole of their life together.

“My faith has seen me through some very challenging times, and I would say it continues. My strength doesn’t come from me,” she noted. “I tell people, ‘have faith and maintain and hang in there,’ and that’s what I’m doing with this radio station. It hasn’t always been the easiest time, to be honest with you, because of the fear of those who would minimize the impact we have the community.”

Twenty years of listeners, and organizations that have heard their voices amplified on the airwaves, would agree. So would the young African-American women who see Cutting as a role model and trailblazer.

They want to be inspired, she said — “and not just women of color, but any woman — and, I would venture to say, any person, because there’s no gender line, no racial line. People need to be encouraged.”

After all, you don’t need to be a national media giant to have an outsized influence.

“Don’t judge us by our size, but by the impact we have on this community,” she said. “We’re not corporately run — we are community-focused, yet with a broader regional and international flavor because we can be heard throughout the world.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Women of Impact 2019

Principal, Deliso Financial Services

She Helps People — and the Community — Get Where They Need to Be

Jean Deliso likes to say she is part financial advisor, part therapist.

This description of her work as owner of Deliso Financial and Insurance Services in Agawam sums up not only what she does, but how she does it. Indeed, while the primary objective of her job is to provide financial advice to her clients, she is also committed to forming a personal relationship with each individual who sits in front of her in order to better understand exactly where they are financially and where they want to be — and help them get there.

This is especially true with women, a rewarding niche, if one chooses to call it that, for Deliso, who has, over the course of her 25-year career in this field, become a specialist in empowering women and positioning them for a solid financial future, as well as during times of transition, such as divorce and widowhood.

“I spend a lot of time trying to speak to women because I want them to not be afraid and get educated so they understand that the decision they make, or the lack of the decision they’re making, is going to make a difference in their lives,” Deliso told BusinessWest. “We deserve equality, but we as women need to believe that we deserve equality.”

But helping women — and all her clients — chart a course for a lifetime of financial stability is only one of many reasons why Deliso has been chosen as a Woman of Impact for 2019.

She is also heavily involved in the community, especially with groups and causes that impact children and families. She currently serves as chairman of the board of the Baystate Health Foundation, and is immediate past chairman of the Community Music School, for example, and is also past chair of the board of the YMCA of Greater Springfield and past trustee of the Community Foundation of Western Mass.

Meanwhile, as the daughter and granddaughter of entrepreneurs (more on that later), and a successful one herself, she is also a mentor to young entrepreneurs, especially women, through work with Valley Venture Mentors.

Talking about the various aspects of her life — her work, her involvement in the community, and her family life — Deliso said they all connect and flow together.

“Most people in life think they have it figured out and that they’re all set, but the reality is, they’re not. We’re all very busy people, and, because of that, we don’t take care of ourselves.”

“Some people are different at work than they are at home, but I’m the same way throughout,” she said. “I’ve really identified that my effort in my business matches what I do in the community, and matches who I am. All three components are aligned.”

Together, they make her a true Woman of Impact, as noted by Scott Berg, vice president of Philanthropy at Baystate Health, executive director of the Baystate Health Foundation — and a client of Deliso Financial Services, one of her several people who nominated her.

“Jean is an outstanding person, both professionally and personally. She has built a successful business focused on helping people reach their financial goals,” he wrote. “I believe the key to Jean’s business success has been her unwavering dedication to the community; she is a person, both in business and in the community, who leads by example.”

On-the-money Advice

Deliso told BusinessWest that her strong work ethic, commitment to the community, desire to help others, and, yes, leadership by example are all what she calls family traits.

Indeed, she said she grew up in a family of entrepreneurs — her grandfather, Joseph Deliso Sr., founded HBA Cast Products, later run by her father — who made a point of donating time, energy, and talent to the community.

Her grandfather was one of the founders of Springfield Technical Community College, and his name is on one of the academic buildings on the historic campus.

Jean Deliso doesn’t have any buildings named after her — yet. But she is certainly following the lead of the generations before her when it comes to being an entrepreneur and giving back.

“My work at the YMCA, the Community Music School, and Baystate is all about helping children and helping those in this community who are not as fortunate as I was growing up,” she said. “I had wonderful parents, great role models, and grew up in an entrepreneurial family who were community-minded and taught me that hard work, dedication, giving back, and being kind to others was the way to live.”

With regard to entrepreneurship, Deliso said she knew early on that she wanted to work for herself, and she’s been doing that for 20 years now. After working in the family business in Florida, she relocated to Western Mass., where she consulted with small-business owners on financial operations and maximizing performance. She then segued into financial planning and has become a regional leader in that field.

Jean Deliso, seen here speaking with attendees at a Baystate Health Foundation event, has continued a family tradition of being active within the community.

