January 7, 2020 - BusinessWest

NEW YORK, N.Y. — Girls Inc., a nonprofit that inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold, released “Stronger, Smarter, Bolder: Girls Take the Lead,” a report of studied insights into what is needed to ensure girls are prepared to succeed in leadership roles in business, politics, and their communities.

The report presents both a wide-ranging analysis of the latest research on the primary factors shaping girls’ lives today and recommendations for the most crucial supports communities should focus on for girls. In a new study by the American Institutes for Research, girls who receive the supports offered by Girls Inc. have a significant advantage over their peers who do not.

While more women are in key leadership positions today than ever before, there still exists a pervasive gender gap in top leadership. “Stronger, Smarter, Bolder: Girls Take the Lead” outlines four fundamental supports that Girls Inc. has determined are universally beneficial to girls and create the conditions for girls to overcome systemic societal challenges and become strong leaders: providing mentoring relationships, encouraging girls to develop and use their voices, promoting positive self-image, and fostering intellectual confidence.

These supports help girls navigate and overcome the multifaceted, interconnected, and persistent barriers they face. The report highlights some of the most recent and significant research on girls, pointing to trends in 11 key factors that shape their lives. The report presents a comprehensive, holistic view of the landscape in which girls in both the U.S. and Canada are growing up. The following factors are examined: physical activity, mental health, substance use, teen pregnancy, educational achievement, STEM experiences, graduation rates, juvenile justice, healthy relationships (encompassing harassment), sexual abuse, and leadership opportunities.

“The research shows us that Girls Inc. is making progress on some of the toughest issues girls face — but we, and all of us working in this field, still have a ways to go, especially for girls of color, LBGTQ+ girls, and low-income girls,” said Stephanie Hull, president and CEO of Girls Inc. “They need equity of access to well-being and opportunity, and we have to see the whole girl in her context and community. That’s what Girls Inc. has always done. We think that’s a key to the success we’ve achieved.”

Recently, the American Institutes for Research completed a rigorous comparison study designed to isolate and identify the impact of Girls Inc. on girls’ lives. The evaluation was a two-year, quasi-experimental research study that compared girls in Girls Inc. with a similar group of non-participating girls on subjective self-report measures from girls on their experiences, skills, and attitudes, and objective measures from schools on academic and school-based performance.

Researchers determined with confidence that, regardless of demographic, academic, and social characteristics, girls who participated in Girls Inc. were outpacing their peers in multiple areas of success and were more likely to see themselves as leaders, with the skills and capabilities to influence and improve their local communities; exercise regularly and participate in sports teams; have higher standardized math test scores and self-confidence in STEM subjects, and see themselves in STEM careers; and be engaged in and attend school, be less likely to be suspended, and be prepared for life after high school.

“Our study found that girls who participate in the Girls Inc. experience demonstrated improved academic performance, school-related behaviors, physical activity, and leadership outcomes,” said Deborah Moroney, managing director of American Institutes for Research, a not-for-profit research organization focused on social-science research, evaluation, and technical assistance.

“For those of us that work and volunteer at Girls Inc., we see girls grow and thrive every day,” said Suzanne Parker, executive director of Girls Inc. of the Valley. “For a nonprofit, though, that’s not enough. This third-party evaluation demonstrates the positive impact that Girls Inc. makes in the lives of girls, and demonstrates to the community that the investment is worthwhile.”

Parker added that the study will also show areas in which Girls Inc. can continue to grow and strengthen. “To be a part of an organization like Girls Inc. that has demonstrated the commitment to showing its impact feels pretty darn good.”

Holyoke Hummus Co. to Celebrate Five-year Anniversary on Jan. 10

By BusinessWest Staff January 7, 2020

Daily News

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Hummus Co., a café, award-winning food truck, and catering company, is celebrating its fifth year in business with an anniversary party on Friday, Jan. 10 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Holyoke Hummus Café, 285 High St., Holyoke.

The event will include door Prizes all day, cake, an art opening featuring the work of Holyoke artist Chris Blair from 5 to 7 p.m., and Lady Ha-Ha Comedy Open Mic. Comic sign-up for a five-minute set starts at 6:30 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m.

Holyoke Hummus Co. hosts Lady Ha-Ha, a comedy and storytelling open mic for women and non-binary comics, every second Friday. Jennifer Myszkowski, Lady Ha-Ha organizer, explained that the only rule is no hateful material. “You don’t have to be nice, but you cannot share racist, homophobic, transphobic, or misogynistic material. Let’s create a safe space to share our art.”

Holyoke Hummus, which serves falafel, hummus, and other Middle Eastern treats, is open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The food trucks and catering services are available for large and small events.

bankESB and Its Employees Support United Way of Hampshire County

By BusinessWest Staff January 7, 2020

Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — Matthew Sosik, president and CEO of bankESB, announced that the bank recently donated $61,000 to the United Way of Hampshire County. The bank directly pledged $25,000, while the bank’s employees contributed another $36,000 of their own funds in support of the United Way’s workplace campaign. That campaign provides employees with the opportunity to donate and direct funds, volunteer time, and advocate for causes that are most important to them.

Since 2010, the bank and its employees have donated more than $210,000 to the United Way of Hampshire County, which has been a leader in community giving for nearly a century. Through its community-investment program, the organization awards more than $700,000 in multi-year grants annually to local health and social-services programs that focus on children, youth, and their families; health and safety; and economic security.

“United Way has been instrumental in helping improve the quality of life for individuals in our communities,” Sosik said. “bankESB and our employees are proud to support the organization because, together, we are doing more.”

HCC Extends Service Hours Before Spring Semester

By BusinessWest Staff January 7, 2020

Daily News

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) will hold extended service hours to accommodate new and continuing students for the spring 2020 semester.

Beginning Monday, Jan. 13 and continuing through the end of the first week of classes on Friday, Jan. 31, HCC Admissions, Advising, Testing, Financial Aid, and Student Accounts offices will open at 8:30 a.m. and stay open until 7 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays. On Fridays, those offices will be open from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. The spring 2020 academic semester begins Monday, Jan. 27.

“There is still plenty of time for students to register for spring,” said Renee Tastad, dean of Enrollment Management and College Access Programs. “We know students are very busy with jobs and families and life in general, so we try to make all the accommodations we can so the registration process is smooth for everyone.”

Admissions, Testing, and Advising are located on the first floor of HCC’s new Campus Center, with parking available in Lot S in front of the building. Financial Aid and Student Accounts are located on the second floor of the Frost Building with visitors parking available in Lot J.

For more information, contact HCC Admissions at (413) 552-2321 or [email protected].

Economic Outlook 2020

By George O'Brien January 7, 2020

Cover Story

History indicates a recession, but most just aren’t seeing evidence of one

‘Optimistic skepticism.’ That’s the phrase one area bank president summoned as he talked about the year ahead and, more specifically, talk of a recession. While history — especially as it relates to the inverted yield curve — tells us one is very likely, most all other indicators, from unemployment and inflation rates to the stock market to the steady pipeline of work on the books at area construction-related firms we spoke with, say something else.

It was the Monday before Christmas. John Raymaakers II wasn’t planning on being in that day, but an important bid was due, and he had to wrap up the paperwork.

There were a lot of bids to vie for in 2019, Raymaakers, a principal with Westfield-based general contractor J.L. Raymaakers & Sons Inc., told BusinessWest, noting that the company prevailed in several of these competitions, success that translated into one of the company’s better years recently.

And it’s a trend he expects will continue into 2020.

“We’re still busy at this time of year, and that’s a good thing for us,” he said, noting that the firm specializes in heavy civil construction work such as water, sewer, and drainage systems. “And we’ve got jobs we’re bidding on — one today and another next week. We have a good amount of work in front of us, so we’re feeling pretty good.”

Raymaakers is not alone when it comes to a generally positive outlook for the year ahead. Indeed, BusinessWest talked with several business owners, including many in the construction sector — usually a highly accurate barometer of the overall economy — to get a feel for what might be in store as a new decade dawns.

Slicing through the various comments, it appears there is some uncertainty about the year ahead, which is natural given the considerable talk about a recession, the fact that is a presidential election year, and the ongoing workforce issues facing virtually every sector of the economy.

But there was also something approaching consensus that the generally good times that prevailed in 2019 — and for the past several years, for that matter — will continue in the year ahead.

Tom Senecal, president and CEO of Holyoke-based PeoplesBank, told BusinessWest that, while some indicators may give pause for concern, such as an inverted yield curve (more on that later), most would indicate there is little trouble on the immediate horizon.

“The economy is doing really well,” he said. “We see that in our numbers — from our loan perspective, with delinquency rates … everything is humming along.”

Curtis Edgin, a principal with the Chicopee-based architecture firm Caolo & Bieniek, sounded a similar tone when asked what he’s seeing and hearing.

Tom Senecal says he believes in history and the power of the inverted yield curve to forecast recessions. But his eyes prompt him to be ‘optimistically skeptical’ about a downturn.

“No one’s seen any signs of it letting up,” he said of an expansion that has lasted a full decade now, adding quickly that he’s seen enough economic cycles to know that things can change quickly. He just hasn’t seen any evidence that they will.

Meanwhile, Scott Keiter, a principal with Northampton-based Keiter Builders, said his firm had a record year in 2019. He quickly qualified that by saying the business, only 11 years old, has grown every year since its inception and 2019 was merely the latest in a succession of ‘record years.’

That said, the company, like others we spoke with, has a solid flow of work that will keep it busy well into the new year, with more projects on the horizon.

“Most of our work is institutional and commercial, but we also saw a significant increase in larger residential projects, and I think that’s a good sign — people are willing to invest significant amounts of money in their properties” he said. “And we have a good, secured pipeline for the spring and early summer, and that’s not always the case.”

But, while general optimism prevails, there are challenges facing business owners and managers, especially when it comes to workforce issues, specifically finding and retaining talent.

Indeed, what was once considered a good problem to have — and some still use that phrase because it generally means business is good — is now considered to be just a problem. A nagging problem.

“My membership would say, to a company, that the biggest barrier they have to increased growth is finding more people and finding the right people to expand the workforce and take on additional work that’s out there,” said Rick Sullivan, president of the Economic Development Council (EDC) of Western Mass. “The biggest problem we’re facing is workforce — finding talent, developing talent, and retaining talent — and that’s across all levels, from entry level to middle and upper management.”

For this issue and its focus on the 2020 Economic Outlook, BusinessWest talked with several business and economic-development leaders about what to expect in the year ahead. While no one has a crystal ball, most say their eyes tell them the decade-long expansion could certainly continue into the next decade.

Work in the Pipeline

Senecal told BusinessWest he was giving a speech a few months back, and while talking about the economy in general, he referenced the inverted yield curve and its historical significance.

“Every time a yield curve has gone inverted or flat in the past 50 years, and there have been seven times, in every single case it has indicated a recession, usually about nine months after the yield curve gets inverted,” he said, summarizing his remarks. “Which would indicate a recession around May or June of 2020; that’s what history tells us.

“But when you look at our economic numbers — extremely low unemployment, inflation in check, economic growth being wonderful, the stock market doing wonderful … I’m not a predictor, but indications don’t feel the same as they have over the past 50 years,” he went on. “If you’re a believer in historical data as a predictor of future performance, then the numbers say a recession should come in May or June. But I just don’t see it. I am a believer in history, and I am a believer in data, but let’s just say that I’m optimistically skeptical when it comes to a recession.”

There are a many reasons to be optimistically skeptical when it comes to a recession, especially when talking with those in construction-related businesses, which, as noted, provide an historically accurate barometer of what’s happening with the economy.

That’s especially true of architects, who usually feel the effects of a downturn before almost anyone else. Edgin, who, as noted, has been through a number of ups and downs in the economic cycle in his 35-year career, said he hasn’t seen anything to indicate the economy is slowing to any great degree.

His firm handles both public- and private-sector work, and especially the former. Edgin said this diversity has helped it ride out the slow times. The firm has completed much of its work involving an $85 million elementary-school project in Easthampton and doesn’t have anything approaching that scale in the pipeline. But there is work in the pipeline.

Scott Keiter says his construction business has a solid pipeline of work heading into 2020, a sign of a generally sound economy.

“We’re busy,” said Edgin, using a word that most in the construction field would certainly like to hear him use. “We’re seeing a significant number of studies for projects like senior centers, town halls, libraries, or police stations — people recognize the need; they just need to get their ducks aligned to keep things moving.”

Meanwhile, his firm is handling a handful of smaller projects, including work at the Boys & Girls Club in West Springfield, Westfield State University, and other institutions, as well as some private-sector projects.

Summing things up, he said the company is “catching our breath” after a solid 2019 punctuated by the Easthampton project and waiting for some of those projects in the study phase — and there are quite a few of them — to come to fruition.

“Maybe that’s the adjustment,” he told BusinessWest. “And if that’s all the adjustment we need, I’m happy with that; we were oversubscribed, let me put it that way, in 2018 and 2019.”

This past year was also a busy one for Keiter Builders, which, as noted, had a number of projects on both the residential and commercial sides of the ledger. The latter category included a good deal of work at both Smith College and Amherst College, while the former featured several new homes and a number of large-scale renovation projects.

Summing up what he’s heard from clients in both realms concerning the economy and the year ahead, he said it’s mostly upbeat.

“The people sending the money our way … it’s generally positive,” he noted. “We’re not hearing anything from them that’s concerning — it’s just your normal chatter. People are steaming forward; they’re investing in infrastructure and capital projects. And that’s good news for us.”

Raymaakers concurred. He said 2019 was a busy year — he said it was a ‘9,’ maybe a ‘9½’ on a scale of 1 to 10 — that featured several large-scale projects, including runway-grading work at Barnes Municipal Airport in Westfield and dam repair at Forest Park. Work was so steady, the company added employees, bringing the total to 39.

John Raymaakers, seen here with his wife and business partner, Laurie, says the company is feeling “pretty good” about 2020 and the economy in general.

Looking ahead, he told BusinessWest the firm remains optimistic.

“We’ll see how the election goes, and after that … who knows?” he said. “Right now, we feel pretty good about things.”

Work in Progress

Those comments sum up how most people feel about almost everything except the workforce challenges facing them.

Raymaakers said his company did bring on more people, but finding them wasn’t easy. Keiter said his firm also struggled to find people to handle its growing workload.

And Senecal confirmed that the problem extends to positions at all rungs of the hiring ladder. To put the matter in perspective, he talked about a position the bank has been trying to fill — unsuccessfully — for half a year now.

“We’ve been looking for someone for more than six months in our Accounting department, someone with five to 10 years of experience in the banking industry,” he noted. “And what’s more surprising is that, with all the consolidation going on in this industry, we’re still not able to find someone for that position.

“Overall, it is very difficult to find people right now for many of the jobs where we’re looking for specific skills — it’s virtually impossible in some areas,” he went on. “It’s been such a challenge, and that’s a clear indication of what’s happening in many sectors.”

Indeed, the problem is prevalent in pretty much every sector of the economy, said Sullivan, noting that it is manifesting itself in a number of ways.

One is some upward movement on wages and benefits, which is yet another sign of a healthy economy, he said, adding that, while this isn’t happening across the board, there is movement in many sectors where there is steep competition for talent, especially precision manufacturing and financial services.

“People have choices when it comes to where they can work,” he told BusinessWest. “People are looking around, so in order to keep a workforce, people are having to pay a little more and provide some other benefits or incentives.”

In addition to movement on wages, there is a greater focus on trying to bring more people into the workforce, said Sullivan, noting that, through a grant from the Boston Federal Reserve and the Working Cities Initiative, the region has launched efforts to bring some of those who have been on the outside looking in when it comes to the workforce into the fold.

These endeavors involve mostly entry-level positions, and they’re a relatively new point of emphasis for the EDC, he said, adding that they are generating some results, putting those who have been unemployed or underemployed not just into jobs but onto career paths.

Meanwhile, the EDC is looking at taking steps to bolster the workforce, including what could be called recruiting efforts — steps to market Western Mass. and its many benefits in the hope that some may seek to relocate.

“This might involve some regional advertising initiative — an effort to raise awareness about Western Mass. and how it’s a great place to live, there are opportunities here, the cost of living is lower than many other areas of the state and the country,” he explained. “And while it’s a great place to live, it’s also a great place to work.”

Such efforts would be focused on other areas in the Northeast, especially older manufacturing cities that may not be doing as well as the Greater Springfield area, Sullivan noted, adding that he’s not expecting to lure people from Arizona or Florida.

“Sometimes, it’s a little tough to sell those winter months,” he said with a laugh, adding that the region does have many saleable assets, and its businesses need workers to grow.

Such a campaign would not have a large budget, and it would be waged mostly with social media, he said, adding that there is an opportunity to attract people for certain sectors, especially precision manufacturing.

“It will not a be a large media campaign — you won’t be seeing us on the Patriots game,” he said, adding that targeted messages promoting opportunities in specific sectors may help grow the workforce.

Forward Progress

Traditionally, the phrase one hears when it comes to the economy and the year ahead is ‘cautious optimism.’

There’s some of that this year — quite a bit, in fact. But overall, there’s more of that optimistic skepticism that Senecal spoke of and that others referenced, even if they didn’t use those exact words.

History, and some of the economic indicators, tell us that a downturn is likely, if not imminent.

But most business owners and managers just aren’t seeing it — and that’s certainly a good sign as a new year and a new decade begin.

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

Report Details Region’s Workforce Needs — and How to Meet Them

By Joseph Bednar January 7, 2020

Features

Training Ground

In all of the region’s key economic sectors, such as healthcare, education, and manufacturing, organizations say, almost with one voice, that the number-one barrier to growth is finding and keeping talented workers — a task made even more difficult at a time of historically low unemployment. BusinessWest sat down with one of the Pioneer Valley’s leading workforce-development voices to discuss an evolving, long-term blueprint to meet those needs — and grow the economy even further.

Healthcare. Education. Advanced manufacturing.

In any conversation about the economic character of the Pioneer Valley — both its rich past and promising future — those three sectors would be high on the list of key factors.

Indeed, a late-2018 report produced by the MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board and the MassHire Franklin Hampshire Workforce Board calls them ‘priority industries,’ meaning the most important to the region’s economic success, and they form the basis of a comprehensive ‘labor-market blueprint’ which aims to narrow workforce talent gaps and help companies — and the overall economy — grow.

A new report, issued just a few weeks ago, follows up on that blueprint, outlining the many ways employers, economic-development agencies, vocational and technical schools, area colleges, and other entities have partnered to do just that.

Needless to say, it’s a daunting challenge, said David Cruise, president and CEO of MassHire Hampden County.

“What we’re doing at the moment is actually going in and implementing the goals and strategies we laid out in the blueprint,” he explained. “One of the priority works we did was to identify, through looking at both supply and demand data, the three priority industries in Pioneer Valley region.”

Beyond healthcare, education, and manufacturing, however, the blueprint also identifies four other critical industries: business and finance; professional, scientific, and technical, including information technology (IT); food services and accommodation, which takes into account the impact of MGM Springfield; and sustainable food systems, a growing sector particularly in Franklin and Hampshire counties.

“We have been working pretty carefully within those seven industries, trying to collect data, trying to make certain the programs we run are consistent with that data,” Cruise said.

The priority industries have two things in common, he noted: long-term growth opportunities for individual companies and the sectors as a whole, and clear career pathways, where people cannot just land entry-level jobs, but steadily progress in their career from there.

“That’s why we’re spending a significant amount of time — and we’re very excited about the work we’re doing — with our regional education partners to make certain they’re developing programs and courses that align with those occupations, within those priority industries, that will allow someone to take courses and get into programs where there’s a pathway that will allow them to, yes, get a job, earn more money, and take care of their families, but also be able to see some pathway forward. That’s what we’re really focused on.”

It’s another way of looking at the value of retention, he added, which allows companies to avoid the time and cost of losing employees and training replacements, but also helps individuals gain career stability and establish deeper roots in the region.

“How do we put in place opportunities that will allow workers, both new and incumbent, to be able to move forward in these companies and in their occupation?” he asked. “That’s how you drive economic growth.”

Getting Resourceful

In the Pioneer Valley, Cruise noted, job growth isn’t generated by a few massive companies.

“We certainly have some publicly traded companies, some large companies, but the growth in the region is really being driven by small and medium-sized enterprises. And we want to support those companies because they don’t necessarily have all the resources they need. They struggle when they can’t retain folks; it becomes a tremendous cost factor for them, spending all that time recruiting and not being able to retain their recently hired folks. We have a significant commitment to try to work with those small to medium-sized companies throughout the Pioneer Valley.”

