Home 2019 (Page 8)
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]

Women of Impact 2019

Executive Director, Girls Inc. of the Valley

Girls Inc. Leader Is an Innovator, Role Model, and Inspiration

The phone call came roughly 13 years ago, but Suzanne Parker remembers it like it was yesterday.

It came several days after she had agreed to become the new executive director of Girls Inc. of Holyoke, but a few days before she officially took the helm. The caller was informing her that the nonprofit was not going to be able to make payroll that week — unless some action was taken.

“I said, ‘you have a line of credit — and you’re going to have to use it,’ she recalled, adding that this was an expensive but very necessary step for an organization that had relied heavily on a federal grant that was due to expire soon and essentially lacked a plan for sustainability.

As she recounted that phone call all these years later, Parker said she wasn’t entirely surprised by it — “I went into this with my eyes wide open,” she told BusinessWest, noting that she was well aware of the agency’s fiscal condition — and not at all fazed by it.

“I like a good challenge — I knew what I was getting into,” she said, adding that she was in many ways motivated by the situation she found herself in.

Indeed, within a year she had righted the financial ship at the agency through a series of cost-cutting and revenue-generating steps (more on those later) and recalls with a huge dose of pride that she has never again had to tap that aforementioned line of credit.

“Suzanne lives and breathes Girls Inc.’s mission and vision — for girls to be strong, smart, and bold.”

But Parker, who earned a law degree earlier in her career and has certainly put it to very good use in her position, has done much more than put Girls Inc. of Holyoke on solid financial footing. Since becoming executive director in late 2006, she has led the nonprofit on an ambitious course of expansion — geographically, programmatically, and in terms of its overall impact to the region as a whole and to the individual girls who walk through the door.

For starters, she has taken the organization beyond its original borders and into Springfield and Chicopee, territorial expansion that has prompted a name change to Girls Inc. of the Valley. She has also helped introduce new programs, including the hugely successful Eureka program, an innovative and intensive five-year program that Girls Inc. operates in partnership with UMass Amherst and which is developing a pipeline of girls into STEM majors and careers.

Overall, Parker has become deeply and energetically involved in every aspect of the program, from board recruitment to fundraising; from events management to marketing.

And the results have been stunning, with the local chapter of Girls Inc. winning recognition for its efforts regionally — the nonprofit was named one of BusinessWest’s Difference Makers for 2018, for example — and within the Girls Inc. network, especially for its innovative programming.

Melyssa Brown-Porter, chair of the Girls Inc. board, put Parker’s impact on the nonprofit, area girls, and the region in its proper perspective while nominating her to be a Woman of Impact.

“Suzanne lives and breathes Girls Inc.’s mission and vision — for girls to be strong, smart, and bold,” she wrote. “She is extremely passionate about the work that GI is doing for girls and the communities they live in. She is always looking out for the best interest of the girls and concentrates very hard on the results programming has on their lives. Her focus is to reach and serve more girls with impact on our community.

“Suzanne has been an innovator and leader throughout her career,” Brown-Porter went on. “In tune with workforce needs and changes in the economy, Suzanne was piloting state-of-the-art science, technology, engineering, and math programs for girls long before STEM became the focus that is today.”

Innovator. Leader. Inspiration. These are the words many people have used to describe Parker’s work not only at Girls Inc., but at Holyoke Chicopee Springfield Head Start before that and other stops on a lengthy career working with and on behalf of young people.

Some of her best work, however, may be as a role model for the girls who come into the program.

Indeed, Parker, who became a mother at 41, has managed to effectively balance work, life at home, and deep involvement in the community, meaning that girls looking for proof that all that can be accomplished need only walk down a few doors at the Girls Inc. complex in Open Square.

And now, those looking for more descriptive terms that can be applied to Parker have three more — Woman of Impact. Although, truth be told, they’ve probably been using them all along.

Orchestrating Progress

Parker joked that, while she played the clarinet well in her youth growing up in Belchertown — and later in some impressive performance venues, like the Esplanade and Government Center in Boston — she didn’t play it well enough to get paid to do it.

But her love of music prompted her to get a degree in music education from UMass Amherst and eventually teach instrumental band music at Cohasset Middle School. And that’s a good place to begin our story, because it was there that Parker developed an interest in working with young people — and a passion for helping those less privileged.

Seen here with some members of Girls Inc. of the Valley, Suzanne Parker has become a mentor and role model for many members.

“Cohasset was a very affluent community, and, with my humble beginnings in Belchertown, it was a little bit of a culture shock for me,” she explained. “The students I connected with the most were those who were part of the METCO program, mostly students of color living in Dorchester.

“It was important to me to make sure they were included in the band,” she went on. “I also wanted to include kids of different abilities, something that wasn’t the case when I got there, thus creating an environment and atmosphere where there was a lot of inclusion. That’s what I was most proud of from my work there.”

These themes of inclusion and working to provide opportunities to those less fortunate would define her work throughout her career.

Fast-forwarding a little, Parker said she soon realized that she wanted and needed more than teaching, but didn’t know exactly what. She started by returning to Western Mass. and working in sales for a time. Her career path took a rather sharp turn, however, when she saw a sign on the roadside advertising for Head Start substitute teachers.