She has been a New York Life agent since 1995, and is associated with the company’s Connecticut Valley General Office in Windsor, Conn. She is currently enjoying her seventh year as part of New York Life’s Chairman’s Council, ranking in the top 3% of the company’s sales force of more than 12,000 agents.

While such honors and accolades are rewarding, Deliso finds it more rewarding to assist individual clients, guide them through what can be a very difficult process at times, and help them make the right decisions to set them up for a financially stable future.

“Most people in life think they have it figured out and that they’re all set, but the reality is, they’re not,” she said. “We’re all very busy people, and, because of that, we don’t take care of ourselves.”

This is particularly true with women, she noted, adding that they often outlive their husbands and, too often, are not involved in the family’s financial planning.

“I like to educate women because I cringe when I hear the words, ‘oh, I’ll let my husband take care of that,’” Deliso said. “The value of a woman is so important, and I think we, as women, undervalue ourselves a lot.”

So, Deliso and her “small but mighty staff,” as she describes it, helps clients set goals and objectives, and then assists them with getting from point A (where they are) to point B (where they want to be, up to retirement and then through it).

“I will find the disconnects from where they are versus where they want to be, and I help them build this bridge to get them to where they want to be,” she said, adding that this sometimes includes asking difficult questions.

“She is a believer in developing positive assets for youth — whether through improved medical care, quality programs for children before, during, and after school hours, or gaining self-awareness through the power of music.”

These include ‘have you thought of the what-ifs?’ and ‘are you prepared?’

All too often, the answers the answer to those questions is ‘no,’ she went on, adding that she has a passion for turning ‘no’ into ‘yes.’

Balance Sheet

To get this point across, Deliso summoned a case from very early in her career — new clients who provided a critical lesson in being ready for one of those ‘what ifs.’

A young couple in their 30s had two young children and wanted to buy a house. Deliso sat down with them and talked about their goals and asked them those difficult questions mentioned above, especially the one about what would happen if something happened to one of them.

The couple decided they wanted college taken care of for their two children, and also wanted to take care of their mortgage. So, Deliso put them on a savings plan, bought them life insurance, and got them on track to start saving money.

Two years after she started working with this couple, she got a call from the husband: his wife passed away at the age of 32.

His first question, Deliso recalled, was ‘how am I going to do this?’ Her quick answer was that he could do it because of the plan she put in place for him.

“From that moment, those two children went to college because we put money aside for that college education,” she said. “We paid off most of the mortgage because I made sure that that family would be fine if one of those incomes went away, and that’s exactly what happened. This was so powerful that it cemented me in this career.”

Likewise, her family’s deep commitment to the community cemented in her the need to get involved and stay involved. And, as noted, this involvement often involves institutions and initiatives with missions focused on families and children.

Berg summed up this commitment in his nomination of Deliso.

“In addition to impacting the lives of her clients, she has influenced, both directly and indirectly, countless lives through her volunteer efforts at the Baystate Health Foundation, the YMCA, and the Community Music School,” he wrote. “As can be seen in the agencies with which she has given so much time, she is a believer in developing positive assets for youth — whether through improved medical care, quality programs for children before, during, and after school hours, or gaining self-awareness through the power of music. This dedication to our youngest community members is truly an investment in the next generation of our community’s leaders.”

Elaborating, Berg noted that how Deliso serves the community is as important as where she trains those efforts, specifically with enthusiasm that is contagious and strong leadership.

“When Jean presents to the Baystate Health Foundation board of trustees, she strives to make her words resonate, to encourage introspection, and to promote enthusiasm,” he wrote. “Her passion is a reminder to all trustees why they have chosen to commit themselves to moving the foundation mission forward and the true impact it has on its beneficiaries. Jean is exactly what you would want in a leader.”

Her leadership skills were recognized, and applauded, by the Professional Women’s Chamber, which named her Woman of the Year in 2013.

Investments in the Community

As noted, there were several nominations for the Woman of Impact honor with Deliso’s name on them. Collectively, they do a fine job of explaining why she was chosen.

In hers, Judy Moore, director of Client Management at Deliso Financial, noted that working for Deliso has given her an inside look at all the hard work she invests in order to ensure her clients get the best service possible.

“Working for her for 11 years, I can attest to the fact that her high level of professionalism and ethics is astonishing, and her clients reap the benefits of that on a daily basis,” said Moore. “She never tires of giving back to the community and making lives better through her various work, both professionally and altruistically.”

Those sentiments effectively sum up both Deliso’s life’s work and her commitment to the community. In both realms, she always has one eye on today, and the other on tomorrow.

“What I do for a living makes a difference in people’s lives,” she said. “If I can make an impact on someone’s life, that’s a good day.”