One way the MassHires do so is through partnerships with numerous vocational and technical high schools offering a wide variety of programs, most of them aligned with the priority initiatives outlined in the blueprint, he noted — not to mention the three community colleges in the Pioneer Valley.

The more recent report on blueprint progress examines programs at the voke-tech schools and community colleges — and Westfield State University — and how their programs connect with priority industries.

David Cruise says today’s successful small to medium-sized business understands the importance of community partners like colleges and economic-development entities.

“We did an analysis of the educational programs and pathways and courses that are really aligned with these occupations within these priority industries,” Cruise said. “We’re asking, ‘where are the gaps?’”

The blueprint creators took particular interest in specific ‘priority occupations’ currently in demand. In healthcare and social assistance, these include social- and human-service assistants; direct-care workers such as registered nurses, nursing and medical assistants, and personal-care aides; and clinical workers such as dental hygienists, pharmacy technicians, medical records and health IT; physician assistants; and physical and occupational therapists.

In education, priority occupations center on educators at all levels, including vocational-technical, STEM, and trades, as well as teachers’ assistants. In manufacturing, the key jobs include supervisors, production workers such as CNC operators and machinists, and inspectors, testers, and quality-control workers.

The report — which provides plenty of detailed evidence that training and degree programs are available in all these fields — will be updated every two years, with the hope that such programs will continue to expand and adapt to evolving workforce needs.

“We’re trying to fashion a regional workforce response as opposed to trying to fashion a workforce response in Hampden County or in Hampshire-Franklin. We want to look at a regional response,” Cruise said. “We think it makes more sense, and we have a better chance at mitigating the supply gap if we combat it that way.”

One important evolution concerns apprenticeships, he added. “We’ve been very aggressively involved in developing registered apprenticeships in healthcare and advanced manufacturing. We have about 74 apprentices involved in programming in the area right now, which is significant. A year and a half ago, we had 16. We’re being very careful about making certain the funding that we have and how we deploy the money is clearly aligned with where the employers are telling us the demand is.”

The two Pioneer Valley MassHires also connected with the MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board to produce yet another study, this one taking a five-year outlook on workforce needs in manufacturing — again, focusing in on key careers, including machinist, CNC operator, quality control, supervisor, and CNC programmer.

“We did an analysis of the educational programs and pathways and courses that are really aligned with these occupations within these priority industries. We’re asking, ‘where are the gaps?”

“We’re focusing our work — at least in this industry — around two things,” he explained. “One is trying to be certain the incumbent employees in our regional companies have the skills they need to be technologically relevant and be able to work in these spaces. But the ongoing concern is, where do we find entry-level CNC operators? In most of these companies, they’re resourceful enough and do enough internal training and continuous improvement where they can deal with some of these areas, like machinists and CNC programming. Where they really struggle is getting entry-level people, particularly operators, to come in.”

To address that need, MassHire is launching three training programs in February that should yield an additional 45 workers to join local companies.

“Even though we’re excited about it, that, in itself, is certainly not going to solve all the problems of supply and demand,” Cruise went on, noting, again, that manufacturing faces the same supply challenges as healthcare and education. “In all these industries, the demand is there. We’re trying to figure out ways we can increase the supply chain so we can minimize this supply gap in all three of these areas.”

Making Connections

One intriguing development involves making connections with comprehensive high schools in the region, Cruise told BusinessWest, recognizing that the state has been innovative in making career-development opportunities available to non-vocational high schools.

“We’re doing a lot of work with these school districts. They’ve made a decision that they want their students to have career-awareness and career-focus opportunities that will allow their students to look at different career pathways. Whether they’re going on to a two- or four-year college or directly to work, they want them to be more knowledgable about what those requirements are, what the pathways look like.”

To that end, the regional workforce boards have sent information to area superintendents about hiring needs and opportunities in the priority sectors and what students need to do to access them.

“In the next few weeks, we’ll send more information to the schools that will be very helpful to superintendents, counselors, and teachers, to help them provide guidance to their students — and also the parents — around career pathway opportunities. We’re really excited about that, and I’m convinced that, over time, students and parents will be making better career decisions.”

At the end of the day — any day — the main workforce challenge for businesses is simply finding the right talent and hanging onto it.

“The people who are able to work and want to work, in a lot of cases, have found employment, yet that supply gap is still there at our two career centers and the one in Greenfield as well,” Cruise said. “We continue to get customers coming in, but the customers that are approaching us need some additional supports and services before we feel they’re able to secure employment and particularly retain employment.”

Meanwhile, he noted, employers find they’re spending more resources than they’d like onboarding individuals they don’t retain over the long term.

“So we’re trying to find ways at our two one-stop centers to talk with our customers, look at the barriers that are the reasons they are not in the labor force, and try to use our community organizations and resources to do the best we can to mitigate some of those barriers.”

Sometimes it’s a simple lack of soft skills, or employability skills, that cause matches to fail — people not reporting to work, or people not having the ability to work in a team concept, he explained. “We can at least put the job seekers that approach us in a better position for companies to retain them. It’s hard work because many folks who are not in the labor market have more than one barrier that has to be mitigated, and that requires significant allocation of resources and time and staff to be able to do that. But we have to do that; that’s our job.”

Many employers say they can train for aptitude, but not attitude. “The employers we work with are saying to us, ‘send me someone who has the aptitude and willingness to learn, who’s going to be here every day, on time, and is going to be willing to accept the instruction we give them, be able to accept constructive criticism when it’s given,’” Cruise said. “Again, it’s something we’re pretty laser-focused on.”

MassHire is fortunate, he added, to work in a region full of companies, mostly small, that understand the value of partnerships and are willing invest time and resources in working with the workforce boards and colleges.

“The whole concept of going alone isn’t going to work anymore,” he said. “You have to figure out a way to be in some collaborative partnerships where you can leverage resources, look at your assets, identify your gaps, and put in place opportunities and programs that will respond to that. We do that well out here. I’m not suggesting it’s not done well in other places, but we think we have a little bit of a copyright on that.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

From Paid Family Leave to Non-competes, It Was a Time of Real Change

By Columnist January 7, 2020

Law

2019 Employment Law Year in Review

This past year was one that saw a number of landscape-changing developments in the broad realm of employment law. From paid family leave to cannabis to overtime-threshold changes, there were a number of changes to existing laws, new measures to keep track of, and new challenges for employers.

By Maureen James, Esq.

2019 … it’s been real.

Much like politics this year, employment law has experienced quite the roller-coaster ride. So what has this year taught us? Where will we go next? Has anyone really gotten over the Game of Thrones finale? Will 2020 include more Baby Yoda? You know … the important stuff.

This year saw many changes, most of which will really be felt during 2020 and beyond. Even so, those changes have opened dialogue to new and progressive topics that are changing the landscape of employment law. Here is a summary of the new developments, both here in the Commonwealth and nationally.

Paid Family Medical Leave

We cannot write a ‘year in review’ without starting with the Massachusetts Paid Family Medical Leave law (PFML). A lot of attention was given to PFML last year, and rightfully so. This is an institutional change, and all involved have been nervous about its rollout.

As readers are likely aware, PFML is a state-offered benefit that, come 2021, will entitle most Massachusetts workers to take up to 26 weeks of paid leave for medical or family reasons. PFML is funded through a Massachusetts wage tax that is shared by employees and businesses with 25 or more employees.

Last summer, the Department of Paid Leave issued final regulations and rolled out an updated timeline for employers, which included the deadline for notification to employees of Sept. 30, 2019, the commencement of payroll withholdings on Oct. 1, 2019, and information on the application process for private-plan exemptions.

It is clear this will be a hot topic throughout 2020 as employers will start making their quarterly PFML tax contributions and begin preparing for the first round of claims beginning in January 2021.

Marijuana

Medicinal and recreational marijuana went from nowhere to everywhere this year. Commissions, taxes, licensing … there are lots of complicated issues. For employers, many have been trying to balance state and federal law, as well as existing policies and changing culture. Unfortunately, we are not yet at a place were clear policies and practices exist. Over the next year, this will likely be a hot topic as its effects continue to grow — pun intended.

National Labor Relations Board

Last summer, the National Labor Relations Board made some drastic policy shifts in three swift steps. In May, it was announced that it intended to set standards for union activity on employer property. It followed up in June 2019 with a ruling in UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside, where it overturned decades of precedent and determined that employers can ban union organizers from public areas of their private property.

In August 2019, it held in Bexar County Performing Arts Center Foundation that property owners can bar labor protests by off-duty contractor workers unless they work “regularly and exclusively” on the property and there is no “reasonable non-trespassory alternative” for communicating their message. With these large shifts, it will be interesting to see what other areas NLRB reviews and possibly enacts changes to next year.

“This year saw many changes, most of which will really be felt during 2020 and beyond. Even so, those changes have opened dialogue to new and progressive topics that are changing the landscape of employment law.”

Continuing this trend of pro-employer decisions, a few weeks ago the board released a decision overruling a prior case that held that employees have a presumptive right to use an employer’s e-mail system for non-work-related communications, which includes e-mail traffic related to forming a union. The recent decision reconfirmed that an employer has a right to restrict employee use of its e-mail system as long as it is done on a non-discriminatory basis.

Union Fees

In a recent case — Janus v. State, County, and Municipal Employees Council 31, 138 S. Ct. 2448 — the U.S. Supreme Court held that non-union workers cannot be forced to pay fees to public-sector unions. Throughout 2019, this has been a debated topic in Massachusetts. The Legislature passed a law providing Massachusetts’ public employee unions access to contact information for employees, as well as certain allowances to charge fees to non-members.

Gov. Charlie Baker vetoed the law, but in September, he was overridden. As we move into 2020, the effect this law has on union dues and relationships between members and non-members, if any, remains to be seen.

Department of Labor Overtime Threshold Changes

One of the many regulations taking effect at the inception of 2020 includes a boost to the salary threshold for the eligibility of workers to receive overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This change will extend overtime protections to currently exempt workers making less than $684 per week (or less than $35,568 per year) and highly compensated employees making less than $2,066 per week (or less than $107,432 per year). This means, before year’s end, employers who employ exempt workers will need to review their compensation (including any non-discretionary bonuses and commissions) to ensure they earn enough to qualify for exempt status as of Jan. 1, 2020.

Non-compete Law

Massachusetts’ new Noncompetition Agreement Act has changed how employers draft, use, and enforce non-compete agreements. The law makes certain types of non-competes flatly unenforceable, and restricts how long and for what reason an agreement can be used in other situations. It also requires consideration (i.e., some sort of payment) to the employee if an employer wants to enforce a non-compete provision. The law has only been in effect a year, so we have not seen the full ramifications of the statute yet.

U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services’ H-1B Visas

March 2020 will bring the official beginning of the spring season, but also the first round of electronic registration for H-1B visas under the fiscal year 2021 cap. H-1B sponsorship is offered by employers in ‘specialty occupations’ that require at least a bachelor’s degree (or the equivalent in education and experience). In this new electronic process, employers seeking H-1B workers subject to the 2021 FY cap will complete an electronic registration that requires only basic information about the company and each requested worker.

The H-1B random selection process will use those registrations, and then the selected registrations from that pool will be eligible to file more detailed petitions for the H-1B visa cap.

2020 … Bring It On

There are only a few things that are certain: death, taxes, and another terrible reality show. However, 2020 most certainly will be a year where many new laws stretch their legs and see their first moments of sun. There will undoubtedly be new issues to confront, but no matter what year it is, you can never be too prepared.

Maureen James is an attorney with Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., one of the largest law firms in New England exclusively practicing labor and employment law; (413) 737-4753; [email protected]

The Region’s Health Leaders on What’s New — and What the Next Decade Will Bring

By Joseph Bednar January 7, 2020

Health Care

Vision 2020

Few industries change as rapidly — and as dramatically — as the broad, multifaceted realm of healthcare. From oncologists’ use of cancer fingerprinting and gene therapy to facial transplants for accident victims; from cutting-edge protocols to save the lives of stroke and heart-surgery patients to a dizzying array of new treatments to improve vision … the list is seemingly endless, making it impossible to paint a full picture of where healthcare has come in the past decade.

But we at BusinessWest wanted to try anyway — and, at the same time, look ahead at what the next decade might bring. So, appropriately, here at the dawn of 2020, we invited a wide range of healthcare professionals to tell us what has been the most notable evolution in their field of practice in the past 10 years, and what they expect — or hope — will be the most significant development to come in the next decade.

The answers were candid, thoughtful, sometimes surprising, but mostly hopeful. Despite the many challenges healthcare faces in these times of advancing technology, growing cost concerns, and demographic shifts, the main thread is still innovation — smart people working on solutions that help more people access better care. After all, healthcare is, at its core, about improving people’s lives, even when they seek it out during their direst moments.

Innovation and promise. That’s what we believe a new decade will bring to all corners of the healthcare world — that is, if these leaders, and countless others like them, have anything to say about it.

Administration

Joanne Marqusee

President and CEO, Cooley Dickinson Health Care

Joanne Marqusee

The most significant recent development in healthcare administration has been a recognition of the role patients play in their own healthcare. “Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century,” published in 2001 by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, called for a massive redesign of the American healthcare system. Specifically, it provided “Six Aims for Improvement,” five of which focused on safety, effectiveness, timeliness, efficiency, and equity. Not talked about as much, the sixth aim was to make healthcare ‘patient-centered.’

While we still have a ways to go to truly be patient-centered, we have witnessed a sea change in the past decade in this regard. Patients are increasingly active participants in their care, questioning their doctors and other providers to ensure that they understand their options, using electronic medical records to engage in their care, and speaking out about what they want from treatment or forgoing treatment at the end of life. The best healthcare providers — both organizations and individuals — embrace these changes, welcoming patients as more than recipients of care, but rather active partners in their own care and decision making.

My hope for the most significant development over the next decade has to do with providing universal healthcare coverage while controlling healthcare costs. While we almost have universal coverage in Massachusetts, too much of the nation does not. A hotly debated topic, universal healthcare has many benefits, including increasing access to preventive and routine medical care, improving health outcomes, and decreasing health inequalities.

Surgical Technology

Dr. Nicholas Jabbour

Chairman, Department of Surgery, Baystate Medical Center

Dr. Nicholas Jabbour

The most significant development in surgery over the past decade has been the move toward less invasive surgical approaches made possible through advanced technology. These approaches include robotic and minimally invasive surgery, including intraluminal surgery in areas such as gastroenterology, cardiology, and neurosurgery — for exemple, the passage of an inflatable catheter along the channel inside of a blood vessel to enable the insertion of a heart valve instead of making a large opening in the chest. As a result, we have seen a big shift from inpatient to outpatient surgery with shorter hospital stays and improved post-op recovery.

In the next decade, we foresee these innovations in less invasive surgery will be enhanced by better computing and software integration. This interaction will include the merging of radiological and potentially pathological information — which is currently available in a digital format — with real-time visualization of anatomical structure during surgery. This will offer surgeons the opportunity to improve the accuracy and speed of a surgical procedure while minimizing the risks.

The next decade will also see major innovation in the area of transplantation with the development of tissues or whole organs through bio-engineering manipulation of animal or a patient’s own cells. The integration of this bio-engineering manipulation with currently available technology, such as 3D printing and 3D imaging, will provide patients with the needed tissue or organ — including valves, bone grafts, hernia mesh, skin, livers, and kidneys — in a timely manner. This development will revolutionize the field of transplantation and surgery in general.

Behavioral Health

Karin Jeffers

President & CEO, Clinical & Support Options Inc.

Karin Jeffers

Over the past 10 years, we’ve seen a growing adoption within the behavioral-health and medical fields of holistic treatment models. While the two disciplines were once treated as different animals, the entire health field is now moving to treat both the body and the mind — together. The next 10 years are likely to bring these two fields even closer.

Today, you’re seeing behavioral-health clinicians being hired into physical health practices. Likewise, physical health providers are cross-training to better understand behavioral issues. Whereas, a decade ago, a behavioral-health client might be assigned a therapist or a psychiatrist, they are now gaining access to more robust set of supports, including nursing, case management, recovery coaching, and peer support from those with lived experience. Government mandates and payment model changes are forcing outcomes-based integration, too. Pediatricians, for example, must now do behavioral-health screenings of all youth under 21. In the mental-health space, you’re seeing clinicians ask about weight, exercise, and other physical factors.

We’re seeing significant movement on both the state and federal levels to value outcomes over volume. It’s reflected in the criteria set by the Excellence in Mental Health Act for certified community behavioral-health clinics, a designation CSO has earned, and in the work we have done with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Our ability to tailor programs, like our grant-funded work at the Friends of the Homeless shelter in Springfield, has literally saved lives among those experiencing homelessness and co-occurring conditions, like substance-use disorders.

In the coming years, we hope to see integrated care models become even more mainstream. Things appear headed in the right direction, but government action establishing payment reform within the behavioral-health field needs to be taken — and the integrated models need to be appropriately funded. Such changes would affirm overall health and wellness to include both physical and behavioral health.

Weight Management

Dr. Yannis Raftopoulos

Director, Holyoke Medical Center Weight Management Program

Dr. Yannis Raftopoulos

Weight management is a rapidly evolving field, and I am fortunate to be part of it. One of the most significant innovations this field has experienced in the last 10 years was the development of a new gastric balloon. Packaged in a small capsule and swallowed with water, the Elipse balloon provides satiety while requiring no procedure or anesthesia for its placement and removal. Together with its excellent safety profile, the Elipse balloon is the least invasive and yet effective weight-loss modality available today. Elipse is manufactured in Massachusetts by Allurion Technologies.

I had the opportunity to be an investigator in the European trial which led to the Elipse market approval in the European Union in 2016. Recently, Holyoke Medical Center was among 10 U.S. sites in which an FDA-regulated trial was conducted. The trial was completed successfully, and Allurion has submitted data requesting FDA approval to market Elipse in the U.S. The balloon’s use in Europe shows that patients can lose more than one-fifth of their initial weight.

A New England Journal of Medicine study reported that 107.7 million children and 603.7 million adults, among 195 countries, were obese in 2015. High body-mass index accounted for 4 million deaths and contributed to 120 million disability-adjusted life-years. Obesity is a chronic disease, and its management requires long-term guidance and close patient-physician communication. Successful collaborations between existing best practices with technology innovations that will allow delivery of effective weight-management care on a massive and global scale could be the most significant evolution in the field in the next 10 years.

Cancer Care

Dr. Hong-Yiou Lin

Radiation Oncologist, Mercy Medical Center

Dr. Hong-Yiou Lin

The advent of new medical oncology drugs has improved control of microscopic and, to a lesser extent, macroscopic disease, allowing local treatments, such as surgery or radiotherapy, to increase survival. To cure cancer, we need to eliminate cancer cells where they started, as well as any microscopic cells traveling through the body. The idea of using immunotherapy to fight cancer has been around for decades, but bringing this idea to the clinic has been hampered by the cleverness of cancer cells knowing how to evade detection by our immune system. Recently FDA-approved immunotherapy either takes away that ‘invisibility cloak’ or wakes up our dormant immune cells to start fighting cancer.

The biggest development in oncology in the next 10 years will be personalized precision medicine, which allows the oncology team to tailor treatment to each patient’s unique cancer biology and life circumstances. Meanwhile, improvements in cancer diagnosis will come from novel PET radiotracers and new MRI sequences that allow for more accurate staging and identification of the best site to biopsy. Pathologists will use novel tools such as genome sequencing to supplement traditional microscopy to subclassify the specific type of cancer within a certain diagnosis instead of grouping into broad categories.

Surgical, medical, and radiation oncologists can then use the above information to decide on the best sequencing between surgery, systemic therapy, and radiotherapy to minimize side effects and maximize cure. Medical oncologists will be able to offer more drugs that target new mutations, overcome drug resistance, increase specificity to a mutation, or better fine-tune immunotherapy, targeting only cancer cells by enlisting gene modification as well as natural killer cells. Radiation oncologists will have new radiomic and genomic tools to personalize the radiation dose and volume, and when to offer radiotherapy.

In short, over the next 10 years, cancer care will continue to move away from the traditional one-size-fits-all model toward a more personalized approach.

Allergy and Immunology

Dr. Jonathan Bayuk

Medical Director, Allergy & Immunology Associates of New England

Dr. Jonathan Bayuk

There have been incredible and exciting advances in allergy and immunology in the last two years. However, the unmet needs of allergic and autoimmune-disease-afflicted patients has grown dramatically in the last 20 years. In response to the increasing prevalence and acuity of allergic diseases and autoimmune diseases, the world has launched products to help address these very severe patients. These medications are indicated for many conditions and work very well. They are generally safe, but are very expensive. These medicines are different than traditional pharmaceutical drugs as they are not chemicals, but biologically derived medicines designed to augment or modify the immune response. As such, they are call biologic medications.