She knew was overqualified, but took the job anyway, with her first assignment at the Westover Air Reserve center for Head Start. She spent the next 16 years moving up the ladder, serving in a number of roles and eventually deputy director.

Along the way, she realized she needed another degree, and after considering several options, including a master’s in social work and a master’s in education — she settled on a law degree.

“A friend of mine who I grew up with decided to go to law school at Western New England University, and he passed,” she recalled. “And I said to myself, ‘I know that guy — I think I’m as smart as this guy; I think I can do it.’”

So she applied, received some needed financial aid, and went to law school part-time at night, commencing an arduous journey that ended in 2003 when she passed the bar.

“There were many days of tears because I was working tons of hours as a senior-level exec at Head Start,” she said in reference to the difficult task of balancing everything she was doing at the time. “But I did it.”

And now, her very unofficial job description at Girls Inc. is to not only show young girls that they, too, can do it — but to give them a road map for getting where they want to go and the tools to get on the right course and stay on it.

Degrees of Progress

As noted, she has put that law degree to good use, providing ample evidence that such an education isn’t just for those who want to work in the courtroom.

“I use it every day,” she told BusinessWest. “That law-school education helps you every day as an executive director. I use it with everything I’m involved with: contracts, employees, real estate, administrative law — we have federal and state funding — as well as writing skills — I was on the Law Review. It was a really great education, and it has really helped me.

Beyond serving as a great advertisement for law school, those comments hint at Parker’s broad job description at Girls Inc. Slicing through it all, though, her primary work early on involved turning the organization around, putting it on solid financial ground and a path to sustainability — and keeping it on that path.

“It’s all about the mission. It’s so empowering, and there is such a need; we know that there are still gaps that exist with women and girls with regard to opportunities and pay and STEM fields … there’s still such a need, and that’s why we do what we do.”

She’s done that through a variety of measures, including some restructuring, belt-tightening, and the establishment of several of reliable fundraisers, especially the annual Spirit of Girls breakfast, launched in 2007, which does a lot more than raise roughly $150,000 each year, although that is certainly significant.

Indeed, girls involved in the program are heavily involved with the event, and several take to the microphone — in front of an audience of more than 500 people — to talk about Girls Inc. and how it is impacting their lives.

“We keep the expenses incredibly low; it’s a light breakfast, and we don’t pay for speakers — the girls are the speakers,” she told BusinessWest. “It’s an empowering experience for the girls themselves — they take leadership roles in this event.”

The breakfast is just one of the ways the organization works to empower girls and put them on the path to becoming leaders — in their chosen fields and the community as well.

Looking ahead, Parker said the obvious goal is to broaden the regional impact of Girls Inc. and continue those efforts to give the nonprofit the same qualities it strives to give young girls — to be strong, smart, and bold.

Thus, the agency will look to continually extend its reach within Springfield and Chicopee, while keeping Holyoke as its home and base. Finding a new, permanent home is one of the assignments moving forward, said Parker, as is creating sustainability for the Eureka program, conducted in partnership with UMass Amherst and its College of Natural Sciences, Bay Path University, and several other area colleges, and scaling up that initiative. A capital campaign to pay for all this is also in its formative stage.

As for Parker, who has continually sought out new challenges throughout her career, she’s looking forward to being with Girls Inc. as it strives to get to the next level.

“It’s all about the mission,” she noted. “It’s so empowering, and there is such a need; we know that there are still gaps that exist with women and girls with regard to opportunities and pay and STEM fields … there’s still such a need, and that’s why we do what we do.

“Every year, we have the conversation — am I still helping this organization, and is it still a win-win, for me and Girls Inc.?” she went on. “As long as I can still feel challenged and that we’re growing and we’re changing, and that I have something to give and I’m making a difference, I’m in.”

Leading by Example

And there are a great many people who are happy she’s in.

Indeed, Parker has become a Woman of Impact not just because of what she’s done as the leader of a nonprofit clearly in need of strong leadership.

She’s also reached that status by being an effective role model for the girls who join her program — and girls across the region. Years ago, she set goals for herself, understood what was needed to reach those goals, and positioned herself to succeed.

That, in a nutshell, is what Girls Inc. is all about, and while its success doesn’t stem from the work of a single woman, Parker’s influence has greatly enhanced its ability to carry out that all-important mission.

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

Women of Impact 2019

Managing Director, Golden Seeds

This Investor and Mentor Is Making a Difference within the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

Katherine Putnam was a history major in college, and she certainly knows her stuff.

While she really likes European history, she knows all about this country — and this region — as well. She knows, for example, about the very rich tradition of entrepreneurship in Western Mass., and what it meant for the development of individual cities and towns.

“From the 1880s to the turn of the century, Holyoke had more millionaires per capita than any city in the country,” she said, referring to the dozens of mill owners living in the Paper City. “There are two McKim, Mead & White buildings in Holyoke; there was so much money, they were paying for world-renowned architects to come in and design their buildings. And it was the same in Springfield.

“When you read your history books, for 100 to 140 years, this region was a hotbed for entrepreneurial activity,” she went on. “But that hasn’t been true for 50 years.”