Kayla Ebner can be reached at [email protected]

Women of Impact 2019

Partner, Shatz, Schwartz & Fentin, P.C.

She’s Made It Her Mission to Help Others Get Connected

‘Hi, Ellen. I hope all is well. I can’t wait to see you soon and hear all about your trip! My colleague Erica is very interested in getting even more deeply connected to the philanthropic life of the Greater Springfield area. Your name immediately came to mind, and I thought you both would have a lot to discuss.
Erica: Ellen is incredible! Please feel free to connect directly.’

Ellen Freyman doesn’t know how many e-mails like this one she’s received over the past few decades, but she does know it’s a big number. And she’s proud of each one.

The subject matter varies slightly (she’s obviously not recently back from a trip in all cases), but there are similar themes and like words and phrases used, and, yes, probably lots of smile emojis.

In short, this missive she agreed to share, sent by an executive at a large local employer, sums up perfectly why Freyman, an attorney with the Springfield-based law firm Shatz, Schwartz & Fentin, is a Woman of Impact and, well, what makes her tick, to summon a phrase from another time.

In short, Freyman’s name is the one that immediately comes to mind when people such as the executive who sent this note want to help others get more connected to the philanthropic life of this region.

“What I like to do is bring together people who should know each other, who should be working together and collaborating.”

That’s what Freyman does. It’s not all she does, as we’ll see. But that’s mostly what she does, and that’s what she believes is her biggest impact within the region.

She connects people with opportunities to get involved with their community, especially people new to this region and its business community, and also members of what would still be called the ‘minority community’ even though they’re not the minority anymore in Springfield, Holyoke, and other communities.

“What I like to do is bring together people who should know each other, who should be working together and collaborating,” she told BusinessWest, adding that she regularly gets e-mails like the one above asking her to make connections and introduce people to one another. “That’s what we need in this community — people working collaboratively — and that’s what I like to do.”

These sentiments explain why she founded an organization called OnBoard, which works to make some of those connections she spoke of and help organizations achieve not only diversity but cultural sensitivity by enlisting women, people of color, and other under-represented populations to their boards.

The nonprofit organization stages a biannual event at the Basketball Hall of Fame designed specifically to help organizations and people looking to get involved make much-needed introductions.

“I call it a cross between speed dating and a job fair,” said Freyman, noting that the event involves a host of area nonprofits with small tables arranged in a horseshoe. Attendees — those individuals looking to get involved — move from table to table looking for good fits.

The next event is slated for December (no specific date has been set), and Freyman is working hard to secure strong representation on both sides of the equation.

As she talked with BusinessWest for this story, Freyman brought along a cheat sheet of sorts — and she really needs one. It’s a running list of the boards and organizations she’s serving on or has served on in the past. There’s also a compilation of awards she’s won — and there have been many.

They range from BusinessWest’s Difference Makers Award (presented a decade ago) to the Pynchon Award; from Rotary International’s coveted Paul Harris Fellowship to Mass. Lawyers Weekly’s Top Women in Law Award.

The board-activity list is quite impressive as well, and includes everything from the Community Music School to Elms College to the World Affairs Council. Equally impressive, though, is her desire, as she put it, to replace herself on all those boards and get other people involved with those organizations and the community at large.

“I want all of these boards to have younger people on them — new blood,” she said as she ran her finger down the list. “And I want these boards to have memberships that look like the community today — not what it looked like years ago.”

She said this process of replacing herself will take place over the next few years and certainly by the time she retires — six years from now is the plan. In retirement, she might sit on a board or two, but her real ambition is to return to the classroom (that’s where she started her career) and teach adult basic education to refugees and others. But that’s another story.

This one’s about making connections and creating diversity, and those are the reasons why Freyman is a Woman of Impact.

Creating a Deeper Pool

Freyman said she’s made it a habit in recent years to stop for a minute at each event she attends — and there are several each week, and often a few each day, during the busy seasons in the spring and fall — and also at each board gathering, and do some counting.

Ellen Freyman says she launched OnBoard to help individuals get involved in their communities, and also assist area nonprofits and institutions with achieving diversity.

Specifically, she’s counting the Hispanics and African-Americans in whatever room she happens to be in, hoping that the number will represent something approximating the demographic profile of the Greater Springfield area.

Rarely, she said, does it meet that threshold.

“No one wants it to be that way — no one,” Freyman told BusinessWest, adding that there are reasons why boards and gatherings lack diversity. For starters, while there are some candidates, the number is not as high as it should be given this region’s demographic profile, she said, adding that many groups need introductions to the many fine candidates that are in the 413.

Creating a larger pool of candidates, and then making these connections, has become Freyman’s life’s work outside of her life’s work.

And that is a law practice focused on several specialties, but especially commercial transactions and commercial real estate.