In the field of allergy and immunology, we can now dramatically treat and potentially cure many diseases that in the past were very challenging to manage. The biologic medicines that we have now treat asthma, eczema, allergic disease, and hives. The patient selection is based on severity of their condition, and these medicines are only for moderately to severely affected people. If, as a medical profession, we were to place as many people as possible on these therapies, the cost would be astronomical and not sustainable.

However, is it fair to deny any of these patients access to these treatments who truly need them? I would argue that choice is a very difficult one to make, and as physicians, our primary goal is healing at whatever cost. As a nation, we have a dilemma. Can we afford the medicines we have or not? It is unclear that any serious legislative body is willing to tackle that question. For now, the use of these medicines is changing lives dramatically, and it is an exciting time to be able to use these newer tools to help our patients live better lives.

Eye Care

Dr. David Momnie

Owner, Chicopee Eye Care

Dr. David Momnie

What are the most significant advancements in eye care in the last decade? It depends on whom you ask. Retinal ophthalmologists would probably say it’s the treatment of wet macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness, with anti-VEGF injections. Cataract surgeons would most likely cite small-incision surgery and new lens implants that often leave patients with 20/20 vision. Glaucoma specialists might tell you it’s the development of MIGS, or minimally invasive glaucoma surgery. These operations to lower the pressure in the eye use miniature devices and significantly reduce the complication rate.

Primary-care optometrists and ophthalmologists would no doubt talk about the advances in optical coherence tomography, a remarkable instrument using light waves that gives cross-sectional pictures of the retina. The technique is painless and non-invasive and is becoming the gold standard in eye care because it has revolutionized the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma and macular degeneration. For optometrists specializing in contact lenses, using newly designed scleral lenses to restore vision in people with a corneal disease called keratoconus has been a major development. There are many other specialists in eye care, including LASIK surgeons, that have seen remarkable changes in technology.

What will the next decade bring? Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming more accurate for screening, diagnosing, and treating eye conditions. AI systems can increasingly distinguish normal from abnormal pictures of the retina. Where there is a shortage of ophthalmologists and optometrists, AI screenings combined with telemedicine, providing remote care using communications technology, may be able to find and treat more people who are falling between the cracks of our healthcare system. The term 20/20 is the most common designation in eye care, and the year 2020 will probably usher in another decade of remarkable developments in our field.

Information Technology

Teresa Grogan

Chief Information Officer, VertitechIT

Teresa Grogan

From the perspective of technology that enables healthcare, the biggest game changer of the last decade has been the iPhone — and now, essentially any smartphone.

Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone in 2007 (a little over a decade ago), and physicians embraced it quickly. It started as a simple tool for doctors (applications like the PDR, or Physicians’ Desk Reference) for looking up drug interactions. Today, it’s a portable EMR, a virtual visit facilitator, and a remote-monitoring device for many healthcare providers, as many patients have embraced — and insisted on — this technology to improve access to care. As the cost decreases and cellular bandwidth improves, the rapid growth of the IoMT (Internet of Medical Things) will place smartphones at the center of the next wave of healthcare technology breakthroughs.

Looking forward, I’d like to see complete elimination of passwords to access electronic information. While there has been some movement toward this with ‘tap and go’ badges and fingerprint readers, a single standard is needed that would work regardless of the software program used. I hope there are greater strides in the creation, deployment, and adoption of other biometric technologies, like iris, face, or voice recognition, so that a healthcare professional could walk into a patient room — or into a hospital — and the computer systems would know his or her identity in immediate and secure fashion. If access to the data needed by a healthcare provider were as easy as turning on a light switch, the improvements in quality of life and efficiency in work for that provider would translate to improved patient outcomes.

Cardiovascular Care

Dr. Aaron Kugelmass

Vice President and Medical Director, Heart and Vascular Program, Baystate Health

Dr. Aaron Kugelmass

We have seen many improvements in cardiovascular care over the last 10 years, but the development, approval for clinical use, and dissemination of transcutaneous aortic valve replacement (TAVR) stands out as the most dramatic. This new technique allows cardiologists and cardiac surgeons, working together, to replace the aortic valve without opening a patient’s chest or utilizing heart-lung bypass, which has been the standard for decades. This less invasive approach is typically performed under X-ray guidance and involves accessing a blood vessel in the leg and guiding a catheter to the heart.

The TAVR procedure was first approved for clinical use in November 2011. It was initially limited to very sick patients, who were not candidates for traditional surgery because of the risk it posed to them. TAVR allowed patients who otherwise could not receive life-saving valve surgery to have their valves replaced with improvement in longevity. With time and experience, the procedure was approved for lower-risk patients as well, and more recently has been approved for the majority of patients, including those with low operative risk. TAVR has been shown to be equivalent or safer than traditional aortic valve-replacement surgery, and is quickly becoming the procedure of choice for most patients who require an aortic valve replacement. Since the procedure typically does not require open-heart surgery, recovery time is much shorter, with some patients going home within a day or two.

In the next 10 years, we expect that similar less-invasive procedures with shorter recovery time will be developed for other heart-valve conditions in patients who otherwise could not receive therapy.

Memory Care

Beth Cardillo

Certified Dementia Practitioner and Executive Director, Armbrook Village

Beth Cardillo

During the last 10 years, neuroscientists have been researching the causes of Alzheimer’s disease. There has been much discussion about which comes first — the amyloid plaque or the fibrillary tangles that develop in the brain, which are roadblocks to cognition, thus causing the difficulties with Alzheimer’s and other related dementia. That question has not been answered yet. Researchers were able to isolate the APOE gene, which is a mutant gene that is found in familial Alzheimer’s disease, helping us to better diagnose it. We have also better understood how diet, exercising both body and brain, and lifestyle contribute to the disease. Currently there are 101 types of dementia, with Alzheimer’s accounting for 75% of cases.

The next 10 years will result in more preventive actions. One major action will be to help people avoid developing type 2 diabetes, which may be labeled the next cause of Alzheimer’s (this type of Alzheimer’s is already being called type 3 diabetes). There has been a major link between sugar in the hippocampus and Alzheimer’s disease. Though there is no cure yet for Alzheimer’s, we are finding more information based on genetics, diet, and PET scans, which can show shrinkage in the brain.

Every year, researchers are more hopeful that a new drug will be developed to eradicate the disease. The last new drug from Biogen was looking hopeful in clinical trials, but that turned out to be not the case. Prevention continues to be at the forefront, as well as participating in clinical trials. More people who do not have dementia or mild cognitive impairment are desperately needed for clinical trials so comparisons of the brain can be made.

Nursing Education

Ellen Furman

Director of Nursing, American International College

Ellen Furman

As in all healthcare, the one thing that can be ascertained is constant change. The same can be said in nursing education today. No longer is the instructor-led lecture method of teaching considered best practice in education, but rather the shift to using class time to apply learned concepts. One way this is done is through the ‘flipped classroom.’ Using this educational modality, students study the concepts being taught preceding the class, followed by class time where students apply these concepts in an interactive activity, thereby developing students’ abilities to think critically, reason, and make healthcare judgements based upon the application of knowledge.

Another change in nursing education is an expanded focus away from pure inpatient (hospital-based) clinical education to outpatient (community-based) clinical education. While hospital-based education remains essential, the realization that most healthcare provided is in outpatient settings has broadened the clinical experiences required to prepare the graduate registered nurse for care provision.

Additionally, with healthcare as complex as it is, nursing students are being taught to be prepared for entry into practice. Education regarding the use of evidence-based practice, how to apply for the licensure examination, preparation to be successful on the National Certification Licensure Exam, nurse residency opportunities, interviewing techniques, transitioning from student nurse to registered nurse, etc. are all taught using a variety of educational modalities based upon the current best available evidence in nursing education.

As we forge ahead in healthcare, nurse educators will continue to evolve to meet healthcare needs through the education of nursing students so as to prepare them to provide care to meet the needs of those we serve well into the future.

Orthotics and Prosthetics

James Haas

Co-owner, Orthotics & Prosthetics Labs Inc.

James Haas

Advances in prosthetic technology have clearly been the most significant development in my field over the past decade. From knees and feet that adapt to different walking speeds and terrains to hands that send sensations of touch to the brain, every aspect of patient care has changed and continues to change at a rapid pace.

Prosthetic feet, knees, and sockets have been greatly impacted. Once made from multi-durometer foams and wood, the prosthetic feet of today are made from carbon, fiberglass, and kevlar laminated with modified epoxy resins. They store energy and adjust to uneven terrain and hills. Microprocessor knees have on-board sensors that detect movement and timing and then adjust a fluid/air control cylinder accordingly. These knees not only make it safer for a person to walk, they also lower the amount of effort amputees must use, resulting in a more natural gait. Sockets once made from stiff materials are now incorporated with soothing gels and flexible adjustable systems that allow a patient to make their own adjustments to improve their comfort.

As for the next decade, I hope to see national insurance fairness. Devices typically last about three to five years. Some people make them last longer, but others, especially growing children, need replacements more often. Many private insurance plans have annual caps and lifetime limits on coverage for orthotics and prosthetics. The Amputee Coalition of America authored insurance-fairness legislation and has lobbied for its implementation for over a decade. This legislation has been ratified in 20 states, including Massachusetts. The Fairness Act requires all insurance policies within the state to provide coverage for prosthetics and orthotics equal to or better than the federal Medicare program and have no coverage caps and lifetime restrictions.

Dental Care

Dr. Lisa Emirzian

Co-owner, EMA Dental

Dr. Lisa Emirzian

The most significant development in the field of dentistry over the past decade has been the integration of digital technology into our daily practices. There are three components of digital dentistry: data acquisition, digital planning, and, finally, the manufacturing of the restoration to be created. Data acquisition today is accomplished with digital radiographs, paperless charting, intra-oral scanners, cone-beam 3D scanners, and video imaging. For the planning process, we now have the ability to merge the data with software that enables computer-aided design and digital smile design, allowing dentists to perform complex procedures, including guided surgical treatments and smile designs, with optimum results. Fabrication and execution of the final restorations can be done in the office or, more often, in laboratories with highly sophisticated digital milling machines, stereolithography, and 3D printing.

In the next decade, we will see data fusion to ultimately create the virtual patient. The next-generation digital workflow will merge intra-oral 3D data with 3D dynamic facial scans, allowing dentists to create 3D smile designs and engineer the dentofacial rehabilitation. The integration of scanners and software will expedite the delivery of ‘teeth in a day.’ In addition, multi-functional intra-oral scanners will allow for early detection of carious lesions and determine risk levels for different patients.

Above and beyond this foreseeable future, artificial intelligence (AI) will be the next paradigm shift. Companies are already looking for big-data collection and deep machine learning to help the practitioner in their everyday chores of diagnosis and treatment. AI cloud-based design platforms will input data, and AI engines in the background will aid in all parts of dental treatment, including diagnosis, design, and fabrication of final restoration.

Let us not forget one thing: the future is all about us — people utilizing technology to enhance the human connection between doctor and patient.

Rehabilitation

John Hunt

CEO, Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts

John Hunt

A significant rehabilitation development from the past includes one that may surprise you. Time. A luxury we once knew, time meant patients could recover in a hospital longer after a surgery, an accident, or an illness. Nurses had more time to assess patients to know exactly what they needed. Insurance companies approved longer patient stays through lengthy consideration. Ten years ago, a stroke survivor could recover for two weeks in a hospital and then join us for a rehabilitation stay that would last several weeks.

Today, a three- to five-day stay in the referring hospital, followed by a two-week stay in rehabilitation, is the norm. We are seeing significant decreases in the age of stroke survivors as well as an increase in the number patients who survive with cognitive and physical disabilities. Yet, we also see medical breakthroughs, including the discovery of tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) — nothing short of a miracle. TPA actually reverses the effects of an evolving stroke in patients when used early on, making recoveries easier.

With new advanced technologies being introduced every year, rehabilitation continues to progress at a rapid speed. Looking into the future, evidence-based research will continue to grow to help us make knowledgeable decisions that ultimately impact patient outcomes. Increased clinical expertise will lead to higher functional gains in shorter amounts of time. As a result, acute inpatient rehabilitation will impact the lives of patients like we’ve never seen before.

Hearing Care

Dr. Susan Bankoski Chunyk

Doctor of Audiology, Hampden Hearing Center

Dr. Susan Bankoski Chunyk

The most common treatment for hearing loss is hearing aids. Although digital processing has been available in hearing aids since 1996, the past 10 years have offered great leaps in technology for people with hearing loss. Each generation of computer chip provides faster and ‘smarter’ processing of sound. Artificial intelligence allows the hearing-aid chip to adjust automatically as the listening environment changes, control acoustic feedback, and provide the best speech signal possible. People enjoy the convenience of current hearing aids’ Bluetooth streaming, smartphone apps, and rechargeable batteries.

These features are ‘the icing on the cake,’ but the real ‘cake’ is preservation of the speech signal, even in challenging listening situations. Since the primary complaint of people with hearing loss is understanding in noise, new hearing-aid technology works toward improving speech understanding while reducing listening effort in all environments. This significantly improves the individual’s quality of life.

The negative effects of untreated hearing loss on quality of life are well-documented. Recent research has also confirmed a connection between many chronic health conditions — including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, balance disorders, depression, and early-onset dementia — and hearing loss. This research shows that hearing loss is not just an inevitable consequence of aging, but a health concern that should be treated as early as possible. My hope for the future is that all healthcare providers will recognize the value of optimal hearing in their patients’ overall health and well-being and, just as they monitor and treat other chronic health conditions, they will recommend early diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss.

There’s a Distinct Buzz in Downtown Greenfield

By George O'Brien January 7, 2020

Community Spotlight

MJ Adams, Greenfield’s director of Communty and Economic Development

Let’s get the bad news out of the way. And it certainly is bad news.

Wilson’s department store, an anchor and destination in downtown Greenfield for a century or so, will be closing its doors as its owner moves into retirement, leaving a very large hole to fill in the middle of Main Street.

The store was practically synonymous with the city and its downtown, drawing visitors of all ages who wanted to shop in one of the last old-time department stores in this region and maybe in the state.

“It’s devastating and it’s heartbreaking because it’s part of the fabric of the community,” said Diana Szynal, executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, headquartered on Main Street in Greenfield. “This will be a serious loss for Greenfield, but…”

That ‘but’ constitutes what amounts to the good news.

Indeed, while unquestionably a loss, the closing of Wilson’s — which was certainly not unexpected by most — isn’t producing anything approaching the hand-wringing such news would have generated a decade or even five years ago.

Redevelopment of this large and highly visible site will certainly pose challenges. But instead of focusing on that aspect of the equation, most are consumed by the other side — the opportunity side, which Szynal referenced as she finished her sentence.

“We are looking at this as an opportunity,” she said. “We know something good will go there, something that reflects a changing landscape in retail.”

Meanwhile, there are enough good things happening and enough positive energy in this city that most are thinking this is something Greenfield can deal with and perhaps even benefit from in the long run as the retail world changes.

Jeremy Goldsher, left, and Jeff Sauser, co-founders of Greenspace co-working space.

As for those good things and positive energy … it’s a fairly long and impressive list that includes:

• New businesses such as the Rise Above coffee shop, and established businesses under new ownership, such as the Greenfield Garden Cinema, another downtown anchor;

• A refocused Greenfield Business Assoc. (GBA), now under the leadership of coordinator Rachel Roberts;

• A burgeoning cultural economy headlined by the Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center in the heart of downtown, but also a growing number of arts-related ventures;

• Co-working spaces — such as Greenspace, located above Hawks and Reed, as well as Another Castle, a facility that has attracted a number of video-game-related businesses — that are attracting young professionals and bringing more vibrancy to the downtown;

• GCET, the municipal provider of reliable high-speed internet, a service that that has made those co-work spaces possible;

• The Hive, a makers space now under development on Main Street, just a block or so down from Wilson’s;

• Rail service, specifically in the form of the Yankee Flyer, which brings two trains a day to the city, and enables one to travel to New York and back the same day;

• A new town library, which is expected to bring more vibrancy — and another co-working space — to downtown; and

• A noticeable tightening of the housing market, a tell-tale sign of progress.

“I have some employees who are trying to buy homes in Greenfield, and the inventory is moving so fast, they’re having a hard time getting something,” said Paul Hake, president of HitPoint, a video-game maker and anchor tenant in the Another Castle co-working space. “We have someone who’s trying to buy here from Los Angeles; he’s very excited, but he says, ‘every house I look at is gone by the time I can make an offer.’ The market’s hot, and that’s always good.”

The landscape in downtown Greenfield is changing. Long-time anchor Wilson’s is closing, while new businesses, such as the coffee shop Rise Above, have opened their doors.

These pieces to a large puzzle are coming together and complementing one another, thus creating an attractive picture and intriguing landing spot for entrepreneurs looking for quality of life and an affordable alternative to Boston or Northampton. And they’re also creating momentum that, as noted, will hopefully make the closing of Wilson’s a manageable loss.

“We’re sad to see Wilson’s go,” said William Baker, president of Baker Office Supply, another Main Street staple (pun intended) since the 1930s, and also president of the Greenfield Business Assoc. “But we’re all excited to see what comes next.”

Roberts agreed.

“Downtown is at a crossroads, and we’re working together to see what fits and put the pieces together,” she noted, adding that there is a great deal of collaboration going on as the community hits this fork in the road, an important ingredient in its resurgence. “We support each other, and that’s huge. I’ve lived in plenty of other places where you see isolation and people hitting walls. We don’t hit walls here — we just make a new window and figure out how you’re going to reach across that window to your neighbor and say, ‘how are we going to make this work?’”

For this, the latest installment of its Community Spotlight series, BusinessWest opens a window onto Greenfield, or what could be called a new Greenfield.

Banding Together

Jeremy Goldsher was born in Greenfield and grew up in nearby Conway. Like many other young people, he moved on from Franklin County to find opportunity, but unlike most, he returned to his roots — and found it there, in a number of different ways.

Indeed, he’s now at the forefront of a number of the initiatives creating momentum in Greenfield. He and Jeff Sauser co-founded Greenspace, which bills itself as “flexible, on-demand co-working space in the heart of downtown,” and is part of the ownership team at Hawks and Reed, which is drawing people from across the region, and well beyond, with a diverse lineup of shows, ranging from open-mic night on Jan. 7 to Bombtrack, a Rage Against the Machine tribute, on Jan. 10.

He’s also on a host of committees, including the Downtown Greenfield Neighborhood Assoc. and the GBA, and was active in the push for a new library.

He told BusinessWest there is considerable positive energy in the city, generated by a host of factors, but especially a burgeoning cultural economy, a growing number of young entrepreneurs finding their way to the city (thanks to fast, reliable internet service), and a downtown that is becoming ever more attractive to the younger generations.

What’s made it all possible, he noted, is a spirit of collaboration and a number of groups working together.

“It really does a take a village,” he said. “It’s such a blessed time to be a part of this community; there’s a wave of construction and development happening, and it’s just exciting to be part of it.”

MJ Adams, director of Community and Economic Development for Greenfield, agreed. She told BusinessWest that, as a new year and a new mayoral administration — Roxann Wedegartner was elected last November — begins, a number of initiatives launched over the past several years are starting to generate progress and vibrancy.

These include everything from the new courthouse, transportation center, and parking garage in the downtown to GCET’s expanding footprint; from Greenfield Community College’s growing presence downtown — and across the city, for that matter — to redevelopment of the former Lunt Silversmith property into a healthcare campus.

“The city conducted a master-planning process about five years ago that really engaged the community in a robust conversation of what we saw as our future,” Adams explained. “As we come up on the five-year anniversary of that initiative, the community is talking about focusing more specifically on the downtown and downtown revitalization.

“We’ve seen a major shift in how our downtown plays itself out,” she went on. “And I think we’re trying to figure out what role the city should be playing and what’s the role of the various partners in the community as we try to continue moving forward and seeing Greenfield become the robust, vibrant arts and cultural hub of Franklin County.”

There are a number of these partners, starting with GCC, the only college in Franklin County. The school has long had a presence in the downtown, and is working to become more impactful in areas ranging from workforce development to entrepreneurship, said Mary Ellen Fydenkevez, chief Academic and Student Affairs officer.

As examples, she said the college, which is in the midst of its own strategic-planning process, has launched a creative-economy initiative in collaboration with retired Congressman John Olver; put together a ‘Take the Floor’ event, a pitch contest with a $10,000 first prize; and blueprinted a new ideation center to be created in the East Building within the school’s main campus.