Putnam knows that a return to those glory days is certainly not likely, given how global the economy has become and the development of innovation and entrepreneurship hubs such as Silicon Valley, Cambridge, and the Research Triangle. But she firmly believes that the region can once again be a thriving center of new business ventures, and she’s playing an active part in such efforts as managing director of Golden Seeds — a national investment firm that focuses on early-stage businesses that have women in management and leadership roles — and in a host of other roles within this region’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

As an investor and a mentor — the two primary roles she plays — she has a number of goals and missions. They include sparking levels of entrepreneurial activity reminiscent of those from generations ago, and also leveling what is currently a very uneven field when it comes to which demographic groups receive venture capital and mentoring, and which ones don’t.

“We have two main problems overall. We have less money flowing to diverse teams, and there’s less advice flowing to diverse teams. And my mission right now is to try to change that.”

“We have two main problems overall,” she noted. “We have less money flowing to diverse teams, and there’s less advice flowing to diverse teams. And my mission right now is to try to change that.”

Putnam brings an intriguing background, a wide variety of experience, and a host of skills sets to this mission and her various roles within the region’s growing entrepreneurship infrastructure.

Indeed, she started her career in the banking industry before shifting to corporate treasury work and then deciding she wanted to run her own company. In 1996, she put together a group of angel investors and purchased Package Machinery. Before selling it 20 years later, the company had become a technology leader in wrapping machinery for consumer-product manufacturers.

Today, while investing in some developing ventures, she spends most of her waking hours advising and mentoring entrepreneurs, especially women.

Meanwhile, she’s working diligently to create strategies for helping women and minorities crash through the many barriers facing them as entrepreneurs.

“Statistics tell us that 70% of angel money and about 95% of VC [venture capital] money go to teams that are all white males,” she told BusinessWest. “I love white males — I had one as a father, I have one as a son, and I have one as a husband — but that’s not equitable. What are the barriers that are keeping women and minorities — diverse teams — from getting more money?”

There’s no quick or easy answer to that question, she went on, adding that she and some colleagues are hard at work trying to not only find some answers, but develop strategies for somehow changing this equation.

Ali Usman, founder and president of PixelEdge and a fellow investor and mentor of entrepreneurs, summed up Putnam’s work in this region while nominating her for the Woman of Impact award.

“Kate should win this award for her consistent commitment to the entrepreneurial ecosystem,” he wrote. “Kate is not just involved with one project or company at a time. She is constantly using her knowledge and expertise to help others day after day, week after week. Currently, she serves on three different boards, is a managing director of an angel-investment group, and, in her spare time, manages to mentor entrepreneurs through several different programs.”

Actually, mentoring is much more than a ‘spare-time’ pursuit. For Putnam, it’s her passion, and that’s one of many reasons why she’s a Woman of Impact.

Ventures and Adventures

When asked to summarize the best advice she gives to entrepreneurs at all levels, Putnam didn’t hesitate and recited the lines as if she’s uttered them hundreds of time, which she is undoubtedly has.

“Have lots of conversations with your customers and your prospective customers,” she said. “Most people come into this thinking, ‘I have this really cool idea — the world must want this.’ And then they get out there and they realize that the world does not feel enough pain to switch from however they’re solving that problem now.

Kate Putnam says it’s her mission to level the playing field when it comes it diverse groups and their efforts to gain capital and mentors.

“If you get out and make a lot of your widgets without figuring that out, you’ve wasted a lot of time and money,” she went on. “Whether it’s something really cool that you’ve developed in some esoteric lab at UMass at the Institute for Applied Life Sciences or you did it in your garage, you have to figure out who is feeling enough pain to change however they’re doing it now and adopt whatever it is that you’ve developed.

In short, she explained, people are more motivated by pain then they are by gain. “People will go a lot further to avoid losing $10 than they will to gain $10, and so I tend to ask people to think in terms of whether they’re solving someone’s pain and if people will be uncomfortable enough in their pain to switch.”

Steve Jobs was famous for not asking customers what they wanted and for actually saying that “customers don’t know what they want if they haven’t seen it before,” she noted, but he is certainly the exception to the rule with development of such products as the iPhone, and young entrepreneurs would be wise not to emulate that approach.

Passing on such advice has become a career of sorts for Putnam — or the latest career, to be more precise. Indeed, as noted earlier, she’s had several, which in sum have given her exposure to business and entrepreneurship from all angles.

That includes the finance, or funding, side, and also the entrepreneurial, risk-taking side with Package Machinery, which was struggling when she took it over, and she guided it back to prominence within that specific manufacturing niche, increasing machine sales by more than 300%.

In this, her latest career, she spends a good deal of time on the road — she’s put 40,000 miles on her car over the past 15 months by her reckoning — working in a variety of settings and with companies of all shapes and sizes.

Currently, she’s mentoring a few entrepreneurs involved in a program called I-Corps, a National Science Foundation initiative to increase the economic impact of research the agency funds.

“It uses the Lean LaunchPad model for getting people to identify a problem to solve,” she explained, adding that she’s mentoring teams behind ventures in Connecticut and Vermont. “You’re a scientist, and you’ve invented something cool; now you have to figure out if anybody wants it.”