She segued into law after stints in the classroom and as a commercial banker, and joined Shatz, Schwartz & Fentin in 1988. Even before that, though, she was getting involved in the community.

She started with Jewish Family Services (JFS) in 1984, not long after she relocated to this region and joined Third National Bank as an auditor training to be a loan officer — and also not long after she enrolled at Western New England University School of Law.

“I want to help empower people who haven’t been involved and contributing and volunteering, and give them entrée to all that.”

She recalls having lunch with Steve Dane, principal with the accounting firm Themistos & Dane, and asking how she could get involved. Dane was on the JFS board at the time and asked her if she wanted to join him.

She did, got very involved with the group’s efforts to assist Russian refugees, and soon added the board of the Springfield Museums to her schedule. And many others followed.

But her work in the community has involved much more than board sitting. Indeed, she has been very active in raising money for many of the groups she’s been involved with, and also with identifying, and in many cases mentoring, the next generation of leadership for those organizations.

Indeed, looking back to that lunch with Steve Dane, she said she’s doing for others what he did for her nearly 40 years ago — helping them get involved in their community.

Freyman said the initial impetus for OnBoard, which she created in the mid-’90s, was to get more women involved and on area boards.

“But immediately afterward, I realized that we’re not the only voice that’s missing,” she said. “We need to focus on all under-represented groups, and we have.”

In December, the nonprofit will stage its sixth board-matching event, she noted, adding that, to date, the initiative has had a good amount of success with connecting members of those under-represented groups to opportunities to get involved. But there is still work to be done when it comes to making boards, businesses, and, yes, those myriad events where Freyman takes a head count more diverse.

Overall, she wants other boards, commissions, and businesses to look like the Springfield Rotary Club, which is much smaller than it was years ago (all service clubs are), but more diverse, in large part because Freyman, who has been a member for nearly 30 years now, has recruited members of minority communities. And like the Springfield City Council, which is far more diverse than it was years ago because candidates from underserved constituencies have come forward and become candidates for those seats.

“The Springfield City Council looks like the city,” she said, putting a verbal exclamation point on that statement, adding that other groups need to take on that quality, not for the sake of numbers, but because boards and commissions are more effective, she believes, when their membership mirrors the community they’re serving.

How can boards become more diverse?

Well, Freyman, without exactly saying so, suggested this goal could be achieved if more people worked as she does to make connections and help others get involved.

This, as she said, is her most meaningful contribution locally, far more than her work on any specific board — or all the boards she’s served on over the past 35 years.

“I want to help empower people who haven’t been involved and contributing and volunteering, and give them entrée to all that,” she told BusinessWest. “What’s nice is that people do think of me as someone who can help them connected. People will say, ‘someone told me you’re the person I need to talk with if I want to get involved’ — I get those calls and e-mails all the time, and it makes me feel like I am helping to create progress.”

And these efforts extend to replacing herself on many of the boards she’s currently on.

“I want to open up my seat — I don’t want to take the spot of someone who should be there,” she said, using that phrase to reference younger people and those of color.

Overall, she believes progress is being made on this broad front — she noted that Springfield’s hiring of a diversity officer is a significant step in the right direction — but that much work still needs to be done.

Walking the Walk

The OnBoard website features a quote from Martin Luther King Jr. that sums up not only its mission, but Freyman’s considerable impact in the community: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: what are you doing for others?”

Freyman has always done a lot for others, whether it’s donating time and imagination to a board, helping to raise money for a nonprofit, or assisting refugees as they try become part of the community.

But her biggest contribution has been prompting others to ask that question posed by Dr. King — and then answer it in a resounding, meaningful way.

And that’s why, as the e-mail writer noted, “Ellen is incredible.”

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

Women of Impact 2019

Massachusetts Governor’s Councilor

Former Mayor Says Making an Impact Recharges Her Batteries

As she talked about her lengthy career in public service and her philosophy about such work, Mary Hurley summoned a 30-year-old memory that certainly speaks volumes about why she’s a Woman of Impact.

Then mayor of Springfield — the first (and still only) woman to sit in the corner office — she was eating dinner at the kitchen table with her husband, Michael (now deceased), when the phone rang.

Michael picked up the call and encountered a very frustrated man on the line complaining that his trash didn’t get picked up. After assuring the caller he would pass the message along to his wife, he looked at her and said, “if a Chrysler breaks down, do they call Lee Iacocca?”

Mary recalls telling him, and she’s paraphrasing, that maybe they don’t call the CEO of Chrysler when their car won’t start, but they do call the CEO of the city when their trash is still sitting on the curb.

“I told him it’s a 24/7 job,” Hurley recalled, adding that, throughout her long career, she’s made it a point to know not just the formal job description for the various positions she’s held, but everything that goes into each job, right down to making sure the trash gets picked up.