“There, we hope to bring together all different kinds of entrepreneurs to work together in a working space,” she explained, adding that the college plans to stage workshops on various aspects of entrepreneurship to help fledgling businesses develop.

Meanwhile, it plans to start a new business of its own, a coffee shop to be managed by student interns.

“One of our focal points is experiential learning,” she told BusinessWest. “And this business will provide that — it will give students opportunities to learn while doing; they’ll be running their own business.”

Meanwhile, on the academic side, the college is looking at new programs to support workforce-building initiatives in healthcare precision manufacturing and other sectors, and it is also blazing a trail, if you will, with a new program in adventure education.

Indeed, the school recently received approval from the state Department of Higher Education for an associate-degree program to focus on preparing individuals to lead businesses in the outdoor-adventure sector, which includes ziplining, rafting, and more.

“We feel that Western Mass. is a great place for such a program,” Fydenkevez said. “And we’re optimistic that we’ll get some good response; this is an important part of the economy here.”

Art of the Matter

The same can be said of the broad arts and entertainment sector that has emerged over the past several years, said Rachel Katz, owner of the Greenfield Gallery, billed as the city’s premier (and also its only) art gallery, and president of the Crossroads Cultural District.

“I’m a big believer in the creative economy driving growth, especially after an industrial exodus, as we’ve seen in so many small New England towns — it’s a model we’ve seen repeated all through the country,” said Katz, who converted the former Rooney’s department store in 2015 with the intention of creating a gallery and leading the way in a creative-economy revival.

“I saw when I came here that there were already a lot of creative people here doing some amazing things,” Katz went on. “There just wasn’t a home for them; I created a home.”

Since then, the arts and music sector, if you will, has continued to grow, said Katz, who believes it is leading the revival now taking place. And another major piece to the puzzle with be added with the Hive makers space.

Like other facilities of this type taking shape in other communities, The Hive will be a membership-based community workshop with tools and equipment — from computer-controlled precision machining equipment to 3D printers to traditional sewing machines — made available to these members.

“This space is critical,” Katz said, “because it provides a bridge between the creative economy and the more traditional technological economy. And the one resource we still have — it’s never gone away despite the closing of all the tap-and-die shops — is the people that are here.

Jeremy Goldsher at Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center, the anchor of a growing cultural economy in Greenfield.

“Those people still have skills and ideas; they just don’t have a place to actualize them,” she went on. “The Hive will give these people an outlet, and when you put tools in the hands of people with ideas, only good things can happen.”

Good things also happen when you can give people with ideas reliable, high-speed internet and attractive spaces in which to work, said Sauser, Goldsher’s partner at Greenspace and an urban-planning consultant by trade.

He told BusinessWest that the Greenspace model is to take obsolete or underutilized space and “make it cool again.” He and Goldsher have done this above Hawks and Reed and across the street at 278 Main Street, and they’re currently scouting other locations in which to expand.

Rachel Roberts, coordinator of a revitalized Greenfield Business Assoc.

Their spaces have become home to a diverse membership base, he said, one that includes an anchor tenant, smaller businesses, and individuals. Above Hawks and Reed, the anchor tenant is Australis Aquaculture, a producer and marketer of farm-raised barramundi — with the farm in Vietnam.

“They wanted to move their executive and sales teams from Montague to downtown Greenfield, in part to retain staff, keep people happy, and have people enjoy coming to work — many of their employees now walk to work,” Sauser explained, adding that the other anchor, Common Media, a digital-marketing company, was based on Route 9 in a building people didn’t enjoy coming to.

Both moves speak volumes about Greenfield’s revitalization, he went on, adding that both companies have lower overhead then they had before, and their employees are happier, both strong selling points.

“My observation, and my personal experience, is that Greenfield is great at attracting people who are looking for a certain quality of life and sense of community — and can work wherever they want,” he noted. “And there’s more and more people like that in this world.”

Creating a Buzz

All those we spoke with said that easily the best thing Greenfield has going for it at present is a spirit of collaboration, a number of parties, public and private, working together to forge a new, stronger, and more diverse economy.

This collaborative spirit is being celebrated — sort of — in another intriguing initiative certain to bring more color to the downtown. It’s the latest in a region-wide series of public art-installation projects, initiatives that brought dozens of painted sneakers to Springfield, bears to Easthampton, terriers to West Springfield, and C5As to Chicopee.

Greenfield will soon be populated with giant bees, said Sarah Kanaby, board president of Progress Partnership Inc.

“These bees are a symbol of the collective energy and the buzz — there have been 5 million bee puns to come out of this project — that we’re seeing in Greenfield,” she explained, noting that artists are painting and decorating the bees now, and they are scheduled to be installed in May or June. “We strongly believe, because of Greenfield’s connection to the modern beehive and all that the beehive represents in terms of collectivism and cooperation, that this is the right image.”

Roberts agreed, noting that a revitalized GBA is one of those groups working with other public and private entities to bring more vibrancy to the downtown and the city as a whole.

“We’re trying to work more collaboratively with the town government to create more things to benefit businesses here in Greenfield as well as the greater community,” she said, adding that one example of this is the addition of new holiday lights on the town common and other holiday-season touches throughout the downtown.

“We’re focusing on taking what we’ve already done and making those programs better, and also finding new ways to support the businesses as well as the community,” she said, adding that, while much attention is directed toward new businesses and attracting still more ventures, her agency doesn’t want to look past long-standing anchors, both small and large, that are still a big part of the picture.

Efforts toward securing not only a new library but also a new fire station are part of this work, she said, adding both facilities are desperately needed, and both with contribute toward quality of life and a greater sense of pride in the community.

Baker, the third-generation owner of the family business, one that has been on Main Street since 1936, agreed, and noted that the GBA has given a voice to a business community that historically hasn’t had one, and at a time when its voice is needed.

“The downtown is re-inventing itself right now; we’re in the midst of trying to figure out what a downtown should be in this new day and age,” he told BusinessWest. “And in talking to people, I think we’re on the right track; there are a lot of great new ideas. We just have to continue with the creative economy, the co-work space, the fantastic internet service that we have, and draw people downtown as we try to figure out the next chapter and what a downtown should look like.”

What’s in Store?

This brings us back to the elephant in the room — the closing of Wilson’s and the huge void it will leave downtown — and where we started this discussion.

Yes, this development is a blow to the city and the end of the area in a number of ways. But this is a new era Greenfield and a different time.

Specifically, it’s a time of collaboration and working together to create new and different kinds of opportunities and new uses for existing spaces.

“Wilson’s was an anchor for this downtown for the longest time, for 137 years,” Adams said. “But it’s exciting to think about what’s next; we’re about to turn the page and see what’s next.”

As Roberts said, those working within this collaborative don’t hit walls, they create new windows. And the view from those windows is very promising.

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

Economist Says Stagnation More Likely Than Recession in 2020

By George O'Brien January 7, 2020

Economic Outlook

Little Change in the Forecast

‘More of the same.’

For the past several years now, that’s essentially what most economists have been saying when asked about what to expect next year.

Bob Nakosteen

And by ‘more of the same,’ they generally meant steady but decidedly unremarkable growth, which is what the nation, this state, and this region have been enjoying — and that’s the right word for it, because it certainly beats the alternative — for the past half-decade or so.

But over the past 18 to 24 months, ‘more of the same’ has come to mean some other things. These include speculation about a recession and even hard predictions that one is right around the proverbial corner; turmoil, especially in the form of a trade war with varying degrees of escalation; and a historically low unemployment rate that is a positive economic sign, obviously, but also a serious challenge to employers in every sector.

And as a new year and a new decade begins, we’re probably looking at … more of the same, as in all of the above, from the slow growth to the recession speculation to the employment challenges.

“Nationally, gross domestic product grows through a combination of an increase in the labor force and increased productivity, and both of those are really in a slump right now,” said Bob Nakosteen, a professor of Economics at Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, while summing things up. “Productivity is in a long-running slump, and our labor force is growing much less quickly. So although there isn’t any obvious risk of a recession, there is an obvious risk of a real stagnation.”

Of course, 2020 is also a presidential election year, which adds yet another intriguing element to the equation, said Nakosteen, adding that, traditionally, election years, especially those featuring presidents seeking re-election, feature policies designed to provide an additional economic jolt or stimulus.

But this year, there’s really not much that can be done, he went on, adding that another tax cut is unlikely, and interest rates are already at near-historic lows, so they really can’t be lowered any further.

“Generally, those in power during election years try to pass legislation or encourage monetary policy that will trigger more growth,” he explained. “I don’t know how much room there is for that currently, especially with these big tax cuts that have ballooned the deficit, and especially with a split Legislature. They’ve completely hamstrung themselves in terms of fiscal policy — spending and taxes, and what can they do with monetary policy; interest rates are edging slowly back down, but there’s not much room to back down. And it’s completely obvious that interest rates just don’t have the effect that they used to on the economy.”

“There was a real consensus that there was real risk of a recession coming. But that discussion has abated, you’re not hearing those comments anymore. Now, there’s consensus that there’s nothing on the horizon that’s especially risky.”

As for the proverbial big picture, 2019 was supposed to the year the expansion, one of the longest in the country’s history, ended, at least in the minds of many economists, who have since amended their speculation and instead projected a recession for some time this year. And a good deal of this conjecture is focused on the dreaded yield curve, which has been a deadly accurate predictor of recession for decades now.

An inverted yield curve is the interest-rate environment in which long-term debt instruments have a lower yield than short-term debt instruments, and when such inversion happens, recession almost always follows; in fact, the yield curve has inverted before every U.S. recession since 1955.

This strikingly accurate track record has prompted many economists to say it’s not a question of if there will be slowdown and then recession, but when.

But Nakosteen said that, despite an inverted yield curve, talk of an imminent recession has diminished, largely because most of the other indicators are generally less forbidding.

“There was a real consensus that there was real risk of a recession coming,” he told BusinessWest, emphasizing ‘was.’ “But that discussion has abated; you’re not hearing those comments anymore. Now, there’s consensus that there’s nothing on the horizon that’s especially risky. There are negative things going on, especially the trade war, and there are parts of our economy that are not doing well, such as manufacturing and agriculture. But overall, there’s not much to indicate that we’re destined for a recession.”

That said, the risk of stagnation — defined as a prolonged period of slow economic growth, usually accompanied by high unemployment, as was seen in the early ’90s during the so-called ‘jobless recovery’ — is very real. And the ongoing struggle to find and retain talent will be the main reason why.

“Finally, the labor-force constraint, the fact that the labor force is growing very, very slowly, has become binding,” he explained. “We’ve been talking about this for years now — we knew it was coming, we just didn’t know when it would hit. And there’s a good chance that it finally has hit.

“Employers just can’t find workforce to fill jobs, and you can’t make more if you don’t have people to make more,” he went on, adding that this workforce crunch is impacting the Bay State perhaps even more than the country in general.

Indeed, Nakosteen believes that low unemployment — actually, what amounts to full employment — is likely the primary reason why the Commonwealth has been consistently lagging behind a national economy that is growing at a rate of maybe 2%.

“We have an industry mix of healthcare, high-tech, and education that should make us a fast-growing state, but we’re not; we’re growing more slowly,” he noted. “And I really think that’s because employers just can’t find workers.”

He said evidence of this can be found within statistics on commuting trends, with the Bay State drawing steadily larger numbers of workers from neighboring states, especially Rhode Island and New Hampshire.

“The downside of growth is always on the supply side, and I consider supply to be supply of labor, which is now confronting the state and especially Boston,” he said, adding that there are a number of factors, from the high cost of living to horrendous commutes, that are now limiting the workforce that can help companies in and around Boston grow.

High-speed rail linking east and west might provide some relief, he admitted, but that solution is likely years away if it happens at all.

As for the stock market, when asked to explain why the markets soared nearly 30% this year despite turmoil and talk of inverted yield curves and recession, he said simply, “I can’t.”

He did offer this, though. “I think you have to look at behavioral economics and behavioral finance rather than analytical economics and analytical finance to explain this. It’s a behavioral thing. [Yale economist] Robert Shiller noted that a narrative starts to dominate, and people start to believe it — everyone says the stock market’s great, and that’s kind of self-fulfilling.”

As for 2020, again, Nakosteen is predicting something he’s been forecasting for the better part of a decade now, even though the term hasn’t always meant exactly the same thing: more of the same.

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

Growth of Cannabis Industry Offers Promise of Revenue, Jobs

By Joseph Bednar January 7, 2020

Economic Outlook

Higher Ground

Scott Foster says small cannabis businesses are being assailed with offers from large, out-of-state players.

The cannabis industry is in full swing in Massachusetts, with about three dozen dispensaries currently selling products for recreational and medicinal use — about a third of them in Western Mass. — not to mention cultivators, product developers, and a host of other related enterprises.

With 17% of cannabis sales going back to the state as taxes, and communities collecting at least 3% more — usually higher — it’s easy to recognize the financial impact.

But Scott Foster says said it’s important to remember the jobs being generated.

“You can get good employment in this field. A shop might have 20-plus employees working there,” said Foster, a partner at Bulkley Richardson, the Springfield-based law firm that launched a specialty cannabis practice last year to provide guidance for individuals, companies, and municipalities entering this very young industry. “These aren’t small businesses in the sense of 200 or 300 employees, but it’s not just four or five people working, either. It’s a pretty steady base of employment.”

And it adds up, said Jeff Hayden, vice president of Business and Community Services at Holyoke Community College (HCC), which recently launched a Cannabis Education Center to provide needed training and resources for people who want to enter this burgeoning industry.

“In Holyoke, 13 companies have applied for 21 different licenses,” Hayden told BusinessWest. “At present, 50 to 75 people are employed in cannabis-related businesses in Holyoke, but the anticipation is, within a year or two, that will be in the range of 400 to 500 people. It’s potentially a significant occupational opportunity for people. And if Holyoke is looking at 400 to 500, what is Springfield looking at? What about Northampton, Easthampton, Chicopee?”

This career potential is what inspired HCC to partner with the Worcester-based Cannabis Community Care and Research Network (C3RN) on the Cannabis Education Center.

“In Holyoke, 13 companies have applied for 21 different licenses. At present, 50 to 75 people are employed in cannabis-related businesses in Holyoke, but the anticipation is, within a year or two, that will be in the range of 400 to 500 people.”

“At HCC, we focus on what kinds of job skills people need in order to get jobs, whether entry-level or skills to do their job better. The fact that there is so much potential in this new industry in Massachusetts piqued my interest.”

No economic outlook is complete without touching on the early expansion of the cannabis industry in Massachusetts — and its immense promise for further growth, especially as dozens more shops plan to open their doors in 2020. Whether they’ll be able to maintain the sector’s early momentum remains to be seen — but most analysts agree the potential is certainly there.

On Fire

Foster recently came across an article that listed cannabis among the top four new legal practice areas, among heavyweights like cybersecurity.

“It’s interesting that cannabis has become a front-and-center legal issue across all the U.S., not just Massachusetts,” he said. “It’s becoming more recognized as a legitimate industry. Even though federal law hasn’t changed, it seems to be moving in that direction.”

Indeed, with Illinois joining the list this month, 11 states have now legalized recreational marijuana, and 19 others allow medicinal marijuana. With others set to follow this year, it’s not hard to imagine an eventual shift at the federal level, even if that doesn’t appear imminent.

As one step in that direction, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill in 2019 allowing banks to handle marijuana accounts; currently, most cannabis businesses are all-cash enterprises since they can’t use banks.

“Will banks ever start lending to the industry?” Foster asked. “I think yes, but most people in the industry think it probably won’t be in 2020. Maybe, but probably not. They’re expecting it to stall in the Senate, and Washington is occupied at the moment with lots of other stuff.”

For now, communities that have embraced this new world — like Holyoke, which is starting to fill its former mills along the canals with a mix of cannabis-related businesses — appreciate the additional tax revenue and retail traffic in town, but also, as Hayden notes, those jobs.

“Will cannabis provide thousands of jobs, like the state has predicted? Who knows, but 300, 400, 500 new jobs is significant,” he said. “More than 90% of the businesses in the Valley are small businesses — not by the definition of the Small Business Association, with 500 employees or fewer, but with 50 or fewer.”

Collectively, that’s a lot of positions to fill, especially as more of those small businesses come online.

“This is like any other business in the sense that they need people ready to work and have some skills to do the jobs they want to hire for,” Hayden said. “The more we can work as a community college on skills training that gets people ready for work, the better.”

In many cases, shops are hiring people who may face skill barriers to other types of employment; it’s a relatively even playing field in that, because the industry is so new, almost everyone needs training. HCC’s Cannabis Education Center is doing its part, both through courses and one-day programs like an upcoming workshop series on planning and starting a cannabis business, as well as getting into medical marijuana.

“Our goal is to get people into jobs, but in the context of a career,” Hayden said. “A job is a great thing, but if it’s just a 15- or 20-hour job, that’s not going to support you or your family for long. We want to get people on a career pathway through skills training.”

For example, he went on, “in cultivation, someone might come in trimming plants, working with growers, learning what the process is, and might become a cultivation technician, an assistant grower, even a master grower. There are definitely steps along the way to get not just a job, but a career in cannabis.”

Maturing Industry

Foster said he doesn’t have a crystal ball when it comes to the cannabis industry, but he does have his eye on some intriguing trends.

“We’re already seeing consolidation. Many of our clients are receiving unsolicited offers to buy them out. They’re not actively soliciting offers; people are contacting them. It’s mostly out-of-state money — and it’s not small money. That will be interesting to see, if the industry changes from being completely locally owned to being owned by out-of-state players, creating national cannabis businesses.”

Another murky area right now is the effectiveness of the state’s social-equity piece, which aims to provide priority access, training, and technical assistance to individuals and communities negatively affected by the drug war — a key target audience for HCC’s training efforts. “That’s another big unknown which may get some clarity in 2020,” Foster said.

What is clear is that the market, as it stands now, is humming along — and creating those jobs.

“All the folks I’m seeing are still trying to keep up with customer demand. At least from what I’m hearing, competition hasn’t slowed business. Will that change if New York and Connecticut were to legalize? Possibly,” he noted, citing casinos as a case study; there’s no doubt Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun have lost some business to their northern neighbor since the Bay State got into that business. “But for the moment, Massachusetts is the only game in town when it comes to cannabis.”

It’s a game with lofty goals and an uncertain — but undoubtedly promising — future.

“It’s a maturing industry,” Foster said. “So it’s going to have maturing-industry challenges.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Cannabis Buzz

By Kayla Ebner January 7, 2020

Economic Outlook

Springfield Regional Chamber to Host Marijuana Professionals, Officials

There’s still a lot of confusion surrounding the cannabis industry.

Despite the fact that medical marijuana was legalized in Massachusetts in 2012, and recreational marijuana in 2016, the business community is juggling countless regulations and laws, whether looking to get into the cannabis industry themselves or just dealing with this new economy in general.

On Tuesday, Jan. 28, many of these questions will be answered.

From 12:30 to 5 p.m. at the Springfield Sheraton, the Springfield Regional Chamber will host “The Buzz About Cannabis: Marijuana in the Marketplace and the Workplace,” a collection of business, legal, and medical marijuana professionals, distributors, and entrepreneurs, as well as state cannabis officials, who will give attendees all the information they need to know about cannabis.

Nancy Creed describes retail cannabis sales as just one spur on the wheel of an industry that has pushed its way to the forefront over the last several years, and the president of the Springfield Regional Chamber is making plans to prepare business folks for this rising economic driver.

“The cannabis industry is clearly a, no pun intended, budding industry,” Creed said. “When you look at the revenue associated with it and the taxes, it really is the next economic engine of its time.”

It was a meeting with Cannabis Control Commissioner Kay Doyle that inspired Creed to begin researching this topic.

Nancy Creed describes retail cannabis sales as just one spur on the wheel of an industry that has pushed its way to the forefront over the last several years

“This, to me, was kind of a no-brainer,” Creed said. “We need to make sure that we are at the front of the industry and we are helping businesses either get into the industry or, on the flip side, deal with this new economy.”

The conference itself features an opening keynote from Doyle, breakout sessions focused on topics like “Business Structure and Banking in the Cannabis Industry” and “Cannabis in the Workplace,” and a closing keynote by Beth Waterfall, founder of Elevate Northeast, titled “Cannabis: What’s Next?”

Budding Goals

Chamber leaders thought carefully about what their goals were for the cannabis conference — the first time a chamber in the region has hosted an event of its kind.

Creed said this first conference will take a general focus, building a solid foundation on the basics of the industry — and leaving room for a potential focus on hemp, CBD, or other spokes on the wheel, as she calls them, next year.