She’s also involved with MIT and its Venture Mentoring Service, and also Valley Venture Mentors in Springfield, which she has served in a number of capacities, including entrepreneur in residence for its most recent accelerator class, as well as Greentown Labs. She’s a founding member of Women Innovators & Trailblazers, which strives to make Western Mass. a more vibrant hub for women innovators and entrepreneurs, and also serves as an instructor with RiseUp Springfield, a seven-month, intensive, hands-on program for established small business owners created through a collaboration between the city of Springfield, the Assoc. of Black Business and Professionals, and the Springfield Regional Chamber.

All this keeps her quite busy and her car’s odometer spinning, but it’s work she’s passionate about.

That’s especially true when it comes to mentoring women, leveling the playing field when it comes to capital and opportunities for women and minorities, and launching — and keeping — more businesses in the 413.

Capital Ideas

And the playing field is certainly not level, she told BusinessWest, citing those statistics concerning venture capital awarded to teams comprised of white men given to white men and noting that, by and large, the investing community has historically treated women differently than men, holding them to what amounts to higher standards.

When asked to elaborate and offer a tutorial, she talked about questions asked by potential investors and some of the categories they fall into, including ‘promotion’ and ‘prevention.’

“Most people come into this thinking, ‘I have this really cool idea — the world must want this. And then, they get out there and they realize that the world does not feel enough pain to switch from however they were solving that problem now.”

“A promotion question would be ‘how big would the market for your product possibly be globally?’” she explained. “And a prevention question would be ‘how are you going to reach your first $1 million in sales — how are you going to do that?’”

Prevention questions are associated with raising less money, she went on, adding that the more of these questions an individual or team gets, the less money they are likely to raise.

“We know that women get more prevention questions than promotion questions,” she went on, adding that she can’t get inside the heads of investors and come up with an answer to why this is the case, but she had some guesses.

“The sense of it is that the general theory is that women are less competent than men,” she said. “It’s also true that most of the people who are doing the investing are white men, and that they prefer to invest in and mentor people who look like them.”

Diversity refers to geography as well, she said, adding that there is less money flowing to people in more remote areas because, well, there is simply less money there, from the seed (friends and family) level on up to the VC rounds.

“If you’re in Wellesley and you want to raise seed money, it’s a lot easier there than if you’re in Holyoke,” she explained. “In Wellesley, you’ve got friends and family who are likely to have money, and in Holyoke, you’re less likely to have that.”

As she mentioned, changing this equation has become a mission, and she’s carrying it out in a number of ways, from creation of Golden Seeds to involvement with groups like VVM and SPARK EforAll Holyoke, to mentoring in places like Springfield, Holyoke, and other communities in this region.

These are cities, which, as she noted at the top, have a rich history of innovation, entrepreneurship, and risk-taking that is, unfortunately, referred to mostly in the past tense.

“That kind of attitude toward building it, and taking the risk, and making that investment has been gone from this region for quite a while,” she noted. “And it’s tough to recreate it; it’s a real challenge.”

She acknowledged that the needle is moving in the right direction when it comes to entrepreneurial energy and startups taking flight, but not enough movement to suit her.

“I’m impatient — I want to see more activity, sooner, faster, all those things,” she said, adding that the two main ingredients needed are capital and mentoring. There is some of each, but there needs to be more if companies are going to get off the ground and then remain in the 413 rather than packing up and going to where the capital is, be it Cambridge, Boston, San Francisco, or somewhere else.

In Good Company

Reflecting on what has happened in recent years when it comes entrepreneurial activity in this region and efforts to level an uneven laying field when it comes to opportunities and capital for women and minorities, Putnam said there has indeed been change.

Just not enough of it.

As she said, it is her mission to create more of it. That’s the latest focal point of a career that has included success in business and a host of initiatives to help others enjoy some of that same success.

And it’s just another way in which she’s certainly a Woman of Impact.

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

Daily News

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) and the Cannabis Community Care and Research Network (C3RN) recently announced the creation of the Cannabis Education Center to provide education and training opportunities and other business resources to individuals in the region who want to work in the state’s newly legalized cannabis industry.

“The emerging cannabis industry in Western Massachusetts will spur investment, economic growth, and job creation in the Pioneer Valley,” said Jeff Hayden, HCC’s vice president of Business and Community Services. “The purpose of the Cannabis Education Center is to create an innovative learning space for those interested in joining the cannabis workforce as an employee or entrepreneur.”

HCC and C3RN are designated training partners through the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission’s Social Equity Vendor Training program. The program was designed to provide priority access, training, and technical assistance to those negatively impacted by the drug war.

The Cannabis Education Center will be managed out of HCC’s Kittredge Center and provide academic advising and workforce training, public education events that highlight entrepreneurship and workforce development, entrepreneurship events for those interested in joining the cannabis industry as a startup company, and social-equity training for applicants qualified through the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission’s Social Equity Training program.

More information about these programs will be posted soon on the Cannabis Education Center’s website, cannabiseducationcenter.org.

The Cannabis Education Center will also be running four previously announced certificate programs for specific jobs in the cannabis industry: cannabis culinary assistant, cannabis retail/patient advocate, cannabis cultivation assistant, and cannabis extraction technician assistant. The first of those programs, cannabis culinary assistant, will begin on Jan. 11, 2020, at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute.

Each certificate program will consist of 96 hours of instruction, half of which will be held on the HCC campus with the other half conducted through C3RN’s internship program with participating dispensaries, cultivators, manufacturers, and ancillary businesses. 