That goes for her stint as mayor, her lengthy career on the bench as a District Court judge, her time on the City Council before becoming mayor, her tenure in the city’s Law Department before running for City Council, and her current work on the Massachusetts Governor’s Council, which she was elected to in 2017 after “coming out of retirement,” as she put it.

It was a short retirement, and not retirement as most know it — she left the bench in 2014 only to again practice law (she’s of counsel to the firm Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan & Blakesley) — because she decided she certainly wasn’t through serving people in the four western counties of Massachusetts and being a strong advocate for this region.

“It’s the impact you can have, often that you don’t even know about, that’s so important for people.”

Indeed, since being elected to the Governor’s Council for the Eighth District, she has worked tirelessly to not only fill vacancies on the bench — a problem she recognized while serving as a justice — but push for geographical equity in the Bay State concerning the appointment of judges and clerks. And she’s helped achieve progress in both areas.

“When I started in this judgeship, we had 28 judges out here in the District Court in this region, and when I left, we had 19; you try running a business when a third of your workforce is gone,” she said, adding that, since taking office, these numbers have improved considerably.

Looking back on her career, and ahead — she’s planning to seek re-election to the Governor’s Council — Hurley said she’s driven by a desire to help people, usually at a difficult time in their life, and use her knowledge and skills to make an impact. Succeeding in that quest has provided lasting rewards, as another story, this one from just a few years ago, makes clear.

“I was getting a coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts, and the girl who was waiting on me said, ‘you were my judge; you turned my life around,’” Hurley recalled. “It’s the impact you can have, often that you don’t even know about, that’s so important for people. It gives you a really long-lasting, good feeling. It’s like verification that you actually made a difference.”

There are a great many people who can say the same thing as that young woman in the coffee shop, people who can say that Hurley helped turn their lives around. And that’s why she’s a Woman of Impact.

Making Her Case

Looking back on her life and her career, Hurley said there were a few pivotal moments that positioned her to be able to make a difference in so many lives.

The first occurred at Elms College, where she was training to be a teacher, but, after some experience in the classroom practice teaching, she decided this wasn’t the route she was destined to take.

“I knew after practicing teaching that the one thing I didn’t want to do was teach school,” she said with a laugh, adding that, while she gives credit to all who do this extremely difficult job, it simply wasn’t for her.

Instead, she decided to enroll in law school with the goal of following in her father’s footsteps as a criminal lawyer. She got accepted into Boston College, but chose to go to Western New England University so she could take classes at night and work at her father’s office in Springfield during the day.

“That first year … I knew I loved it,” she said. “I knew it was what I wanted to do.”

The second ‘moment,’ if you will, involved an internship she landed during law school in Springfield’s Law Department, an opportunity that put her on a path to a career in both the law and public service.

“My summer internship at the city Law Department was key to exposing me to the political side of things up close,” said Hurley, who would later serve as assistant city solicitor. “If I didn’t have that experience, my life would have been totally different.”

Mary Hurley has had many titles attached to her name over the years, including city councilor, mayor, and District Court judge.

Wanting to make an even deeper impact in the community, and with a little encouragement from former City Solicitor Frank Antonucci, Hurley ran for City Council. After coming up short in two bids, one to now-U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, she eventually served two terms on the council, an experience that only fueled her passion for serving the city she grew up in.

Indeed, when Neal, after becoming mayor, decided to run for Congress in 1988, Hurley triumphed in a special election to become the city’s first woman CEO.

But her mettle, and her ability to work with others to solve hard problems, was tested immediately, as she assumed the corner office during what became very difficult times for the city financially.

“I walked in the door, and [Massachusetts Gov. Michael] Dukakis was running for president,” she recalled, referring to the 1988 election eventually won by George H.W. Bush. “So all the financial problems in the state got swept under the rug. I had to lay off 850 people the first six weeks I was in office.”

The financial situation was so dire that Hurley convinced voters to override Proposition 2½ and raise their taxes by about $9.2 million — to this day, she is still the only mayor of a large metropolitan city to do this.

The override and the massive layoffs were just some of the steps Hurley took to lead the city back to financial stability, and, looking back, she counts this among her most significant — and rewarding — accomplishments.

“Springfield has always been my home,” she told BusinessWest. “I was proud to be able to get us through a serious financial crisis without having to close the schools, without having to go into bankruptcy, and coming up with some changes in the law that required a balanced budget and fiscal accountability.”

Court of Opinion

After serving two terms as mayor, Hurley decided to go back into private practice for a short time in 1991, becoming a principal of the firm Cooley Shrair, before she was encouraged to apply for a judgeship. She was sworn in as a District Court judge on Sept. 29, 1995 and served until July 4, 2014, when she ‘retired.’