The main goal of the conference is to educate attendees on what cannabis is, what they need to know when getting into the industry, and how it affects the economy.

“It’s a place for business people to come and get educated,” she noted. “I think it’s also an opportunity to recognize the growth of the cannabis industry and how that will positively impact our economy and be able to shine a light on it, so people see it as the future of our region.”

In order to accomplish this, she knew they needed to bring in several experts and professionals from different parts of the industry — including someone from the commission, Doyle, to talk about the landscape of the industry and the regulations entrepreneurs need to grapple with.

Next, Creed wanted to ensure the conference featured someone who could help businesses figure out what they needed to know about not only getting into the industry, but also what type of business they would be classified as.

Perhaps most importantly, they needed an expert in the banking industry. Because marijuana is still federally illegal, almost no bank will deal with marijuana businesses — although that could eventually change. Tina Sbrega, CEO of GFA Credit Union, will accompany Scott Foster, partner at Bulkley Richardson, to talk about banking and business structure.

“I want to make sure that businesses understand that, so they are successful when they start out, and aren’t just starting out not thinking through all of the things you need to think through to be a successful business,” Creed said.

She added that this conference is not just for people looking to get into the business, but also for people who just need to understand how it works.

Joanne Berwald, vice president of HR at Mestek; Erica Flores, attorney at Skoler Abbott; and Pam Thornton, director of Strategic HR Services at the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast, will lead a breakout session about recruitment, retention, and employment law.

“There are a lot of complex laws that come into play,” Creed said. “We wanted to make sure, for the rest of the business world that isn’t interested in getting into the cannabis industry, that we had information about what is it like for the other folks working and hiring in a cannabis world.”

For the final breakout session, Creed explained that she wanted to bring in a panel comprised of a marijuana grower, a user, and a distributor, but did not have the internal resources to find people who fit the description. That’s when she reached out to Michael Kusek, cannabis journalist and publisher of Different Leaf magazine. He crafted a team — Noni Goldman, Leslie Laurie, Ezra Parzybok, Karima Rizk, and Payton Shubrick — to talk about their individual niches and how they navigate the cannabis industry in different ways.

Sowing Seeds

Overall, Creed hopes to help as many people as possible navigate a still new and quickly growing industry.

Because it is the first event of its kind, she is unsure just how many people will register, but believes that, once people learn more about the event, they will see the benefits of attending.

“I really don’t know how much the business community is going to understand the conference and embrace the conference,” she said. “Our hope is that they will, but it’s new.”

What she does know is that the cannabis industry is evolving at a rapid rate, and keeping up with the high demand is a must for the chamber.

“It’s a place for business people to come and get educated,” she said. “I think it’s also an opportunity to recognize the growth of the cannabis industry and how that will positively impact our economy, and be able to shine a light on it so people see it as the future of our region — because it’s here.”

Kayla Ebner can be reached at [email protected]

Sorry, That’s Confidential!

By Columnist January 7, 2020

Law

And to Keep It That Way, Businesses Can Make Use of the NDA

By Kenneth Albano, Esq.

Kenneth Albano

In the legal world, we use the term ‘attorney-client privilege,’ while in the medical field, you may have heard the expression ‘doctor-patient confidentiality.’ Both terms are used in circumstances where a lawyer or doctor must maintain confidentiality to best protect a client or a patient.

In a business setting, the term ‘confidential’ can be used on many fronts, most notably in the context of a formal confidentiality/non-disclosure agreement, more commonly known as an NDA.

The use of an NDA can be seen in many different business scenarios, with the primary purpose being to protect confidential information from being revealed to the public or an unwanted third party, or from being used without the consent or knowledge of the first party.

Within the NDA document itself, the two parties are known as the ‘disclosing party’ and the ‘receiving party.’ The disclosing party is the person requesting that the receiving party sign the NDA, in order to protect the confidential information at stake.

For example, if an owner of a company were looking to retire and possibly sell the business to a competitor, he would not want to offer up proprietary information without protection. In a case like this, the retiring business owner might ask his purchaser or competitor to sign an NDA, which would protect the business owner while the two parties negotiated the terms for the sale of the business.

“You have worked long and hard to develop and grow your business, and without the protection of an NDA, loss of information could have very real financial repercussions.”

The content of an NDA can typically be broken down into five main components:

• Define the parties. This means laying out in clear terms who is the disclosing party and who is the receiving party. Typically the parties are individuals. Within the NDA document, the receiving party will be bound by numerous covenants or conditions associated with the protection of the confidential information being used or revealed.

• Describe the nature of the transaction the NDA is governing. For example, an NDA might be used to protect confidential information associated with the hiring of a new employee or executive, keeping business information private when working with independent contractors, preventing an idea or invention from being stolen or infringed upon, or protecting proprietary or secret company information that might be disclosed during a potential sale of a business.

• Include all the details. Within the NDA, it is important to specifically define, in great detail, exactly what constitutes the confidential information to be protected. In our prior example of the sale of a business, the NDA might prevent the receiving party from revealing any information about the business — whether it were oral or written information concerning the company, technical information, proprietary sales and financial data, software products, marketing strategies, customer lists, personnel records, or any information supplied by the business to the receiving party by the company or its representatives.

In another example, if the NDA were being used for the purpose of hiring a new employee or executive, the definition of the confidential information might include various proprietary information belonging to the company, about which the new employee would become aware during his or her employment. This type of protective covenant regarding confidential information can also be found in a written employment agreement or non-compete agreement as well.

• What information is allowed to be disclosed by the receiving party without violating the NDA? Under normal circumstances, confidential information does not include (a) information generally available or known to the public; (b) information that was already known by or available to the receiving party; (c) information subsequently disclosed to the receiving party by a third person, under no obligation of confidentiality to the disclosing party; or (d) information required to be disclosed as part of a judicial process, government investigation, or legal proceeding.

This type of information would normally be presented as a defense by the receiving party, if litigation alleging a violation or threatened violation of the NDA was commenced by the disclosing party.

• Define the consequences of a violation. If the receiving party breaches or violates the terms and covenants of the NDA, in most cases, the disclosing party can pursue a legal remedy via the court system. Remedies may include but not be limited to preventing further disclosure or use of the confidential information, award of damages, or other equitable relief as may be provided under the law.

Other important elements of an NDA include the length of time the agreement is to be in effect (the ‘term’), and also the governing law which would interpret the terms of the NDA should a conflict arise, and which is generally the state law for the state or commonwealth in which the disclosing party is doing business.

If your company is involved in a transaction where proprietary information could be disclosed to an independent third party, consider the use of an NDA. You have worked long and hard to develop and grow your business, and without the protection of an NDA, loss of information could have very real financial repercussions.

Kenneth Albano is managing partner for Bacon Wilson, P.C., and a member of the firm’s corporate, commercial, and municipal law departments. He represents commercial banks in all aspects of lending and workout practices and represents closely held business entities in all aspects of operations. He serves as town counsel to several Massachusetts municipalities, including Monson, Southwick, and Holland; (413) 781-0560; [email protected]

Employers Who Fail to Follow the ADA Requirements Face Consequences

By Columnist January 7, 2020

Law

Understanding the Americans with Disabilities Act

By Sarah M. Ryzewski, Esq.

Sarah M. Ryzewski

A request for time off comes across your desk from an employee. The employee is requesting additional time off to accommodate a disability she has. The additional time requested is needed to be able to attend all of her appointments, necessary for her to complete her treatment.

How an employer goes about identifying an accommodation request, and either approving or denying the request, is important in staying compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other federal and state laws. Satisfying the obligations required by employers under such laws is necessary to prevent unlawful actions and prevent disability discrimination.

Under the ADA, it is unlawful for certain employers to discriminate against individuals with disabilities; the law further requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with a qualified disability. A disability is an impairment that substantially limits one or more life activities. A qualified disabled individual is a person who is capable of performing the essential functions of the particular job or would be capable of performing the essential functions with a reasonable accommodation.

The ADA applies only to employers who have 15 or more employers, labor unions, and state and federal government.

Employers need to be able to recognize when a request for an accommodation for a qualified disability is being made. Employees seeking accommodations under the ADA are making the request to be able to perform the essential functions of the job which they have. When making a request for an accommodation, employees are not required to use specific words such as ‘accommodation’ or ‘disability,’ but, rather, only need to explain why a change or adjustment is needed because of a medical condition.

“Under the ADA, it is unlawful for certain employers to discriminate against individuals with disabilities; the law further requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with a qualified disability.”

This medical condition can be either mental or physical. Since key words or phrases are not required under the ADA to make accommodation requests, employers need to educate themselves on how to spot a variety of different ccommodation requests, how requests are being made, and the words being used. Take, for instance, the employee cited above, requesting time off for her appointments. She would be successful in submitting her request for an accommodation by explaining to her employer she needs additional days off during the next few months to be able to complete her chemotherapy. She would not be required to say she needs an accommodation for her disability.

Once the accommodation request has been made, employers will need to determine whether or not the accommodation is reasonable and will need to enter into an interactive discussion. A reasonable accommodation is a change to a job that will allow an individual with a qualified disability to perform essential functions of a job. The accommodation must be related to the job the employee making the request has — otherwise, it is not reasonable. Moreover, employers are not required to approve a request for an accommodation if the request made would cause the employer an undue hardship.

Undue hardships occur when it would require an employer to undertake an unreasonable expense or it would cause significant difficulty to allow the request. Reasonable accommodations usually include modified work schedules, making workplaces easily accessible, leave, and modifying work equipment, among others.

An unreasonable accommodation request would include personal items such as paying for special eyewear or hearing aids. Whether or not an employer ultimately approves or denies an accommodation request, the employer should seek out alternative accommodations to present and negotiate to the employee making the request. Employers are strongly encouraged to fulfill their duty to be compliant by researching the accommodation request and providing alternative accommodations before flat-out denying the request. Determinative on whether an accommodation decision can be reached or not, employers can provide temporary accommodations until a final accommodation has been determined.

To complicate the obligations under the ADA, additional federal and state laws may be intertwined, forcing employers to stay informed. These laws can obligate employers to adhere to additional requirements or may prevent employers from being able to approve certain accommodations.

Frequent laws which come into play with the ADA include the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and state-specific medical leave acts. Medical leave acts allow employees to take a specified amount of time off for medical or family-related reasons. Employers should inform employees whether or not the leave for a disability is within an existing leave policy with the employer, or whether it will be treated as an accommodation request, and should provide information as to whether the leave will be paid or not and the amount of time an employee is allowed to take.

Employers can request documentation for a leave request before approving it as an accommodation request. Employers should provide information on how the ADA’s reasonable-accommodation requirement could be affected by other federal and state laws. Based upon the example from above, the employer would need to explain how the employee’s request for leave as an accommodation would either be within the employer’s existing leave policy or treated as an accommodation request for her disability.

Furthermore, the employer would need to provide additional information to the employee on whether or not the leave, if approved, would be paid or unpaid, and the amount of time she could take.

Although the ADA has many complex components, it is crucial to be well-educated on obligations owed by employers. Employers who fail to adhere to the requirements risk possible claims of non-compliance and potential claims of disability discrimination.

Providing information to employees on the ADA is crucial. Employers should provide employees with the procedures on how to request accommodations, provide contact information for individuals who handle accommodation requests, and document every accommodation request. Having information relating to the ADA within an employee handbook, signage, and training and orientation material is essential. Finally, employers should have a procedure in place for how to successfully oblige the law.

For more information on the ADA and employer obligations, seek clarification from an attorney.

Sarah M. Ryzewski, Esq. is an associate attorney at Royal, P.C.; (413) 586-2288; [email protected]

The Relocated YMCA Serves the Community in Many Ways

By Kayla Ebner January 7, 2020

Health Care

More Than a Gym

Dexter Johnson says people who work downtown are excited about having the YMCA nearby.

Dexter Johnson can rattle off the amenities found in any chain gym. Weights and cardio equipment. A sauna or pool. Perhaps a playroom for kids to hang out while their parents work out.

But the YMCA offers more than just fitness equipment and childcare for its members — it gives them a community, said Johnson, CEO of YMCA of Greater Springfield, which recently relocated from Chestnut Street in Springfield to Tower Square in the heart of downtown.

The nonprofit recently held its grand opening, and is well underway with programs, fitness classes, and more activities open to members.

The fact that Tower Square, Monarch Place, 1550 Main Street, and other surrounding offices are home to more than 2,000 employees in downtown Springfield is one of several benefits of the YMCA’s move, Johnson told BusinessWest. “The reception has been great. The people that work in this building or in the adjoining buildings have been excited about having us here.”

And it’s no secret why.

The new Child Care Center for the Springfield Y boasts a 15,000-square-foot education center, including classrooms, serving infants through elementary-school students. The Wellness Center continues its popular fitness and health programming with a new, 12,000-square-foot facility on the mezzanine level of Tower Square, complete with a group exercise room, state-of-the-art spin room, sauna, steam room, and walking track.

But Johnson knows the Y is more than just a gym — it’s a cause-driven organization that focuses on giving back to the community through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.

“We don’t call ourselves a gym, despite the fact that we have gym equipment,” he said. “We are a community organization, and this is just one of the ways that we serve the community.”

The Bigger Picture

One of the many programs the Y offers is LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, a 12-week personal-training program for adult cancer survivors offered without cost to participants. It also provides families with nearly $700,000 in financial scholarships every year — just two examples of how the Y is much more than just a gym, Johnson said.

“Our goal as an organization is to really make the Y stronger,” he noted, adding that the move to a new facility will greatly reduce costs to allow the organization to expand its services and impact. “The Y is looking to serve the community and to help from the spirit, mind, and body aspects of what people need.”

Before the move, Johnson anticipated the Y would lose about 20% of its members due to lack of a pool and change of location, but added that it has since gained new members and partners that are taking advantage of the services. About 50 new memberships were sold before the move into the new space, just because people knew it was coming.

“Nearly 2,000 people work in these three buildings, so we’re really hoping that those folks will understand the convenience of having something like this right here and not having to go to your car and drive elsewhere to meet your wellness needs,” he said.

Right now, the number of membership units, both families and individuals, is up to about 1,000. In order to increase these numbers, Johnson says the Y is giving tours, reaching out to local businesses and neighbors, and will be offering specials starting in 2020 to get people in the door.

“We’re hoping that we will get a good turnout of people that will give us a try,” he said, adding that a new sauna, steam room, and more than 40 group exercise classes a week are just some of the benefits.

While welcoming those newcomers, Johnson emphasized that the Y is also hoping its long-time members will enjoy the new facility as well.

“Despite the fact that we are heavily focused on the business population, we continue to serve the population as a whole, and we want our members to remember that part because that’s crucial for us,” he said. “We’re really looking to build upon the existing membership by moving here.”

A New Venture

While the new location has more limited space than the original, Johnson says he’s focused on making the most of the new location. That includes utilizing the parking garage by offering members free parking for up to three hours — as well as letting people know what other amenities exist in Tower Square, from retail and banking to UMass Amherst and numerous restaurants, most of them in the food court.

“We understand that the more activity and the more action taking place in this building, the better for everyone,” he said.

Overall, Johnson strongly believes this new facility will help serve the goals of the Y as a whole.

“We think this facility will stabilize the organization,” he said, “while we continue in our other efforts as they relate to our full service at our Wilbraham location, our childcare facilities throughout the city, and all the things the Y is involved with.”

Kayla Ebner can be reached at [email protected]

Springfield Is a ‘Surge’ City

By Editorial January 7, 2020

Opinion

Editorial

We’ve written in the past that it’s wise to be wary about a good many of these ‘top 10’ or ’50 best’ lists that come out regularly, charting everything from the most attractive places to retire to the ‘most unsafe’ cities in the country.

It’s always best to take them with a grain of salt.

But sometimes, these lists can provide food for thought, and that is certainly the case when it comes to Springfield finding a home — let’s hope it’s a permanent home — on Inc. magazine’s list of the 50 Best U.S. Cities for Starting a Business in 2020, or its ‘Surge Cities Index.’

The City of Homes is right there at No. 46, one spot behind Houston, one ahead of Tulsa, Okla., and 45 behind Austin, Texas. Beyond that general ranking, there are other measures, and Springfield, according to Inc., ranks 14th in wage growth, 22nd in early-stage funding deals, and 28th in net business creation.

These lists are incredibly subjective and wholly unscientific, and no one can really say if Springfield is the 46th-best place to start a business or the 43rd, or the 52nd. But what’s more important than the number is what Inc. had to say about the city and what’s really behind that ranking.

Let’s start with the headline. “In the Pioneer Valley, founders are made, not imported.” That’s an accurate description of what’s going on in this region — businesses get started here and, hopefully, grow here — and a very telling one. Indeed, Western Mass. is trying to grow its base of businesses organically, primarily out of necessity.

Here’s what Inc. had to say:

“This Pioneer Valley city benefits from its proximity to the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship at UMass Amherst, which serves as an incubator for startup talent. Founders in this Massachusetts town can develop further with Valley Venture Mentors, a grant-fund mentorship organization, and innovation center TechSpring. The latter organization focuses primarily on latter-stage startups in healthcare, while the former has helped more than 300 startups since its founding in 2011. ‘We don’t have a bias toward high tech. We have a bias toward the people who live here,’ says Valley Venture Mentors CEO Kristin Leutz. ‘[People here] see anyone as a potential high-growth entrepreneur.’”

Slicing through this commentary, it is now evident that Greater Springfield’s entrepreneurship ecosystem is not only gaining some momentum, it is gaining some attention. We’re quite sure the region was already on the proverbial map when it comes to startups and innovation, and this ranking provides still more evidence.

Such an ecosystem involves a lot of moving parts — incubators, mentorship groups, colleges and universities with entrepreneurship programs, angel investors, venture-capital groups, and more — and they have to work in unison to create startups, nurture them, get them to the next stage, and, hopefully, keep them in this region.

Springfield has a long way to go before it has a startup environment like Austin, Salt Lake City, Durham, N.C., Denver, and Boise, Idaho — the top five cities on Inc.’s list — but it’s making its presence known, both to the editors at Inc. and hopefully with people looking to launch a business.

Like we said at the top, one has to be careful not to read too much into these ‘best-of’ lists. But we can read something from this one — that all those efforts to encourage and mentor entrepreneurs in this region are starting to pay off. v

STARS Gets Kids Reading

By Editorial January 7, 2020

Opinion

By Sue Kline

It’s an autumn afternoon at the Morgan School in Holyoke, and Superintendent Stephen Zrike Jr. is performing what might look like a magic trick, or maybe a minor miracle: he has the quiet, rapt attention of a class full of boisterous preschoolers, who sit in a semicircle with mouths agape and eyes glued on him and what he’s holding in his hand.

It’s not an iPad or a smartphone or a flashy toy or a magic wand — it’s a book. Specifically, it’s The Family Book by Todd Parr, one of four books the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation (HGCF) is gifting to children in Holyoke Public Schools and Springfield Public Schools this year through Stories to Achieve Reading Success (STARS), an initiative to support early reading and family engagement. After the reading and a discussion, the children — smiling wide and with a bit of shock — receive their own individual copies to take home and read with their families.

For these children, these books are magic: they open doors to new worlds, they offer enchanting stories and illustrations that are just as miraculous on the 50th read as on the first, and the books are theirs to keep forever. In today’s digital age, where screens are ubiquitous and you can read a 1,000-page novel on your phone, there is still something special about holding a beautiful book in your hands.

Parent Ashley Garcia is thrilled with the most recent selection, saying, “I absolutely love how The Family Book acknowledges diversity. Sometimes it can be challenging to explain to young children that all families are unique, yet, despite differences, all families are brought together by one thing, which is love. The colorful pictures and simple words make this a perfect gift.”

HGCF introduced STARS, now in its second year, to advance a simple but urgent goal — to help get kids in Holyoke and Springfield reading from a young age. Abundant academic research suggests strong linkages between early reading and later educational success. That makes STARS much more than a program that makes learning more fun and engaging for children and families; it’s an investment in the long-term futures of these students that can pay dividends for years to come.

Patricia Chavez, Holyoke’s director of Early Childhood Learning, notes that “partnering with the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation has been a wonderful opportunity, bolstering the home-to-school connection, something we are always striving toward. Because each book is accompanied with reading tips and ideas for parents, there’s a great opportunity for families to engage.”

STARS gifts four books throughout the year from the established curriculum to 2,400 children in Springfield and Holyoke preschools. The program is a real gem — we’re awed by the extraordinary work being done in classrooms by preschool educators who transmit to youngsters an early love of stories, and very proud that the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation can help extend preschoolers’ positive classroom reading experiences into their homes.”