Registration and scholarship information will be released on the Cannabis Education Center website on Friday, Nov. 1.

“The Cannabis Education Center is the first of its kind in Massachusetts,” said Marion McNabb, CEO of C3RN. “Our programs are designed to provide high-quality, skill-based, and innovative training that not only give students knowledge of the industry, but also practical experience through on-site internship programs with local cannabis partners. Working with local industry, educators, students, and policy makers, we aim to create a learning and collaborative environment that utilizes innovative educational technologies and covers the latest trends and best practices, including B2B and B2C resources.”

C3RN and HCC will also be running five courses for the entrepreneurship track in the Social Equity Program starting Saturday, Nov. 23 at HCC’s Picknelly Adult and Family Education Center, 206 Maple St., Holyoke. The first two-session class, set for Nov. 23-24 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., will focus on business-plan creation and development. Information about scholarships will be posted soon on the Cannabis Education Center website.

Daily News

HOLYOKE — The Community Education Project (CEP) in Holyoke is will host its comedy-night fundraising event on Thursday, Nov. 14 at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, 164 Race St., Holyoke. “Laughter for Language” will feature three local comedians, food trucks on site beginning at 6:30 p.m., raffles, and other auction items. All proceeds will benefit the Community Education Project, an adult-literacy program.

In addition to welcoming attendees for this event, multiple sponsorship opportunities are available as well. All sponsors will get name recognition at the event as well as on the fundraising site, CEP website, and social-media pages.

Click here to become a sponsor, donate, or purchase tickets. Call Rose Egan at (413) 538-5770 to learn more about the event.

Daily News

AGAWAM — OMG Roofing Products announced that Kingbill Zhao has been promoted to director of Key Accounts and International Sales. He replaces Web Shaffer, who was promoted to senior vice president and general manager of the company’s FastenMaster Division.

In his new role, Zhao will manage all sales and marketing activities of the company’s three key account managers, as well as the company’s international sales and its European and Asia market managers. He reports to Peter Coyne, senior vice president and general manager.

Zhao joined OMG Roofing Products in January 2010 as the company’s first employee in Asia, and was instrumental in not only building its presence in China, but also in hiring the team in place now in China. Prior to joining OMG, he worked for the Chinese National Building Waterproof Assoc. as manager of the International Liaison Department. Earlier, he worked for North China Power Engineering Co. in Nigeria as commercial manager on a substation expansion project.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Beijing International Study University and is pursuing his MBA from Washington State University. He is based at the company’s Agawam headquarters.

Daily News

LONGMEADOW — Ruth’s House, an assisted-living residence at JGS Lifecare, has joined with the Alzheimer’s Assoc. to host a three-part educational series on Alzheimer’s disease. Attendees can sign up for any one or all three of these educational sessions. 

Heather Jagodowski, the Western Mass. program coordinator for the Alzheimer’s Assoc., will lead these three discussions and answer questions and concerns. Topics to be addressed at each session include “The 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease” (Tuesday, Oct. 29), “Safety and Memory” (Wednesday, Nov. 13), and “Understanding and Responding to Dementia-related Behavior” (Monday, Nov. 18).

All three events will begin at 6 p.m., and are free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. Tours of independent and memory-care neighborhoods will be available. Guests are encouraged to RSVP by calling the Alzheimer’s Assoc. at (800) 272-3900. For questions, contact Darlene Francis, executive director of Ruth’s House, at (413) 567-6212 or [email protected]. For more information, visit jgslifecare.org/events.

Daily News

SOUTH HADLEY — Insa is partnering with Easterseals Massachusetts and Pedal Thru Youth for a Bonfire 4 Bikes Night on Saturday, Nov. 2 from 6 to 9 p.m. at McCray’s Country Creamery, 55 Alvord St., South Hadley. This event is part of a collaborative community effort to raise money for adaptive bikes to provide to children with disabilities and families in need.

“As locally focused as we are here at Insa, we recognize how important it is to serve the community around us,” said Marketing Manager Joseph Bonafilia. “When it came to us that Bob the Bike Man needed a partner for his event, we were excited to help out in any way we could.”

Bob “the Bike Man” Charland, founder of the nonprofit Pedal Thru Youth Inc., is working with local organizations to purchase and customize these specialized bikes that retail at approximately $5,000.

Guests will enjoy a bonfire, food, beer, and live music. This event is for guests age 21 and older. Tickets are $30, which covers admission, entertainment, food, and the attendee’s first beer. To purchase tickets, click here.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Launch413 will host the first in a new triannual event series, Western New England Demo Day, at TechSpring in downtown Springfield on Tuesday, Nov. 12.

The purpose of this event is to bring local startups and investors together to give entrepreneurs greater access to capital, and investors more options for local investment. WNE Demo Day aims to provide a friendly and organized environment for startups and investors to meet each other and find new paths to mutual prosperity.

In June 2019, Launch413 hosted a pilot Demo Day event at Valley Venture Mentors in downtown Springfield. The event was a success, drawing the interests of more than 30 local startups and five other investment groups, each of which has brought its support to the new WNE Demo Day event series (including River Valley Investors, Milltown Capitol, Alchemy Fund, Golden Seeds, and Maroon Fund).