But, as noted, it was not a typical retirement, and it didn’t last very long.

“My whole life has been public service and the law, and I enjoy what I do.”

“For the first six months after I retired, I didn’t do anything,” she recalled. “There was a prohibition against me practicing law because I was a judge, so I bought a place in Florida. I was going to retire, play golf, and that was going to be it. But I just got caught up in the whole political scene again, and here I am.”

By that, she was referring to her decision to run for the Governor’s Council, a return to public service sparked by her concern about how understaffed the courts were with judges. She decided to run for the council in an effort to do something about it.

She recalls putting 30,000 miles on her car while campaigning hard in all four western counties during that 2016 election, introducing herself to people unfamiliar with her record in Springfield or on the bench. She eventually triumphed, earning 60% of the vote.

In her first year in office, she worked with the Baker administration to fill a number of vacancies: six new District Court judges, three Superior Court judges, three Probate Court judges, two Juvenile Court judges, and clerks in Orange and Chicopee. Of the new judges appointed, nine are women, a development she’s very proud of.

“I want to continue to keep the courts supplied with good personnel because I truly believe, ‘justice delayed is justice denied,’” she said, quoting Martin Luther King Jr. “My whole life has been public service and the law, and I enjoy what I do.”

She told BusinessWest that what’s important is not just filling vacancies, but filling them with the right people, which is a huge part of her work on the Governor’s Council.

She said the judicial nomination process is a lengthy one, with the council reviewing applications and interviewing candidates and ultimately making recommendations to the governor.

For each nominee, Hurley reads a 40-page application, interviews the candidates, and vets each person thoroughly to determine if they are right for the bench. And she uses her years of experience in public service to help guide her as she goes about such difficult and important work.

“I’m very interested and concerned about temperament, their character, what kind of involvement they’ve had in their local community, and who they have for references,” she said, adding that their experience, knowledge of the law, and what kind of judgeship the individual is seeking are all factors as well. “It’s also important to me to look at how they treat people in the courthouse. How do they treat the court officers? How do they treat their clients and the other lawyers that are on the other side of cases?”

Final Argument

Hurley said she plans to run for the Governor’s Council again in 2020 because, well, she’s a “glutton for punishment.”

That’s one way to describe nearly four decades of public service. She has many others, as well.

Indeed, she describes such work, as tedious as it can sometimes be, as immensely rewarding. For proof, she retells stories like the one involving the waitress in the coffee shop and her husband taking that phone call back when she was mayor.

Such seemingly small moments, she said, have a big impact and get her through the hardest of times. As a judge, it was a parent coming up to her and saying, ‘thank you for saving my child’s life.’ As mayor, it was someone thanking her for doing a great job.

“I could walk into an elevator frustrated as hell; there’s all kinds of stuff going on in the city, and you’re the mayor, and there’s a budget crisis, or it’s this or it’s that,” she said. “Then, someone walks into the elevator and says, ‘thanks for the job you’re doing.’ It gives you that little charge. It literally recharges my batteries.

“I never planned to do any of these things, but it just all fell into place,” she went on, adding that having family and friends by her side got her through the ups and the downs over the years. “You’re not here by yourself; your family, your friends, they all affect how you do things, what you’re able to do, and what motivates you to do the best you can.”

Hurley has been doing the best she can throughout her lengthy career, and success at each stop, in the many ways it can be measured, has certainly made her a Woman of Impact.

Kayla Ebner can be reached at [email protected]

Women of Impact 2019

Assistant Superintendent, Springfield Public Schools

Lydia Martinez-Alvarez

This Educator and Leader Strives to Position Students for Success

Lydia Martinez-Alvarez says she entered the education field somewhat by default.

As she tells the story, she was working first at American Airlines at its reservation desk in Hartford and then Peter Pan Bus Lines in Springfield doing similar work just to make ends meet.

And then … she took a job as a substitute teacher and, as she put it, “got the bug.”

Big time.

Nearly a quarter-century after entering that fifth-grade classroom at Samuel Bowles Elementary School as a sub, she is the assistant superintendent of Springfield Public Schools (SPS). This is a position with a broad job description, as we’ll see, and one that ensures that each day is not like the one before it or the one after it.

She likes that aspect of it, certainly, but what she enjoys most is the challenge — and the opportunity — of positioning young people for success later in life, and this, when you get right down to it, is the basic job description for every one of the more than 4,000 people working for Springfield Public Schools.

It’s one of the many aspects of her work she is passionate about, as evidenced by these comments about the Working Cities Challenge — an initiative led by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston to create opportunities for low-income residents of smaller cities in Massachusetts and Rhode Island — and Springfield’s involvement in it.