For more information about STARS and available opportunities to assist in expanding outreach to additional Holyoke and Springfield preschools, e-mail [email protected].

Sue Kline is director of Stories to Achieve Reading Success.

Picture This

By BusinessWest Staff January 7, 2020

Picture This

HCC Gives Back to the Community

Representatives from four Holyoke Community College (HCC) student clubs delivered hundreds of winter care packages to agencies in Holyoke and Springfield that serve the homeless. Members of the HCC Military Club, Criminal Justice Club, Radio Club, and Sociology Club created hygiene kits (84 for women, 86 for men) that included basic toiletries, and also prepared 208 kits that included hats, mittens, scarves, and blankets and gave away winter coats.

HCC Criminal Justice Professor Alex Sanchez, student John Serrano, student Sierra Palazzi, alumna Lindsey Pare, student Robert Vigneault, and student John Colleto hold some of the winter care packages. HCC also celebrated the 20th anniversary of its annual Giving Tree campaign this year, fulfilling the holiday wishes of 375 individuals from four nonprofits that aid and support some of the area’s most at-risk residents

Palazzi helps distribute gifts during the closing celebration for the Giving Tree campaign

No Shave November

TommyCar Auto Group joined forces with the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Patrick Cahillane for No Shave November, in which participants forgo shaving and grooming for one month to raise cancer awareness. Throughout November, deputies and staff in the Sheriff’s Office were able to opt out of the dress code prohibiting beards for a donation of $20 to the Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Charity Golf Tournament, which supports the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Meanwhile, TommyCar Auto Group employees donated the money they would spend on shaving to the charity. In total, the Sheriff’s Office raised $2,700, which Carla Cosenzi, president of TommyCar Auto Group, matched, resulting in a donation of $5,400 to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Florence Bank Open House

Florence Bank hosted its 12th annual holiday open house at its Williamsburg branch on Dec. 11. Complimentary appetizers and refreshments from the Williamsburg Snack Bar were served, and local businesses, including Cichy’s Garage, O’Brien’s Auto Works, Williamsburg Market, Dove Business Associates, and Village Green, donated raffle prizes.

The event featured a performance of holiday carols by the Williamsburg Congregational Church Choir

Kristine Zdaniewicz, assistant branch manager at the Williamsburg branch (left), and April O’Brien, vice president and Williamsburg branch manager

Helping Families Celebrate the Season

Robinson Donovan, P.C. once again partnered with the Gray House for its Adopt-a-Family Christmas program to brighten the season for deserving families in the Western Mass. community. The Gray House pairs local businesses with families in need to fulfill Christmas wish lists for their children; this year, Robinson Donovan assisted five families. Through the help of participating businesses, the Gray House was able to provide more than 800 gifts from children’s wish lists in 2018. In addition to the Adopt-a-Family Christmas program, the organization hosts a general toy drive for children in the community with the help of local schools and shelters.

Robinson Donovan Partner David Lawless with Teresa Liberti, executive director of the Gray House

Court Dockets

By BusinessWest Staff January 7, 2020

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

Perkins Paper, LLC v. Joseph’s Premium Produce Inc.

Allegation: Breach of contract for goods sold and delivered: $6,242.42

Filed: 11/27/19

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Carolyn J. Taylor as a personal representative of the estate of Paul P. Pacewicz v. Wingate Healthcare Inc. and Mary L. Burgeson

Allegation: Personal injury, property damage: $25,000+

Filed: 11/15/19

Julianne Holby v. McDonald’s Corp.

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $53,393.28

Filed: 11/20/19

James Fiorentino v. VAAS Energy, LLC

Allegation: Employment misclassification, failure to pay wages: $60,000+

Filed: 11/21/19

Baystate Blasting Inc. v. Graniteville Materials, LLC

Allegation: Breach of contract: $103,206

Filed: 11/22/19

Lori Meaney v. Trinity Health New England Corp. Inc. d/b/a/ Mercy Medical Center

Allegation: Negligence; trip and fall causing personal injury: $100,000

Filed: 11/22/19

Donald Marion v. Pearl Construction Partners Inc.

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $28,553.12

Filed: 12/2/19

Katherine Kane, personal representative of the estate of Louise Moriarty v. Genesis Lifecare Corp. and JGS Lifecare Corp.

Allegation: Wrongful death: $1,176,144.45

Filed: 12/3/19

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

Johnny Graniela v. TommyCar Management Corp., TommyCar Corp., Thomas Cosenzi, and Carla Zayac

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

Filed: 11/24/19

Marta Martine and Marta Martinez as parent and next friend of Kai Martinez-Peron v. Northampton Montessori Society Inc. and Gill Building Corp. d/b/a Renaissance Builders

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $85,000+

Filed: 12/5/19

Agenda

By BusinessWest Staff January 7, 2020

Agenda

40 Under Forty Nominations

Through Feb. 14: BusinessWest is currently accepting nominations for the 40 Under Forty class of 2020. The deadline for nominations is Feb. 14. Launched in 2007, the program recognizes rising stars in the four counties of Western Mass. Nominations, which should be detailed in nature, should list an individual’s accomplishments within their profession as well as their work within the community. Nominations can be completed online HERE. Nominations will be weighed by a panel of judges. The selected individuals will be profiled in the April 27 issue of BusinessWest and honored at the 40 Under Forty Gala on June 25 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. The event’s presenting sponsor is PeoplesBank, and other sponsorship opportunities are available.

Micro-emerging Markets: Cannabis Certificate Program

Jan. 13 to May 5: American International College (AIC) is announcing a new undergraduate initiative in the School of Business, Arts and Sciences titled Micro-Emerging Markets: Cannabis Certificate Program. Three business courses are offered in rotation beginning with the spring 2020 semester. The first course of the series will run on Wednesdays, 3:50 p.m. to 6:20 p.m., starting Jan. 13, 2020 and continuing through May 5, 2020. There are no prerequisites to enroll other than a high-school diploma or GED equivalency. Non-matriculated students can enter the program at any time in the sequence. The first course, “Cannabis Entrepreneurship,” will examine customer groups, products, and services in the recreational market. The effect of price, quality, and competitors will be explored relative to competing effectively. This will involve key components of the industry, including legal aspects, business models, financing, and marketing. In “Cannabis Business Operations,” students will analyze the evolving cannabis marketplace and investigate the complexities and challenges of this sector. This course will conduct an in-depth look at the key components of different business types, how the sector is evolving, starting and operating a cannabis business, in addition to financial constraints, investments, and strategic marketing in the industry. The final course, “The Law and Ethics of Cannabis,” will examine the legalization of cannabis. Discussion around the legal and ethical implications of cannabis use, its legalization, criminal activity, and marketing will be explored in addition to perspectives of law enforcement, business owners, and recreational uses. For more information about the Micro-Emerging Market: Cannabis Certificate Program, visit aic.edu/mem.

Cannabis Education Center

Jan. 16, 23; Feb. 6: The Cannabis Education Center, a joint venture between Holyoke Community College (HCC) and C3RN – the Cannabis Community Care and Research Network – has scheduled three standalone courses for people working in the cannabis industry or those who want to get started. The first, “Professional Cannabis Business Plan Development,” will run on Thursday, Jan. 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, 164 Race St., Holyoke. This $199 course is for experienced cannabis entrepreneurs who need assistance developing a business plan. The second, “Medical Cannabis 101,” is geared toward dispensary agents and healthcare providers. That will run on Thursday, Jan. 23 from 6 to 10 p.m. in the HCC Kittredge Center. The cost is $99. The third, “How to Start a Cannabis Business,” — a comprehensive, introductory session about starting a cannabis business — is slated for Thursday, Feb. 6 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the HCC Kittredge Center. The cost is $99. Space is limited, so advance registration and pre-payment are required for all courses. No walk-ins will be allowed. To register, visit hcc.edu/bcs and click on ‘Cannabis Education.’

‘Stress Less in 2020’

Jan. 17: The free monthly Lunch and Learn program at Ruth’s House Assisted Living Residence at JGS Lifecare has announced its next topic. Dr. Bill Bazin, a chiropractor for more than 30 years, will present “Stress Less in 2020 with Time and Energy Efficiency,” offering strategies to better manage stress and increase quality of life. Almost 60% of Americans consider themselves stressed and depressed, and stress can play a major factor in heart attacks. Bazin will talk about stress and offer strategies on what to do to deal with it. Topics will include why we have stress; different types of stress; signs and symptoms of an overstressed life; how to get exponential growth from one’s time and energy; strategic planning for one’s life and family; eliminating fear, panic, and anxiety; the five factors of health; solutions for stress that can be done at home, and when to take the next step to deal with stress. The lunch at noon will be followed by the presentation from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. The Ruth’s House Lunch and Learn program is free and open to the public. Tours of independent and memory-care neighborhoods will be available. RSVP to Lori Payson at (413) 567-3949, ext. 3105, or [email protected]. For more information, visit jgslifecare.org/events.

Free Workshop on Wage and Hour Laws

Jan. 28: MassHire Holyoke Career Center will present a free workshop on the laws enforced by the Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division, including the payment of wages, minimum wage, overtime, and earned sick time. At the event — slated for 8 to 10 a.m. at 850 High St., Holyoke — guest speaker Barbara Dillon DeSouza will also discuss the broad powers of the Fair Labor Division to investigate and enforce violations of these laws and explain the various ways a company can become the subject of an investigation. Finally, she will note some resources available to companies to keep informed of the laws. DeSouza is an assistant attorney general in the Fair Labor Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. She focuses on enforcing Massachusetts wage and hour laws, including prevailing-wage laws. She has been with the office since March 2010. Coffee and light refreshments will be provided. Seating is limited, so attendees are encouraged to reserve a seat early. Register by contacting Yolanda Rodriguez at (413) 322-7186 or [email protected].

All Ideas Pitch Contest

Feb. 5: Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) Berkshire County is holding an All Ideas Pitch Contest from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Green at 85 Main St., Suite 105, North Adams. EforAll’s first Pitch Contest at the Berkshire Museum in October created a lot of community buzz, with more than 100 attendees and 11 companies competing. The big winner that night was Kaitlyn Pierce of Binka Bear. Described as “Shark Tank without the teeth,” EforAll’s friendly, free event features a business showcase and then pitches from six pre-selected contestants and two more that are added the night of the event. Each participant is given two and a half minutes to pitch a business or nonprofit idea to a panel of judges and the audience. At the end of it, EforAll gives away seed money to help launch these ideas. The first-place finisher wins $1,000, second place gets $750, third place wins $500, and the audience favorite also wins $500. Applications and audience registration information are both available online at www.eforall.org/berkshire-county.

Women’s Leadership Conference

March 27: Bay Path University’s division of Strategic Alliances announced that producer, author, entrepreneur, educator, and, of course, top model Tyra Banks will bring her bold attitude, unique style, and well-honed business acumen to Springfield as the keynote speaker at the 25th annual Women’s Leadership Conference (WLC). This year’s theme, “Own Your Now,” will encourage conference guests to examine the forces that have shaped their careers, relationships, and aspirations; recognize what drives them and what holds them back; and empower them to confidently move forward. Banks is the creator of America’s Next Top Model, the reality show and modeling competition that has been replicated in 47 international markets and viewed in 150 countries. This year’s conference also will feature breakout sessions focused on navigating the complicated relationships, personalities, and dynamics of the workplace and the impact those have on our careers and opportunities. Sessions will be led by bestselling authors and researchers including Laura Huang, Harvard Business School professor and author of Edge: Turning Adversity into Advantage; Emily Esfahani Smith, author of The Power of Meaning; Dr. Ramani Durvasula, licensed clinical psychologist and author of Don’t You Know Who I Am: How to Stay Sane in the Era of Narcissism, Entitlement and Incivility; and Jennifer Romolini, author of Weird in a World That’s Not: A Career Guide for Misfits. For further information on the conference and to register, visit www.baypathconference.com.

Hooplandia

June 26-28: Hooplandia, the largest 3-on-3 basketball competition and celebration on the East Coast, will take place on June 26-28, 2020, hosted by Eastern States Exposition and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The event will feature hundreds of games for thousands of players of all ages and playing abilities, with divisions for young girls, boys, women, men, high-school elite, college elite, pro-am, ‘over the hill,’ wheelchair, wounded warrior, Special Olympians, veterans, first responders, and more. More than 100 outdoor blacktop courts will be placed throughout the roadway and parking-lot network of the Eastern States Exposition fairgrounds in West Springfield. Slam-dunk, 3-point, free-throw, dribble-course, vertical-jump, and full-court-shot skills competitions will be spotlighted. Themed state courts will be mobilized along the Exposition’s famed Avenue of States. Featured ‘showcase games’ will be held on new court surfaces in the historic Eastern States Coliseum and on the Court of Dreams, the center court of the Basketball Hall of Fame. A year-long community outreach effort will begin immediately. Registration will open on March 1, 2020. Information and engagement is available now through www.hooplandia.com or on Instagram: @hooplandia.

Chamber Corners: Upcoming Events

By BusinessWest Staff January 7, 2020

Chamber Corners

GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.westfieldbiz.org

(413) 568-1618

• Jan. 6: Mayor’s Coffee Hour, 8-9 a.m., hosted by Andrea York Photography, 16 Unio• Ave., Westfield. Joi• us for coffee with Westfield Mayor-elect Donald Humason. The event is free and ope• to the public. Pre-registratio• is requested so we may give our host a proper head count. For more informatio• and to register, visit westfieldbiz.org/events or call (413) 568-1618.

• Jan. 13: After 5 Connections, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Unio• Crossing Realty, LLC, 420 Unio• St., Westfield. Refreshments will be served. A 50/50 raffle will benefit the chamber scholarship fund. Bring your business cards and make connections. Chamber members and non-members are free. For more informatio• and to register, visit westfieldbiz.org/events or call (413) 568-1618.

• Jan. 28: Block Party, 4-6 p.m., hosted by Westwood Restaurant and Pub, 94 North Elm St., Westfield. Joi• us for a• ope• house and meet Westwood and chamber businesses for drinks, appetizers, networking, and more. Chamber members are welcome. Marketing tables are available. For more informatio• and to register, e-mail [email protected] or call (413) 568-1618.

• Feb. 10: After 5 Connections, 5-7 p.m., hosted by the Pottery Cellar, the Mill at Crane Pond, 77 Mill St., Westfield. Refreshments will be served. A 50/50 raffle will benefit the chamber scholarship fund. Bring your business cards and make connections. Chamber members and non-members are free. For more informatio• and to register, visit westfieldbiz.org/events or call (413) 568-1618.

PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CHAMBER

www.springfieldregionalchamber.com

(413) 787-1555

• Jan. 16: PWC Headline Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., hosted by Storrowto• Tavern, 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield, with Karla Medina, retired Hartford police sergeant and owner and founder of Sudor Taino Fitness. Cost: $35 for PWC members, $40 general admission, and $25 for students. To register, visit www.springfieldregionalchamber.com, e-mail [email protected], or call (413) 755-1310.

SPRINGFIELD REGIONAL CHAMBER

www.springfieldregionalchamber.com

(413) 787-1555

• Jan. 28: “The Buzz About Cannabis: Marijuana i• the Marketplace and the Workplace,” 12:30-5 p.m., hosted by Sherato• Springfield, One Monarch Place, Springfield. The region’s most comprehensive cannabis event, featuring leading business, legal, and medical professionals, distributors, and entrepreneurs. Cost: $60 for early-bird registratio• until Jan. 14, $75 after Jan. 14. To register, visit www.springfieldregionalchamber.com, e-mail [email protected], or call (413) 755-1310.

• Feb. 5: “The 2020 Elections: Faste• Your Seatbelts — From Massachusetts to the Beltway, It’s All o• the Line” Rise & Shine Business Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., hosted by MassMutual Center, 1277 Mai• St., Springfield. Featuring political consultant Tony Cignoli. Cost: $25 for members i• advance ($30 at the door), $35 general admissio• i• advance ($40 at the door). To register, visit www.springfieldregionalchamber.com, e-mail [email protected], or call (413) 755-1310.

• Feb. 20: Third annual Fire & Ice Craft Cocktail Competition, 5:30-8 p.m., hosted by Springfield Country Club, 1375 Elm St., West Springfield. Cost: $50 for members i• advance ($60 at the door), $60 general admissio• i• advance ($70 at the door). To register, visit www.springfieldregionalchamber.com, e-mail [email protected], or call (413) 755-1310.

• Feb. 27: Leadership Institute professional development program kickoff, 1-4:30 p.m., hosted by TD Bank Conference Center, 1441 Mai• St., Springfield. To register, visit www.springfieldregionalchamber.com, e-mail [email protected], or call (413) 755-1310.

WEST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.ourwrc.com

(413) 426-3880

• Jan. 16: Networking Lunch, noo• to 1:30 p.m., hosted by Crestview Country Club, Agawam. Enjoy a sit-dow• lunch while networking with fellow chamber members. Each attendee will get a chance to offer a brief introductio• and company overview. You must be a member or guest of a member to attend. The only cost to attend for members is the cost of lunch. Non-members pay $10 plus lunch. Attendees will order off the menu and pay separately that day. Please note, we cannot invoice you for these events. Register online at www.westoftheriverchamber.com.

People on the Move

By BusinessWest Staff January 7, 2020

People on the Move

Peter Gagliardi

Way Finders Inc. announced that President and CEO Peter Gagliardi will retire in June 2020 after more than 28 years of service to the organization. Since 1991, Gagliardi has served communities in Western Mass. at Way Finders. He has seen the organization through significant growth, including the restoration and development of more than 1,000 units of affordable housing, becoming a chartered member of NeighborWorks America in 2008, and, most recently, the construction of a new Housing Center in downtown Springfield that is due to open its doors in April 2020. Under Gagliardi’s leadership, Way Finders has become the largest nonprofit housing provider in Western Mass. Last year, the organization impacted the lives of more than 50,000 men, women, and children by providing housing counseling, emergency shelter, affordable-housing development and management, financial education and first-time-homebuyer workshops, employment training and retention services, and neighborhood revitalization. Governed by a 21-member board of directors, Way Finders and its subsidiaries, Common Capital Inc. and MBL Housing and Development, has a staff of more than 240 employees and an annual budget, including its subsidiaries, of $87 million. “I have been honored to serve as Way Finders’ president and CEO for so many years, and to work alongside such dedicated and passionate colleagues and partners,” Gagliardi said. “Together, we have responded to the ever-changing needs of the community by developing new and innovative programs that deliver housing, employment, and economic-mobility opportunities to individuals and families in our region. I have full confidence in the Way Finders team to continue our important work.” Way Finders’ board of directors has formed a hiring committee and has engaged Marcum LLP to lead a national search for a new CEO beginning this month.

•••••

Corey Jenkins

Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. announced the hiring of Corey Jenkins as senior associate in the Audit and Accounting department. Jenkins comes to the firm from New York, where she spent five years as a public accountant. Jenkins received her master’s degree in accounting from the University of Albany. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and a certified public accountant in the state of New York. She is a strong communicator and is personally invested in helping clients succeed and grow, said MBK Managing Partner James Barrett. “Corey’s not-for-profit and other niche experience adds real value to the firm and is a great benefit to our clients,” Barrett added. “We’re proud that Corey chose MBK as her new home in Western Massachusetts, and we look forward to seeing her grow and thrive in our firm.”

•••••

Joseph Harrington

Rocky’s Ace Hardware, a family-owned business with neighborhood-based stores in seven states, announced the hire of Joseph Harrington as its new B2B sales manager. Harrington will help guide incremental growth in select territories by identifying and implementing sales strategies, in addition to overseeing the company’s sales team. “Joe comes to us with extensive and relevant experience in sales,” said Rocky’s Ace Hardware President Rocco Falcone. “Not only has he worked in the retail space for years, he also has deep ties to communities we proudly serve, having volunteered extensively in youth sports programs. We are thrilled to have him on our team.” Educated at American International College, Harrington brings business acumen to his new role, paired with real-world experience gleaned from various management positions. He was previously employed by two well-established wall-covering companies in New Jersey and California Paints, based out of Andover, Mass. He has successfully managed sales territories, store openings, and people, as evidenced by the many awards and accolades amassed throughout his career. “With his history of notable achievements, we’re thrilled to welcome Joe to the company,” Falcone said. “We’re excited to see what the future holds for him and his team.”