“Demo Day is a big step forward for access to capital in the Western New England ecosystem,” said Paul Silva, Launch413 founder. “By facilitating easy ‘speed dating’ between investors and startups, the WNE Demo Day creates a low-risk, high-reward environment for both parties.”

Launch413 first conceived of Demo Day as a tool to further Launch413’s mission of providing guidance from veteran executives to local startups in need of a path to scalability. Demo Day would provide a way to get these startups the funding they need. After the Demo Day pilot event exceeded expectations, Launch413 learned of the need for a regular event like this from both startups and investors.

Launch413 is looking forward to seeing how the Western New England Demo Day can help local startups grow and local investors keep their capital in the Western New England economy for equal or greater returns.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Teach Western Mass recently announced its selection as a member of the Diverse Teachers cohort at ​NewSchools Venture Fund​, supported by the Walton Family Foundation.

Teach Western Mass is one of 14 organizations in the cohort. Each cohort member is committed to enhancing the recruitment, development, and retention of underrepresented teachers (including Black, Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Native American/Alaskan Native teachers). In addition to financial support, NewSchools will provide management assistance and create a community of practice for the cohort members.

“We are honored to be recognized as one of 14 innovative initiatives increasing teacher diversity in classrooms across the country,” said Pema Latshang, founding executive director of Teach Western Mass (TWM). “We believe that teachers who reflect our students’ experience and identity can help them to attain educational success. Our students are some of the most diverse in Massachusetts, and this new investment is a perfect match for the incredible diversity in Holyoke and Springfield schools.”

The TWM Residency is a customized credentialing program training new teachers to be effective in the classroom while building strong relationships in their school communities and developing standards-based and culturally relevant curriculum for students in the region’s highest-need schools. The program aims to reduce barriers to entry into the teaching profession for people of color and career changers.

“I am proud of NewSchools’ commitment to this work,” said Frances Messano, a senior managing partner at NewSchools Venture Fund who leads the Diverse Leaders strategy. “Today’s students are the most racially diverse in the history of this country, and it’s time to have teachers who match that diversity. We, with support from the Walton Family Foundation, are eager to support this new cohort focused on diversifying the teaching force. This cohort is an impressive group that will make a difference.”

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Western New England University Small Business Clinic is accepting applications from entrepreneurs and small-business owners seeking legal assistance for the spring 2020 semester. Under faculty supervision, law students assist clients with legal issues including choice of entity, employment policies, contract drafting, regulatory compliance, and intellectual-property issues relating to trademark applications and copyright.

This is a free service available to local businesses that might not have the resources to obtain such services. The Small Business Clinic has assisted more than 300 small businesses since it opened.

“The clinic is a great resource for entrepreneurs who lack the finances to retain an attorney,” said Robert Statchen, associate clinical professor of Law. “By using the clinic’s services, businesses can avoid problems by getting legal issues addressed early and correctly. It also provides students with a great opportunity to get real-world experience.”

The clinic asks small-business owners to submit their applications by Sunday, Dec. 15. Applications received after that date will be considered if additional resources are available. Students will begin providing services in January. For more information, call the Legal Clinic at (413) 782-1469 or e-mail Marie Fletcher, Clinical Programs administrator, at [email protected].

The School of Law Small Business Legal Clinic was established to afford law students with an opportunity to provide practical consultation to entrepreneurs starting new and building existing small businesses in the community. This initiative strengthens alliances within the community by using the resources of the university to foster new business development.

For more information or to complete an online application, click here.

Daily News

PITTSFIELD — Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) Berkshire County ran its first All-Ideas Pitch Contest at the Berkshire Museum, awarding first prize of $1,000 to Kaitlyn Pierce of Binka Bear, a product that helps wean children off pacifiers. She also won the Fan Favorite award of $500.

Second place prize of $750 went to Michelle Latimer and Leia Miller for their idea 413 Bubbly, a mobile prosecco/champagne business.  

Third place went to Erin Laundry of Bottomless Bricks, a building-block birthday-party business with a storefront in Adams.

More than 100 members of the community came to support the new business ideas, where 11 individuals were invited to showcase and eight pitched their ideas.

The contest judges were Evan Valenti of Steven Valenti Clothing, Jodi Rathbun-Briggs of Greylock Federal Credit Union, John Lewis of Sp3ak Easy Studios, Laurie Mick of PERC and the city of Pittsfield, Linda Dulye of Dulye & Co., and Lindsey Schmid of 1Berkshire.

“The pitch contest puts EforAll’s promise into action,” said Peter Taylor, president of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. “It’s EforAll’s first step in helping connect residents with big ideas and drive to resources that can help move their new businesses forward. The community foundation is proud to support inclusive economic growth and investment in business ideas that will benefit our communities and local entrepreneurs.”

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EASTHAMPTON — Karen Smith Wohlers has joined Smith Brothers Insurance and will be responsible for employee-benefits compliance and legal services. She has a strong background in human resources and compliance, which will complement Smith Brothers’ growing employee-benefits services in support of clients throughout the U.S. Previously, she was vice president of Human Resources and then chief operating officer at Square One.

“Karen’s experience and impact with both nonprofit and for-profit organizations, as well as her compliance training and consulting work for the Employer Association of the NorthEast, will be a significant addition to our employee-benefits practice,” said Don Poulin, Employee Benefits practice leader at Smith Brothers Insurance. “Our team is looking forward to working with Karen and introducing her to our clients, partners, and our community.”