“When I saw the unemployment gap involving the 18- to 24-year-olds, I took it personally,” said Martinez-Alvarez, a core member of the team leading the city’s efforts within the program. “I thought, ‘we’re contributing to that gap — we’re letting them go at 18, and we’re sending them off to become unemployment statistics.

“That didn’t sit well with me,” she went on. “So when the opportunity came about to create a group to try to close that gap of unemployed and underemployed individuals, I jumped on it.”

“When I saw the unemployment gap involving the 18- to 24-year-olds, I took it personally. I thought, ‘we’re contributing to that gap — we’re letting them go at 18, and we’re sending them off to become unemployment statistics.”

She has jumped on a number of strategic initiatives to take what has long been one of Springfield’s weakest links — its school system — and make it an asset.

These efforts are still very much a work in progress, but there are encouraging signs.

Indeed, when Martinez-Alvarez and Superintendent Dan Warwick took their respective positions in 2012, the graduation rate in Springfield was 56.6%, and the dropout rate was 6.5%. Today, those numbers are 76.9% and 5.1%, respectively, rates of improvement that are among the most, if not the most, significant in the Commonwealth.

When asked what’s behind them, Martinez-Alvarez said there are many factors, but especially ongoing work to promote parental engagement and work vigorously to keep kids in school.

Summing it all up, she said it comes down to building relationships with those at every level of the equation — students, teachers, coaches, administrators, parents, and the community — and also creating more accountability.

While building these relationships, SPS works to develop plans for specific schools that will set goals for improvement, measure results, and keep the school in question on the desired track. And these are group efforts that involve many stakeholders.

Such efforts have generated improvement on many levels, including progress with taking a number of underperforming schools (formerly known as Level 4 schools) off that list (although many remain on it), and moving the needle in the right direction on graduation and dropout rates.

But the ultimate goal is to ensure that students can take those diplomas and use them to not only enter the workforce, but thrive within it.

And Martinez-Alvarez believes the system is making progress in this realm through initiatives ranging from internship and work programs to the new Conservatory of the Arts being created in the former Masonic Temple on State Street.

While playing a significant role is all these initiatives, Martinez-Alvarez, the first Hispanic to hold the assistant superintendent’s position in Springfield, has become a role model to all young women, Hispanic and non-Hispanic alike, who aspire to careers in education.

Lydia Martinez-Alvarez, left, seen here with Annamarie Golden, director of Community Relations at Baystate Medical Center at Baystate’s recent Adopt-a-Classroom Challenge, has been instrumental in helping Springfield’s schools get the tools they need to succeed.

That’s a role, like her one with the School Department, that she takes very seriously, and that’s one of many reasons why the judges have chosen her as a Woman of Impact for 2019.

Learning Curves

Martinez-Alvarez remembers a few intriguing, somewhat awkward, but ultimately “neat” moments when she became assistant principal of Chestnut Accelerated Middle School.

And perhaps with good reason.

After all, she attended the old Chestnut Middle decades earlier, and some of those who taught her were still at their jobs.

“All of a sudden, I became their boss, and that was interesting,” she recalled. “I would still call them … Miss Taylor, for example, and she would say, ‘no, Lydia, you don’t have to call me that.’ It was like I was still afraid of her, she was still my teacher; I couldn’t flip the relationship for some reason. But we did some really good things, and they were very supportive.”

Martinez-Alvarez has enjoyed a good deal of support during a 23-year career that has taken her from the classroom at Forest Park Middle School to the principal’s office at Chestnut to the administration offices of Springfield Public Schools.

Looking back on it, she said there has been a succession of opportunities made available to her, and she has taken advantage of each one — starting with that substitute teaching assignment.

After getting the ‘bug,’ as she put it, she knew she would need more than her degree in Business Management from Westfield State University to go any further in education. She consulted with David Cruise, then HR director of SPS (now director of MassHire Springfield) about charting a new career course. She earned her MAT (master’s degree in teaching) at Elms College, and while doing so took a job teaching Spanish part-time at Forest Park Middle School.

That job eventually led to a full-time teaching post at Forest Park Middle, during which Martinez-Alvarez said she was encouraged by her principal to get her administrators license. She did, taking part in both the Lead program within SPS and returning to Westfield State to earn her certificate of advanced graduate studies in education administration. She eventually became certified as a principal.

When asked about the shift from teaching to administration, Martinez-Alvarez said she started to take on administrative duties at Forest Park Middle — everything from the yearbook to creation of an annual talent show to MCAS tutoring — and enjoyed those assignments. With some encouragement, she decided to alter her career goals.

“Over the course of my career, there have been many instances where someone saw something in me that I didn’t necessarily see in myself,” she told BusinessWest, adding that this was the case with her principal at Forest Park Middle, Carol Fazio, who became a mentor in many respects.