•••••

Harry Dumay

Elms College President Harry Dumay has been elected to the board of trustees at Norwich University in Northfield, Vt. This appointment is Dumay’s first election to the board of a college or university. Currently, he is also a board member of Pope Francis Preparatory School in Springfield. Norwich University is the oldest private military college in the U.S. and the birthplace of the ROTC. Dumay’s election to its board of trustees was made official in October. Dumay became the 11th president of Elms College on July 1, 2017. Prior to that, he had served in higher-education finance and administration for 19 years. His past experience at the senior and executive levels includes positions at the following colleges and universities: Saint Anselm College, Harvard University, Boston College, and Boston University. He holds a Ph.D. in higher-education administration from Boston College, an MBA from Boston University, and a master’s degree in public administration from Framingham State University. He earned his bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from Lincoln University. Dumay currently serves as a commissioner, treasurer, member of the executive committee, and member of the annual report on finance and enrollment for the New England Commission for Higher Education; is a member of the board of directors for the Assoc. of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts and the student aid policy committee for the National Assoc. of Independent Colleges and Universities; a board member for the Boston Foundation’s Haiti Development Institute; and a past board member of Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, N.H.

•••••

Courtney Huxley

Michael Tucker, president and CEO of Greenfield Cooperative Bank, announced that Courtney Huxley has joined the bank as the future branch manager of the new South Hadley location. “Courtney has more than 15 years of banking experience,” Tucker said. “Most recently, she was the branch manager at another bank in Northampton. Prior, she was, coincidently, the branch manager at a bank in South Hadley, which we purchased and are scheduled to open in January 2020.” Huxley has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Rhode Island. She was honored for her community involvement in 2018 by the Massachusetts Market President’s Office.

•••••

Evan Dowd

The Dowd Agencies, LLC announced the recent hire of Evan Dowd as account executive, joining his brother, Jack Dowd, as a fifth-generation employee of the company. “Evan brings the necessary experience to his new role,” said John Dowd Jr., president and CEO of the Dowd Agencies. “He gained extensive industry knowledge through positions at both local and national insurance companies while living in Boston. He’s excited to return to Western Mass. and to be a part of his hometown community. Furthermore, he is excited to join the family business and help continue and build on a legacy spanning over 120 years. We’re excited to have him join the team.” Prior to his current position at Dowd, Evan worked in Boston in various industry roles, including sales, claims adjustment, and underwriting. A 2013 graduate of Bates College, he is a licensed property and casualty insurance producer and is currently working toward his chartered property casualty underwriter designation.

•••••

Hector Toledo

Hector Toledo has been promoted to vice president and branch distribution network officer at Greenfield Savings Bank. In his new position, he is responsible for overseeing all the GSB branch office operations and the GSB Customer Service Center, located in Turners Falls. He joined the bank in 2018 as office sales manager at the Hadley office. “Hector joined us with more than 30 years of experience in banking,” said John Howland, president and CEO of Greenfield Savings Bank. “His commitment to the highest standards of customer service and his life-long volunteering for the community match our bank’s core values.” Toledo has an associate degree in business management from Springfield Technical Community College and has completed the Commercial Lender Management School Program in Boston. He is a member of the board of trustees at Baystate Health, including serving as finance committee chair, on the community advisory council, and as an executive committee member. He was recently appointed to the board of trustees of Greenfield Community College and has previously served on the board of directors of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

•••••

Michael Ostrowski, president and CEO of Arrha Credit Union, recently taught financial literacy to high-school students at Pope Francis Preparatory School in Springfield. In this new program, Ostrowski spoke about how one’s credit score affects buying a car or home, how to balance a checkbook, budgeting, and costs to own and manage a home. He also spoke about careers in banking and other financial issues facing a young person after schooling is complete. The feedback from the students included the realization of costs, budgeting, managing credit, and making prudent financial decisions. “It is critical to prepare students for real life — for students to think about and develop their financial future and life early,” Ostrowski said.

Company Notebook

By BusinessWest Staff January 7, 2020

Company Notebook

The Hive Makerspace Comes to Downtown Greenfield

GREENFIELD — After the World Eye Bookstore at 156 Main St. in downtown Greenfield moved down the street, the storefront sat empty for almost two years before former landlord Robert Cohn decided to take a new tack to find an appropriate tenant for the 5,600-square-foot space. He contacted local creatives to find out what might be an exciting contribution to the creative economy of downtown Greenfield, and artists and artisans from myriad disciplines suggested that a makerspace could be an economic driver and help create a destination downtown. So Cohn moved forward with finding the team to put such a plan in place, and the Hive was born. Rachael Katz and Adrienne LaPierre are the project leads working to implement the vision of a state-of-the-art public makerspace. Katz, the owner of the Greenfield Gallery just across the street, is the primary technical consultant for the Hive, with experience that combines the skills of a mechanical engineer with the talents of an artist. She is the sculptor behind the Beatrice the Bee project, the largest public art project ever undertaken in downtown Greenfield, in which six painted bees will be placed around town in celebration of Bee Fest in May 2020. LaPierre, who will be the executive director of the facility, is an educational technology consultant who has spent the past five years working within the Brattleboro public school system to develop innovative ways to integrate makerspace activities and engineering design into the elementary- and middle-school curriculum. They are working with a small, dedicated team of advisors and volunteers to bring the Hive to life. They have applied for a planning grant and have initiated fundraising efforts to cover costs for the first year of development. The name of the Hive is a tribute to the long-standing legacy that Greenfield holds in the world of beekeeping. Makerspaces represent the democratization of design, engineering, and fabrication. At the Hive, traditional artisans will stand side by side with engineers operating 3D printers, laser cutters, and CNC machines. Performing artists may design fabric for costumes, and props for plays can be crafted at the same time prototypes for new products created by local innovators and entrepreneurs take shape.

EforAll Holyoke Announces 2020 Winter Cohort

HOLYOKE — Ten early-stage businesses and nonprofits have been selected to participate in the Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) Winter Accelerator program in Holyoke. This cohort was evaluated by more than 50 community leaders, EforAll mentors, industry experts, and entrepreneurs through a rigorous application review and interview process. The startups selected represent both products and services from a variety of industries. In this year-long program, 70% of the startups have at least one founder of color, and 80% have at least one female founder. This is representative of EforAll’s mission to accelerate economic development and social impact through inclusive entrepreneurship in gateway communities. As part of the 2020 cohort, entrepreneurs will have access to expert mentorship, tailored curriculum, co-working space, and opportunities to win prize money. The finalists are:

• Liam Malone, Holyoke: Greens for Good. Aims to open a year-round farmers market and aquaponic production facility to provide locally sourced food at affordable prices for Holyoke and beyond;

• Carlos Rosario, Springfield: Rosario Asphalt Co. Specializing in residential asphalt and paving services;

• Dioni Soriano and Nayroby Rosa, Holyoke: Soriano Baseball Academy. A baseball camp that provides one-on-one coaching and guidance to youth ages 8 to 16, creating a safe environment where they can practice their skills and improve them year-round;

• Erika Matos, Indian Orchard: Top Flight Nutrition. A nutrition club that recently opened at 594 Dwight St. in Holyoke, offering fitness classes, healthy shakes and smoothies, and health-related programming for the community;

• Jessica Rivera, Chicopee: Bet on Our Youth Travel Camp. Centered on providing services and opportunities to enlighten young people through positive experiences;

• Heather Labonte, Granby: the Estate. An outdoor event venue for weddings, corporate parties, showers, and special occasions;

• Nicole Ortiz, Chicopee: Crave Food Truck. This HCC culinary student plans to open a food truck that has a variety of food with an emphasis on local ingredients and breakfast;

• Sandra Rubio, Easthampton: Totally Baked 413. This Holyoke-based startup offers custom 3D, gourmet cakes for any occasion, as well as pastries and other fresh-baked goods;

• Jessika Rozki, Springfield: Rozki Rides. Providing safe and reliable children’s transportation for working parents; and

• Sarah Kukla, Holyoke: Cupcakes, Pupcakes & More. Baked goods and sweets for both humans and dogs.

Springfield College Unveils New Master of Science in Athletic Training Program

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College unveiled its new master of science in athletic training program, which is accredited under the 2020 Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) Curricular Content Standards. The new curriculum is the combined effort of many dedicated athletic training educators working over a three-year period to design a program that stayed true to the core values of Springfield College and the athletic training education program. The new program also seeks to incorporate innovative and engaging ways to ensure that athletic training graduates are well prepared to meet the healthcare needs of physically active individuals. Springfield College has a long-standing tradition in preparing athletic trainers for successful careers dating back to 1925. As part of this internationally recognized program, students gain the training and experience to help them succeed in the field. Springfield College’s athletic training tradition includes graduates employed by professional teams, high schools, and colleges and universities.

New Restaurant to Open in Thornes Marketplace

NORTHAMPTON — Aaron Thayer, a chef with experience at exclusive fine-dining establishments in Boston and San Francisco — and at Coco & the Cellar Bar in Easthampton — will open a restaurant called Patria in Thornes Marketplace with his business partner and wife, Abby Fuhrman. Patria will be located on the basement level in the space formerly occupied by ConVino, which closed in August. Thayer and Fuhrman expect to open Patria in the spring of 2020. Currently, they are renovating the dining room and kitchen to create a more functional flow and enhance the décor with new furnishings and lighting. Key in creating a new workflow is a restructuring of the dining room and kitchen to account for the fact that Patria will be focused more on food service, whereas ConVino’s emphasis, as a wine bar, was on beverage sales. Thayer said Patria will offer fine dining with a relaxed and casual approach. Patria will specialize in large, family-style roasts, fresh pastas, and vegetable dishes that will all be sharable. Service and quality will be a major focus of the restaurant, and Thayer and Fuhrman will work to create an atmosphere that is comfortable and adventurous. Thayer will use as much local produce and other ingredients as is possible.

Pilot Precision Products Wins Silver Economic Impact Award

SOUTH DEERFIELD — Pilot Precision Products, which opened the doors to its new, 24,000-square-foot facility in South Deerfield in April, received a Silver award in the Western Mass. division at the 2019 Team Massachusetts Economic Impact Awards. Nineteen companies from across the Commonwealth were selected as finalists for MassEcon’s 16th annual celebration of firms for their outstanding contributions to the Massachusetts economy. MassEcon, the state’s private-sector partner in promoting business growth in Massachusetts, selected the finalists based on their job growth, facility expansion, and investment since Jan. 1, 2018, as well as other criteria, including community involvement. The winners were selected after site visits and a reception with their competitors and judges from Nutter McClennen & Fish, LLP. Locally owned and operated, Pilot Precision Products is the parent company of duMONT Minute Man Industrial Broaches and Hassay Savage broaching tools, and is the exclusive American distributor of Magafor and GMauvaisUSATM products. Pilot currently has 33 employees and had tripled its sales over the past three years.

Carr Hardware Opens New Store in Lenox

LENOX — Carr Hardware, a family-owned business for more than 90 years, announced that its new location in Lenox is now open for business. The 11,000-square-foot retail space is located in the Center at Lenox on Routes 7 and 20. The Center at Lenox is also home to well-known retailers CVS, Marshalls, and Price Chopper. The new, state-of-the-art Carr Hardware offers a modern and convenient shopping experience with a nostalgic, vintage hardware-store flair, said company President Bart Raser. Preferred brands featured include STIHL, Toro, Pratt & Lambert, Valspar, Cabot, Milwaukee, Dewalt, Weber, Big Green Egg, Scotts, Graber, and Carhartt, to name a few. The store also features a large, seasonal garden center, as well as services like digital key duplication, screen and glass repair, lamp repair, and propane filling. Free local delivery is available as well as the Carr assurance, “at Carr, we service what we sell.” Unique to the market, Carr Hardware has introduced “Ben Moore 2 Your Door,” where contractors and homeowners can select their Benjamin Moore paint purchase, along with the needed accessories, and have them all delivered within the Greater Lenox area the same day for free. Orders can be placed online, by phone, or by text.

Jay Smith Receives Award from National Tour Assoc.

HATFIELD — The National Tour Assoc. (NTA) recently presented Jay Smith, founder of Sports Travel and Tours, with the 2019 Bob Everidge Lifetime Achievement Award for dedication to the organization’s mission for more than 20 years. At NTA’s annual conference, called Travel Exchange, on Dec. 12 in Fort Worth, Texas, Smith accepted the honor from NTA President Pam Inman. Smith has served as a volunteer, member of the organization, member of the NTA board of directors, and board vice chair and chair. Smith founded Sports Travel and Tours in 1996, offering tours to baseball games initially and then expanding to include other sports trips in a wider range of venues, including Cuba, London, and Japan. Support from his staff and his wife, Carol, allowed him to dedicate time to the NTA and its goals. Smith is active in Tourism Cares and Travel Alliance Partners, two industry-focused organizations, and Sports Travel and Tours has been the official travel company of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum since 2007.

Rotary Club of Springfield Inducts Massachusetts Commission for the Blind

SPRINGFIELD — The Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB) was inducted as a corporate member into the Rotary Club of Springfield on Dec. 6. Nathan Skrocki, regional director, and Keri Davidson-Bravman, vocational rehabilitation and children’s worker supervisor for the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, will be the participating members. The MCB was sponsored by Rotarian Paul Lambert, vice president of Enshrinement Services & Community at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. MCB was established on July 13, 1906. The organization was originally comprised of three men and two women, including Helen Keller. Its mission is to provide vocational and social rehabilitation services for residents of the Commonwealth who are declared to be legally blind by an eye professional. MCB provides rehabilitation and social services to Massachusetts residents who are blind, leading to their independence and full community participation. Its main office is in Boston, with regional offices in Springfield, Worcester, and New Bedford.

Incorporations

By BusinessWest Staff January 7, 2020

Incorporations

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

AMHERST

Sun Day Greetings Inc., 55 Chesterfield Dr., Amherst, MA 01002. Brenda Kellman, same. Manufacture and sale of greeting cards.

CHESHIRE

Standard Green Inc., 80 Stafford Hill Road, Cheshire, MA 01225. Francis G. Maquire, same. Real estate.

CHICOPEE

The Forest Park Project Inc., 35 Center St., Suite 1A, Chicopee, MA 01013. William Metzger, 178 Three Rivers Road, Wilbraham, MA 01095. To promote and facilitate recovery from addiction through creating support networks of peers and community members, engaging in community outreach, providing transitional housing for individuals struggling with addiction.

CUMMINGTON

Tri-State Alpine Ski Racing Association Inc., 320 Stage Road, Cummington, MA 01025. Michael Kemmer, 121 South Road, Holmes, N.Y. 12531. To promote the development of first-rate ski competition training programs and opportunities for alpine ski competition within the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

HATFIELD

Treehouse Enterprises Inc., 47 Straits Road, Hatfield, MA 01038. Jeremy Lavallee, same. Real estate.

LEEDS

Unifier Presents Inc., 162 Main St., Leeds, MA 01053. Kalpana Devi, 436 Long Plain Road, Leverett, MA 01054. Art gallery, café, and related activities.

SHELBOURNE FALLS

Studio M Two Creative Inc., 136 Murray Road, Shelbourne Falls, MA 01370. Robert Mead, same. Commercial photography and graphic design.

SOUTH DEERFIELD

TNM Auto Corp., 253 Greenfield Road, South Deerfield, MA 01373. Carla Zayac, same. New and used automobile sales and service.

SPRINGFIELD

The Heron Group Inc., 35 Upland St., Springfield, MA 01104. Rohan Heron, same. Transportation/trucking.

WESTFIELD

The Call of Molo Inc., 34 William St., Unit B, Westfield, MA 01085. Zipporah Irari, same. Restore hope to the orphans and vulnerable children in Molo, Kenya by providing basic provisions including shelter, food, education, spiritual growth, and love.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

The Children’s House of West Springfield Inc., 118 Riverdale St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Danielle M. Mineau, 511 Elm St., West Springfield, MA 01089. To run and operate day care and education facilities and school, to buy, sell, vend, market, and otherwise own and transfer all types of real and personal property.

Tony Strycharz Memorial Golf Classic Inc., 31 Capital Dr., C/O Aaron Posnik & Co., West Springfield, MA 01089. Anthony P. Strycharz, 126 Barry St., Feeding Hills, MA 01030. Charity golf tournament raising money to support medical research and/or children’s health and welfare.

WILLIAMSBURG

Thomas Investments Inc., 2 Chesterfield Road, Williamsburg, MA 01096. John Thomas, P.O. Box 614, Goshen, MA 01032. Residential rentals.

Doing Business as Certificates

By BusinessWest Staff January 7, 2020

DBA Certificates

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

BELCHERTOWN

Champagne Landscaping
400 Stebbins St.
Danny Champagne

Real Living Realty Professionals
11 North Main St.
Robert Malta

CHICOPEE

Chic Salon by Jose
1735 Westover Road
Jose Ocana

DMCK Professional Services
244 Langevin St.
Diane Cybulski-Kiether

Guilbert’s Auto Care Inc.
1422 Granby Road
Eric Guilbert, Raymond Guilberta

Lush Hair Studio
44 Walnut St.
Rebecca Lussier

Pizza Palace
17 White Birch Plaza
Onur Onder

RCN Services Co.
39 Roy St.
Rodrigo Cogui Nascimento

EAST LONGMEADOW

Pride Towing & Off Road Recovery
135 Denslow Road
Andrew Bordoni

R & M Gun Vault
37 Harkness Ave.
Russell Cardano

HOLYOKE

Fine Line Home Improvement
224 Walnut St.
Jeffrey Richard

Friendly Variety Store
1373 Dwight St.
Olga Lopez

Royal Barbers at Bella Hair Salon
50 Holyoke St.
Dominico Rega

LONGMEADOW

Boots and Buttons Blog
6 Chatham Road
Katerina McGowen

Magee Design
252 Kenmore Dr.
Jeffrey Magee

Maid in America
196 Sheffield Ave.
Charles McKee

Scarlet Music Group
9 Elizabeth Circle
Samuel Radner

LUDLOW

Shelene’s Inspired Wire
111 Barre Dr.
Shelene Tirado

NORTHAMPTON

Discoverince, LLC
21 Brisson Dr.
Matthew Hamel

Empower Communications
1280 Burts Pit Road
Tynan Cargill Power

L & R Cleaning Services
69 Prospect St., Apt. 41
Richard Tucci

Rebecca Shulman, LICSW
40 Center St.
Rebecca Shulman

Robert Eastman Gardening & Design
41 Orchard St.
Robert Eastman

Sohre Turbomachinery
34 North Maple St.
Rui Fernandes

PALMER

Peaceful Paths Massage Therapy and Wellness Center
1479 Main St.
Jessica Kondrat

Superior Plus Propane
1 Blanchard St.
Superior Plus Energy Services Inc.

Walgreens #17302
1047 Thorndike St.
Walgreen Eastern Co. Inc.

SPRINGFIELD

Big City Builders
42 Arbutus St.
Steven Brantley

C & L Servicios Hispanos
191 Chestnut St.
Carolina Ortega Inc.

The Clean Team
55 Mooreland St.
Jomary Morales

Cody’s Yard Service
59 Stebbins St.
Cody Vaughan

Doggy Dooz
1512 Allen St.
Paula Cox

Kay’s Trucking Co.
82 Arnold Ave.
Keisha Williams

Keep Laughing Entertainment
6 Elaine Circle
Phillip Borras

Kwadwo Dankyi-Ampadu
921 Belmont Ave.
Kwadwo Dankyi-Ampadu

L.J.O. Cleaning Services
54 Eleanor Road
Luz Orduz

Mac Nite Mini Mart
417 St. James Ave
Shazia Ahmad

Odor Is Gone
53 Kathleen St.
Oksana Bukhantsova

Ohmz Audio
140 CroydenTerrace
Omar Anderson

Olympic Restaurant
232 Chestnut St.
Guiglia Sitta

Pine Point Variety, LLC
139 Boston Road
Davone Mullen

Pullman & Cromley
1500 Main St.
Pullman & Cromley, LLC

Stafford Street Auto Sales
33 Stafford St.
Richard Manning

Torres Co.
34 Lawndale St.
Reinerio Torres

Trung Nguyen Café
392 Dickinson St.
Son Hoai Nguyen

Union Tank Car Co.
730 Worcester St.
Union Tank Car Co.

Vegfest413
685 Bay St.
Lamont Stuckey

Wheeler’s Convenience
597 Dickinson St.
Zainul Abideen

Yogi Food Mart, LLC
248 Dickinson St.
Chirag Patel

WESTFIELD

Allison Blood
32 Main St.
Allison Blood

Dupere Law Offices
94 North Elm St., Suite 307
Russell Dupere

JJM Boiler Works Inc.
14 Coleman Ave., Suites 1-2
JJM Boiler Works Inc.

Mi Ranchito Tex Mex Restaurant
69 Franklin St.
Mi Ranchito Tex Mex Restaurant

Mike’s Barber Shop & Hair Salon
148 Elm St.
Mike’s Barber Shop

Plastron Co.
382 Southampton Road
Sonicron Systems Corp.