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CHICOPEE — Joe Phillips, president of Phillips Insurance Agency Inc., recently delivered a $5,000 check to John Freedman and state Rep. Brian Ashe for the eighth annual Joseph D. Freedman Bowl-a-Thon. John is the founder of the event, and Ashe will serve as master of ceremonies.

The event is being held Saturday, Nov. 16 at AMF Lanes in Chicopee. All proceeds will benefit Camphill Village, a community for adults with developmental disabilities who live and work together, caring for each other. Last year, hundreds of bowlers enjoyed the bowling, face painting, and other activities.

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SPRINGFIELD — Health New England, a regional health plan based in Springfield, was named a 2019 WorkWell Massachusetts Award Program Silver Level winner for exemplary worksite health promotion. The award recognizes Health New England’s achievements developing, implementing, and participating in corporate health-improvement and wellness programs.

The Health New England Healthy Directions wellness program encourages overall well-being, helping employees focus on prevention, nutrition, and physical activity. With leadership support, Healthy Directions is able to offer engaging and evidence-based health tools and incentives. An easy-to-access online portal, onsite nutritional counseling, tread desks, healthy dining options, group fitness challenges, and intensive lifestyle-change programs are examples of Health New England’s dedication to creating an enjoyable and healthy work culture for all its employees.

“We are very excited that Health New England has been recognized for the second year in a row for our exemplary worksite wellness program,” said Katie Bruno, Public Health and Wellness Program manager for Health New England. “Our mission at Health New England is to improve the health and lives of the people in our communities, and that includes our associates. This award reinforces all the hard work my team supports to make Health New England a healthy and great place to work.”

WorkWell Massachusetts Award is a corporate award program created by the Worksite Wellness Council of Massachusetts (WWCMA), a not-for-profit member organization dedicated to the advancement of worksite wellness programs. The award program’s criteria are based on the employers’ strategic planning and organizational support, program design and implementation, participant engagement, and measurements and evaluation. Applications were reviewed and designated by a WWCMA-appointed committee of industry professionals.

“Now in our fifth year, the WorkWell Massachusetts Awards acknowledge the impressive work underway by employers to improve the well-being and vitality of their employees,” said Archana Kansagra, WWCMA board director and chair of the awards and recognition committee. “It’s a great honor to recognize this year’s winners, who are leading the way in their commitment to well-being and addressing all the dimensions of an individual — physical and mental health, social connectedness, community involvement, and financial security.”

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GREENFIELD — Mass Mentoring Partnership (MMP), the only statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding quality youth mentoring in Massachusetts, is awarding $869,000 in mentoring matching grants to mentoring and youth-serving organizations across the state. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County is one of only 44 organizations chosen to receive a grant.

These funds were approved by the state Legislature in the FY 2020 budget and are the only state funding dedicated to the mentoring field. MMP worked closely with legislative and community partners in advocating for the money, which represents a 110% increase over the last two years.

The Mass Mentoring Partnership matching grant is used to make and support one-to-one mentoring matches that help ignite the power and promise of Franklin County youth.

“Our partnership with Mass Mentoring provides us with much-needed funding, for which we are grateful, but they also provide us with trainings, technical assistance, and knowledge sharing to help develop the highest-quality mentoring programs for Franklin County,” said Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County Executive Director Jennifer Webster.

The mentoring matching grants are managed by MMP, with oversight from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and are intended to improve students’ attitudes towards school. Research has shown that young people who are in mentoring relationships show improved academic performance, better school attendance, and a greater chance of going on to higher education. Despite this compelling evidence, there remains a shortage of mentors, with research suggesting that one in three young people will grow up without one. This year’s grants are expected to create and support more than 3,200 high-quality mentor and mentee matches in schools and youth-serving programs statewide.

MMP President and CEO Lily Mendez is proud of the work Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County is doing in Franklin County. “For children to grow up to become active, engaged, and thriving members of the community, they need adults in their lives who can serve as positive role models and help them explore, learn, reach, and evolve,” she said. “Through their work, Big Brothers Big Sisters is improving educational opportunities and life outcomes of our young people.”

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SPRINGFIELD — As part of its commitment to the health of all Bay State communities and economic development across the state, Eversource presented Massachusetts United Way agencies with contributions totaling more than $930,000 this year that support programs and services for hundreds of thousands of residents around the state.

In total, Eversource and thousands of the company’s employees across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Connecticut contributed more than $2.2 million to the United Way in 2019 to support after-school programs, health clinics, workforce-development programs, weatherization for low-income homeowners, and more.

“Just as our dedicated employees are there for our customers when severe weather strikes, they also answer the call to support our communities every year with their generous commitment to help fund critical programs focused on education, health, financial security, and more,” said Craig Hallstrom, Eversource’s president of regional electric operations in Connecticut and Massachusetts. “We believe that the health of our communities is driven by people who are dedicated to making life better for those in need like the employees and volunteers at United Way. That’s why we are passionate about our partnership with United Way, serving thousands of our neighbors throughout the state.”

Eversource’s contributions to agencies throughout the state include a corporate gift of more than $515,000 as well as $410,000 in personal contributions made by Massachusetts employees during the company’s annual giving campaign for the United Way.