“Over the course of my career, there have been many instances where someone saw something in me that I didn’t necessarily see in myself.”

“She said, ‘I would love for you to become an assistant principal,’ Martinez-Alvarez recalled. “When I asked her if she thought I could do it, she said ‘absolutely,’ and that prompted me to go back to Westfield State and enter Project Lead.”

She interned at Forest Park Middle, and when Jesus Jara was named superintendent of the High School of Science and Technology in 2003, he asked Martinez-Alvarez to join him as one of four assistant principals, a challenge she accepted.

“He gave me the 9th-graders,” she recalled, putting an exclamation point on that comment while acknowledging that was a logical move because she just came from a middle-school environment and knew many of the 9th-graders. “That’s a hard assignment for a newcomer like me, but it was fascinating; I really enjoyed the challenge.”

That has been a consistent theme throughout a career that saw her then take the helm at Chestnut Accelerated Middle School, which at the time, in 2004, had more than 1,200 students, an assignment that is in many ways a microcosm of her career and her commitment to help students succeed.

Grade Expectations

Like Sci Tech, as it’s called, Chestnut was facing a number of serious challenges when she arrived, including high absenteeism, a high suspension rate, test scores she described simply as “not so great,” and a relatively poor level of parental engagement.

She addressed those issues the same way she and the team at Sci Tech did, and the one the current administration does now.

“We really took a deep dive into what was happening through quantitative and qualitative data,” she explained. “We took a good look at who the teachers were, their strengths and weaknesses and attributes, and made some changes around the needs of the children.

“We had to look at everything, from the way the children were interacting in the halls to the PE schedule to the lunch schedule, and adjust according to the needs of the children,” she went on, stressing that word ‘we,’ and noting that this was a team effort.

And an effort focused on building those relationships she mentioned earlier, including one with the neighborhood, Plainfield, that surrounded the school.

“Many of our teachers at the time didn’t know the community, and they were afraid of it in many ways,” she explained. “Plainfield had a reputation which I didn’t agree with because I’d always lived in that part of town; I didn’t see what others saw. I saw a beautiful community filled with beautiful people. So we did a lot around the community so people would get to know it and people would get to know us.”

Martinez-Alvarez remained at Chestnut until 2008, when she became senior administrator for the Leadership Continuum and was named to the system’s senior leadership team.

Near the end of 2009, she became chief schools officer for Zone 3, meaning she supervised and led nine middle schools and high schools in the city. And when Warwick became superintendent in 2012, he asked Martinez-Alvarez to join him as assistant superintendent.

As noted earlier, this position comes with a detailed job description and a host of responsibilities.

Running through them quickly, she’s involved in all school initiatives, but specifically oversees everything from IT to attendance; from college readiness to summer school; from student services to Springfield School Volunteers.

That list also includes athletics and, most recently, work to identify the latest members to be enshrined into the SPS Sports Hall of Fame and the naming of its class of 2019, to be honored on Nov. 23 at Central High School.

Slicing through everything within her job description, Martinez-Alvarez said she and all those in administration at SPS are charged with positioning teachers, schools, and students for success.

This brings her back to those aforementioned strategies developed for specific schools within the system in conjunction with the state — and the relationship-building efforts with the many stakeholders involved with these strategic initiatives. And also to something she called “learning walks,” which are taken after plans are created and put into place.

“We need to monitor things and make sure these plans are not dust collectors on the shelf — that they’re live plans that are being fulfilled,” she explained. “We do learning walks — we go through the classrooms and look for evidence that change is occurring and that we’re doing what we told the state we were going to do to in order to make progress and close the learning gap for our students.”

Such initiatives have succeeded in helping 10 city schools exit the list of underperforming facilities, she went on, adding that several are still in underperforming status.

Overall, she believes SPS has turned a corner of sorts over the past several years.

“There are many things we’ve been doing, and that I’ve become personally involved with, to change the dynamics of what’s happening not only in our schools, but in our city,” she told BusinessWest. “And I believe we’re making some real progress.”

That phrase extends to efforts to close that gap involving the unemployed and underemployed, she said, adding that, through a host of initiatives, students are more workforce-ready when they take their diploma on graduation day.

Class Act

When asked to look back at her career to date and identify what she’s most proud of, Martinez-Alvarez didn’t hesitate.

“It’s the work to ensure that our students have the best possible learning experiences before they leave us, and that there’s something for them to go to when they leave,” she said. “It’s not just taking them to the end of their time with us — it’s about where they’re going next and preparing them for that.”

As noted, significant progress has been made in this realm, and Martinez-Alvarez has been a real force in making it come about.

And that’s just one of many reasons why she’s a Woman of Impact.

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