Additionally, Eversource employees across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Connecticut have volunteered more than 1,300 hours in partnership with the United Way to serve hundreds of nonprofits throughout New England.

“We are proud to count Eversource as one of our most generous partners in strengthening communities across the commonwealth,” said Paul Mina, president and CEO of the United Way of Pioneer Valley. “They have cultivated a culture of philanthropy within their company, and their employees are some of our most charitable supporters. Eversource is a top corporate partner, and their commitment to strengthening and giving back to our communities has helped ensure access to the critical programs thousands rely on.”

Daily News

HOLYOKE — Way Finders will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its Library Commons development, which will include 38 affordable apartments, support services, and retail and cultural spaces, on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 1 p.m. at Holyoke Public Library, 250 Chestnut St.

Those expected to be in attendance include Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, Way Finders President and CEO Peter Gagliardi, Janelle Chan from the Department of Housing and Community Development, Roger Herzog from Community Economic Development Assistance Corp., Nancy McCafferty from the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, Anne Teschner from the Care Center, and representatives from the Massachusetts Housing Investment Corp., Holyoke City Council, and Chestnut Community Alliance. 

The development will feature 23 two-bedroom apartments and 15 three-bedroom apartments. The complex also features on-site laundry facilities, two wheelchair-accessible apartments, and 54 off-street parking spaces, and is a short walk to child-care centers, transportation, and schools.

Way Finders has also developed a partnership with the Care Center on Roqué House, a first-of-its-kind facility in the Commonwealth that will provide 10 two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments for families headed by young parents who are full-time students. 

Library Commons is comprised of two rehabilitated historical buildings and one newly constructed building. Way Finders’ services will be made available on-site. There will also be meeting space, classrooms, and an art studio/gallery available to all Library Commons residents. 

The architect for the project is Dietz & Co. Architects Inc., and the contractor is NL Construction Inc.

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NORTHAMPTON — Girls on the Run of Western Massachusetts reported a successful Autumn Auction on Oct. 19. The event raised enough money to fund five more teams in Western Mass. Mill 180 Park in Easthampton donated the space and all the food for the event, while 70 items were donated by local business, and a cake was donated by Small Oven.

Girls on the Run is a positive, physical-activity-based youth-development program that uses fun running games and dynamic discussions to teach life skills to girls in grades 3-8. Participants develop and improve competence, feel confidence in who they are, develop strength of character, respond to others and themselves with care, create positive connections with peers and adults, and make a meaningful contribution to community and society.

During the 10-week program, girls participate in lessons that foster confidence, build peer connections, and encourage community service while they prepare for a celebratory, end-of-season 5K event. The next event is the GOTR 5K at Smith College on Saturday, Nov. 23 starting at 10:30 a.m. This event is open to the public.

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SPRINGFIELD — Springfield School Volunteers (SSV) recently revealed the names of the Forward Fifty honorees to be recognized at the Forward Fifty golden-anniversary fundraising gala on Wednesday, Nov. 20 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 starting at 5:30 p.m. with a celebration of SSV’s rich history through speakers, photos, and videos. There will also be a buffet dinner, cash bar, and awards presentation.

Tickets cost $50. Proceeds from the gala will help SSV continue its work of improving the lives of Springfield’s students one student at a time. For more information, visit ssvgoldengala.eventbrite.com.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Viability Inc. announced that Don Kozera will serve as interim president and CEO following the recent death of President and CEO Dick Venne.

“With decades of executive leadership experience, Don rejoins Viability to provide support and guidance for the organization,” said Patricia Robinson, vice president. “During this time, Don and the board will be collaborating to identify the future needs of Viability and how we continue to develop our organization better together.”

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GREENFIELD — Gov. Charlie Baker recently appointed Hector Toledo, vice president and Branch Distribution Network officer at Greenfield Savings Bank, to Greenfield Community College’s (GCC) board of trustees. One of 11 trustees, he will replace former trustee Linda Melconian.

Toledo joins the board with close to 30 years of experience in banking. Before joining Greenfield Savings Bank in 2018, he held executive positions at People’s United Bank, Hampden Bank, and Bank of America. Raised in Springfield, he has spent the past 25 years volunteering for numerous nonprofits. He is a board member and chair of the finance committee for Baystate Health, a board member for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, a former chairperson of the board of Springfield Technical Community College (STCC), and a board member of both the YMCA of Greater Springfield and the United Way of Pioneer Valley.

“We are delighted to have Hector join our board,” said GCC President Yves Salomon-Fernandez. “He is a seasoned executive who is no stranger to the community-college board role. His perspectives will serve us well as we advance equity in terms of access to opportunities and outcomes in our communities.”

Though new to the college, Toledo has served on boards alongside former GCC President Bob Pura, and is acutely aware of the life-changing impact community colleges have on the students they serve. An alum of STCC, he is of the first generation in his family to attend college.

“One of the greatest qualities of community colleges in this state is the automatic support and hope given to students regardless of where they come from, their ethnicity, their gender, or their age,” Toledo said. “Community colleges are among the few beacons of hope left across the state where people with little or no money can pursue their dreams or even just figure out what those dreams are with little to no debt. They make higher education a possibility rather than a pipe dream.”