Serendipity Psych
193 Russell Road
Dallas Pilecki

ToeKneeToys
55 Loomis Ave.
ToeKneeToys

WEST SPRINGFIELD

A-C Motor Express, LLC
339 Bliss St.
Susan Maxfield

Century Auto Service Inc.
1615 Riverdale St.
Peter Platanitis

Century Auto Wholesaler
1615 Riverdale St.
Peter Platanitis

Diamond Gold Connection
389 Park St.
William Geas

Gabriel Gladiator Training Center
130 Myron St.
Gabriel Goncalves

WILBRAHAM

CJ Procuring & Consulting
6 Pearl Dr.
Collin Robinson

D.S. Transports
35 Weston St.
Dae Starks

Remarkable Beauty
2141 Boston Road
Jocelyn DeFranco

Tommy’s Painting & Cleaning
5 Wilton Dr.
Thomas Guilbault

WJF GeoConsultants Inc.
2789 Boston Road
William Fabbri

Write Time Media
17 Red Bridge Road
Layla O’Shea

Bankruptcies

By BusinessWest Staff January 7, 2020

Bankruptcies

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

Bennett, Gary A.
91 Pleasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 12/02/19

Bernier, Rene A.
111 Inglewood Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/26/19

Bouchard, Jeffrey P.
100 Mechanic St.
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/30/19

Bousel, Simon George
35 Glendale Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/30/19

Cormie, Michael S.
119 Maple St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/27/19

Cotto, Marisol W.
a/k/a Rivard, Marisol W.
a/k/a Cotto, Marisol Waleska
a/k/a Cotto Hernandez, Marisol Waleska
29 Glen Albyn St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/26/19

DaCruz, Denise A.
24 Brookside Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/26/19

Evans, Jenna L.
108 Penrose St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/27/19

Gamer Poets
Marsan, Gina M.
a/k/a Lawson, Gina
44 Crest St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/27/19

Joseph, Cassandre
30 Harkness Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/30/19

Maldanado-Alvarado, Luis A.
Ruiz, Jackeline M.
5 Countryside Dr.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/27/19

Maloney, Tyler G.
Maloney, Noelle P.
P.O. Box 451
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/26/19

Mejias, Michelle A.
115 Corey Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/27/19

Moriarty-Ryan, Michele S.
136 Wenonah Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/30/19

Robitaille, Bernadette M.
67 Tatham Hill Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/27/19

Silk, Kenneth V.
Silk, Stephanie A.
591 Nassau Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/27/19

Suzor, Louis P.
55 Fuller St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/27/19

Velez, William
40 Old Farm Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/27/19

Real Estate Transactions

By BusinessWest Staff January 7, 2020

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

60 Merrifield Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Veaceslav Falceanu
Seller: Arno L. Skalski
Date: 12/17/19

COLRAIN

4 High St.
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: David W. Adams
Seller: Carole Adams
Date: 12/11/19

CONWAY

13 West Parsons Dr.
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Hendrik VanDen-Broek
Seller: Dkma Consulting LLC
Date: 12/13/19

DEERFIELD

47 Graves St.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $179,000
Buyer: Barbara B. Galli
Seller: Adele B. Dowell
Date: 12/16/19

2 Park St.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $1,250,000
Buyer: J2K Realty LLC
Seller: Joseph W. Gorey
Date: 12/11/19

54 South Mill River Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $224,000
Buyer: Kirstin L. Miner
Seller: Karkut 2013 RET
Date: 12/16/19

ERVING

16 Flagg Hill
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $249,000
Buyer: Jacob M. Earl
Seller: Curtiss R. Brunelle
Date: 12/11/19

36 High St.
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: Alex Colon
Seller: Christine H. Costa
Date: 12/05/19

54 River Road
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Tyler J. Young
Seller: Wojtkowski FT
Date: 12/05/19

GREENFIELD

98 Burnham Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Judith Roberge
Seller: Linda Freeman TR
Date: 12/16/19

176 Chapman St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Christopher Lewis
Seller: William J. Doyle
Date: 12/06/19

258 Chapman St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: David Stratford
Seller: Michael K. Perreault
Date: 12/04/19

109 Cottage St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $170,400
Buyer: Erik K. Hurley
Seller: Blake E. Wilson
Date: 12/06/19

7 James St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $363,750
Buyer: Douglas E. Andrew
Seller: John R. Mason
Date: 12/16/19

7 Newell Pond Place
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Alyssa Bobe
Seller: Robert Mugar Yacubian RET
Date: 12/06/19

75 Shattuck St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Renee J. Kampfe-Leacher
Seller: Paul E. McDonald
Date: 12/04/19

139 Silver St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Kaylie A. Love
Seller: Susan Antico
Date: 12/16/19

MONTAGUE

Old Sunderland Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Joan M. Deignan
Seller: Justin D. Killeen
Date: 12/10/19

20 Turner St.
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Jessica Dimitriou
Seller: John Castorino
Date: 12/13/19

25 Turners Falls Road
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $179,900
Buyer: Samantha Myburgh
Seller: Megan A. Atherton
Date: 12/10/19

70 Turnpike Road
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $158,400
Buyer: Norwich Commercial Group
Seller: Jacob Stafford
Date: 12/10/19

NEW SALEM

520 Daniel Shays Hwy.
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Joshua H. Mason
Seller: Jamie Beauchesne
Date: 12/16/19
.
842 Daniel Shays Hwy.
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $279,900
Buyer: Heidi M. Bohn
Seller: Warren H. Farnham
Date: 12/12/19

NORTHFIELD

211 Birnam Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $347,000
Buyer: Katherine A. Clark
Seller: Jeanne B. Grubman TR
Date: 12/16/19

178 Old Vernon Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Randy W. Brown
Seller: Dale S. Whitney
Date: 12/17/19

ORANGE

10 Eddy St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $165,900
Buyer: Gary B. Willard
Seller: Emma G. Ellsworth
Date: 12/05/19

23-25 Howe St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Crystopher D. Clarke
Seller: Thomas Cleveland
Date: 12/13/19

81 Memory Lane
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Catherine Breckenridge
Seller: Theresa Feehan
Date: 12/09/19

78-80 New Athol Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Frances Bates
Seller: Ingrid Willard
Date: 12/11/19

10 Nina Pierce Circle
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $212,500
Buyer: Rosario Dimartino
Seller: Vytis LLC
Date: 12/09/19

7 Nina Pierce Circle
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $212,500
Buyer: Rosario Dimartino
Seller: Litvak LLC
Date: 12/09/19

86 Packard Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Leslie V. Thompson
Seller: Chris A. Soucie
Date: 12/12/19

174 Pleasant St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Olivia A. Kimball
Seller: Jacob M. Earl
Date: 12/11/19

16-36 South Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Karmacan LLC
Seller: New Home Orange LLC
Date: 12/09/19

58 South Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Karmacan LLC
Seller: New Home Orange LLC
Date: 12/09/19

65 Summit St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $145,900
Buyer: Antonio J. Woodland
Seller: Justin M. Basque
Date: 12/06/19

SHELBURNE

106 Shelburne Center Road
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Benjamin B. Russell
Seller: Frances M. Pheeny
Date: 12/06/19

SHUTESBURY

14 Ladyslipper Lane
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Carole A. Demetre
Seller: Donald A. Perreault
Date: 12/05/19

WENDELL

15 West St.
Wendell, MA 01380
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Louis N. Rapp
Seller: Byron J. Ricketts
Date: 12/04/19

WHATELY

11 Grey Oak Lane
Whately, MA 01373
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Andrew J. Demado
Seller: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Date: 12/12/19

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

54 Charles St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Barbara Brizzolari
Seller: Andrea M. Davis
Date: 12/10/19

120 Clover Hill Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $281,500
Buyer: Joshua X. Tower
Seller: Nicholas Beaudette
Date: 12/05/19

244 Colemore St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $287,500
Buyer: George L. Vershon
Seller: Kenneth A. Labonte
Date: 12/17/19

89 Granger Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $339,000
Buyer: Adam D. Schmaelzle
Seller: Charles F. Kehoe
Date: 12/13/19

26 Hall St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Shannon Dion
Seller: Keith J. Camyre
Date: 12/16/19

33 High St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $233,888
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Jonathan N. Towle
Date: 12/06/19

51 Howard St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Gheorghe G. Munteanu
Seller: Jean C. Ceccarini
Date: 12/05/19

45 Kirkland St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Alanna A. Tidwell
Seller: Michael J. Donovan
Date: 12/12/19

22 Lakeview Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $332,910
Buyer: Bank New York Mellon
Seller: Timothy Murphy
Date: 12/11/19

167 Lancaster Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Kevin Atkin
Seller: Justine Craven-Goetz
Date: 12/13/19

959 Main St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Adam M. Debarge
Seller: Stuart B. Gordon
Date: 12/10/19

85 North Alhambra Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $208,000
Buyer: Michael Lapointe
Seller: Jonathon Mach
Date: 12/06/19

173 North West St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $169,900
Buyer: Daniel C. Normandeau
Seller: Douglas B. Cesan
Date: 12/13/19

45 Oak Hill Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $244,000
Buyer: Michael Ritchie
Seller: Laurence J. Outhuse
Date: 12/12/19

491 South West St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Ana Kaletina
Seller: Hatzipetro, Barbara A., (Estate)
Date: 12/13/19

BLANDFORD

1-R Beagle Club Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $314,000
Buyer: Liza M. Farrelly
Seller: Neil J. Geary
Date: 12/12/19

BRIMFIELD

1477 Dunhamtown Brimfield Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $143,094
Buyer: US Bbank
Seller: Nickolas J. Digregorio
Date: 12/05/19

39 Prospect Hill Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Michael E. Siegel
Seller: Michael J. Gelinas
Date: 12/04/19

CHESTER

430 East River Road
Chester, MA 01050
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Allison M. Mills
Seller: Eric D. Braaten
Date: 12/06/19

CHICOPEE

50 Archie St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $269,900
Buyer: Jose I. Aponte
Seller: Wayne A. Laflamme
Date: 12/06/19

144 Blanan Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Darryl Bress
Seller: Casimir J. Storozuk
Date: 12/05/19

1307 Burnett Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Frederick T. Szlosek
Seller: Masztal, Edward W., (Estate)
Date: 12/06/19

572 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Degaulle N. Litoma
Seller: Providencia Melendez
Date: 12/12/19

475 Dale St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Revampit LLC
Seller: William Stocker
Date: 12/09/19

36 Daley St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Nicole A. Drobnak
Seller: Elaine J. Labbe
Date: 12/16/19

160 Edgewood Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Nicholas O’Connor
Seller: Nancy R. Helwig
Date: 12/10/19

150 Empire St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Mark Kristev
Seller: Timofey Sychev
Date: 12/16/19

255 Frontenac St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Chandler T. Boutin
Seller: Daniel Whalen
Date: 12/12/19

316 Hampden St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Daniel T. McMahon
Seller: Michelle Aucoin
Date: 12/06/19

28 Henshaw St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $264,900
Buyer: Western Mass. Training Consortium
Seller: Stephan W. Zaremba
Date: 12/04/19

160 Jacob St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Stephen G. Young
Seller: Terri A. Major
Date: 12/06/19

62 Jamrog Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Devan M. Stamborski
Seller: Daniel Stamborski
Date: 12/13/19

20 Johnson Road
Chicopee, MA 01022
Amount: $8,085,000
Buyer: RM Acre Chicopee Hampden
Seller: Education Capital Solutions
Date: 12/06/19

30 Larchmont St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $326,500
Buyer: Ahmed Jebur
Seller: Viktor Savonin
Date: 12/06/19

57 Larchmont St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $298,000
Buyer: Camilo Pascual
Seller: Natalya Arbuzov
Date: 12/06/19

70 Larchmont St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $150,500
Buyer: Dawn L. Holland
Seller: Joseph Roda
Date: 12/12/19

205 Loomis Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Travis Odiorne
Seller: William M. Keating
Date: 12/16/19

143 Lukasik St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Tracy A. Wehr
Seller: Thaddeus R. Caisse
Date: 12/06/19

34 Maple St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Celestino Montes
Seller: Maple Ledge Associates
Date: 12/04/19

46 Maple St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Cheri Pitt Team LLC
Seller: Jean Grondin
Date: 12/16/19

48-50 Maple St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Cheri Pitt Team LLC
Seller: Jean Grondin
Date: 12/16/19

91 Marcelle St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $189,000
Buyer: Sarah Jasinski-Wodecki
Seller: Paul T. Sullivan
Date: 12/16/19

79 Park St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $156,000
Buyer: Andre Perez
Seller: Urszula R. Stetson
Date: 12/10/19

31 Pleasant St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $277,500
Buyer: RM Blerman LLC
Seller: Lachenauer LLC
Date: 12/12/19

64 Pondview Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Jason Orne
Seller: Adam M. Debarge
Date: 12/04/19

798 Prospect St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Samantha L. Langevin
Seller: Robert P. Langevin
Date: 12/17/19

85 Simonich St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Carolyn A. Blajda
Seller: Gladys M. Stokowski
Date: 12/10/19

541 Springfield St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Miroslav Nesterchuk
Seller: 541-543 Springfield St NT
Date: 12/13/19

223 Summit Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $297,000
Buyer: Bryan Doctolero
Seller: DCL General Construction
Date: 12/16/19

50 Westport Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Joseph Menard
Seller: Callahan, Kathleen A., (Estate)
Date: 12/06/19

EAST LONGMEADOW

43 Gerrard Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $289,900
Buyer: Sean R. Agustynowicz
Seller: John F. Mahan
Date: 12/16/19

32 Parker St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: KRM Real Estate LLC
Seller: Ryan J. Callan
Date: 12/10/19

2 Ridge Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $316,000
Buyer: Michael E. Vona
Seller: Natasha T. Drane
Date: 12/13/19

10 Senator Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Joseph C. Zguro
Seller: Randy Sample
Date: 12/06/19

31 Thompson St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Connor M. Corsi
Seller: Vanvalkenburg, Jane M., (Estate)
Date: 12/13/19

90 Wood Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $212,150
Buyer: Sean Bechard
Seller: Revampit LLC
Date: 12/13/19

GRANVILLE

75 Blandford Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Nathan Testerman
Seller: Johanna C. Wolff
Date: 12/12/19

164 Reagan Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Nicholas Hultine
Seller: Austin J. Prokop
Date: 12/17/19

HAMPDEN

34 Burleigh Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $465,000
Buyer: Jared Lewis
Seller: Michael S. O’Rourke
Date: 12/13/19

84 Chapin Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Victor A. Deangelo
Seller: Pamela Outhuse
Date: 12/13/19

32 Dresden St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $174,900
Buyer: Makenson Petit-Frere
Seller: Home Staging & Realty LLC
Date: 12/13/19

212 Glendale Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Brian Stamm
Seller: Kevin J. Czaplicki
Date: 12/12/19

73 Glendale Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $267,500
Buyer: Robert Martucci
Seller: Deborah L. Loyd
Date: 12/16/19

147 Mill Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $340,500
Buyer: Stephen K. Atwater
Seller: David Markham
Date: 12/16/19

354 North Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Justin M. Simmons
Seller: Thomas L. Jarvis
Date: 12/06/19

88 Oak Knoll Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Douglas L. Leclair
Seller: Clifford E. Bombard
Date: 12/16/19

140 Rock A. Dundee Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $585,000
Buyer: Meredith A. Sample
Seller: Michelle W. Neveah
Date: 12/06/19

131 Stony Hill Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $326,000
Buyer: Wayne Whitlock
Seller: Dana R. Gahres
Date: 12/12/19

HOLLAND

181 Brimfield Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $169,900
Buyer: John A. Kroell
Seller: Robert W. Sutton
Date: 12/10/19

75 Dug Hill Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: David B. Crane
Seller: Hunt, Alice H., (Estate)
Date: 12/05/19

14 Maiden Lane
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Robert L. Williams
Seller: Roberta T. Bennett
Date: 12/13/19

6 Park Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $129,000
Buyer: Joshua M. Johnson
Seller: Richard G. Johnson
Date: 12/16/19

HOLYOKE

199 Bemis Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Andrew S. Lafrennie
Seller: Kenneth J. Lafrennie
Date: 12/16/19

193-195 Brown Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $120,340
Buyer: Richard Santos
Seller: Wilmington Savings
Date: 12/13/19

Chmura Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Anniversary Hill Development LLC
Seller: Joseph Chapdelaine & Sons
Date: 12/06/19

233 Easthampton Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Arment & Vanzandt Realty
Seller: Wyckoff Associates LLC
Date: 12/13/19

2 Elliot St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $227,500
Buyer: Sophia L. Chambers
Seller: David R. Garfinkel
Date: 12/10/19

142 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $214,000
Buyer: Luis Robles
Seller: Coakley Corp.
Date: 12/13/19

783 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $242,500
Buyer: Brian T. Matlock
Seller: Lauren M. Magri
Date: 12/06/19

73 Martin St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Stephen P. Peregrin
Seller: Amanda M. Rogers
Date: 12/13/19

36 Merrick Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Thomas H. Werbiskis
Seller: Joanne C. Bligh
Date: 12/17/19

1070 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Adam Gosselin
Seller: Dakota J. Hebert
Date: 12/17/19

224 Pine St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $149,459
Buyer: Lakeview Loan Servicing
Seller: Charles J. Berard
Date: 12/11/19

270-272 Pine St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Ibrahim Raphael
Seller: Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity
Date: 12/06/19

28 Portland St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $174,000
Buyer: William P. McHugh
Seller: L. Elizabeth Crowley
Date: 12/17/19

300 Rock Valley Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $181,500
Buyer: William H. Sullivan
Seller: Maureen Sullivan
Date: 12/06/19

2 Ross Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Susan Calderon
Seller: Albert J. Knybel
Date: 12/06/19

12-16 Sargeant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $5,930,000
Buyer: SC Hamilton Apartments
Seller: South Canal LP
Date: 12/09/19

Scott Hollow Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Anniversary Hill Development LLC
Seller: Joseph Chapdelaine & Sons
Date: 12/06/19

12 West Glen St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Stephen Akalis
Seller: John J. Munro
Date: 12/12/19

70 West Glen St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Dave Ouellette
Seller: David J. Hearn
Date: 12/13/19

LONGMEADOW

87 Birchwood Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $165,001
Buyer: CIG 4 LLC
Seller: Jane W. Lawson
Date: 12/17/19

206 Burbank Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $289,000
Buyer: Dylan A. McDonald
Seller: Cole A. Nikodemus
Date: 12/12/19

147 Greenacre Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $247,000
Buyer: Ashley A. Nyman
Seller: Brian W. Phillips
Date: 12/06/19

68 Hazardville Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Paul Cangialosi
Seller: Adam Salerno
Date: 12/13/19

167 Hazardville Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Franny Krushinsky
Seller: Gary W. Holmquist
Date: 12/12/19

104 Maple Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Yinle Wu
Seller: Bernard T. Davidow
Date: 12/05/19

856 Maple Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $289,000
Buyer: Talita Mirena
Seller: William A. Townsend
Date: 12/06/19

101 South Park Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Ryan J. Callan
Seller: KRM Real Estate LLC
Date: 12/10/19

129 Tanglewood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $640,000
Buyer: Jonathan Hastings
Seller: Dwight G. Ebeling
Date: 12/06/19

225 Tanglewood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: Prasanth Potluri
Seller: John M. Zeroogian
Date: 12/16/19

217 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Cleland D. Cochrane
Seller: Neda Dulaimy
Date: 12/17/19

30 Wyndward Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: David B. Hart
Seller: Muhammed H. Warasat
Date: 12/05/19

LUDLOW

19 Allison Lane
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $337,000
Buyer: Jessica J. Brown
Seller: Hoffmann, Guenther H., (Estate)
Date: 12/05/19

Center St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $423,000
Buyer: William J. Decker
Seller: Yvette C. Archambault TR
Date: 12/11/19

214 Church St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Bradford J. Trahan
Seller: Travis Odiorne
Date: 12/13/19

113 Colonial Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $296,000
Buyer: Nathan L. Carvalho
Seller: Wieslaw Krol
Date: 12/16/19

546 Fuller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $334,900
Buyer: Leslie Marshall
Seller: Jessica L. Janes
Date: 12/06/19

701 Fuller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $146,000
Buyer: Jan Kochman
Seller: Peggy A. Bowles
Date: 12/04/19

58 Georgetown Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $212,500
Buyer: John R. Norden
Seller: Heidi Morace
Date: 12/09/19

63 Green St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Richard Dzierwinski
Seller: Laurie Kareta
Date: 12/04/19

106 Pine Cone Lane
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $345,500
Buyer: Eric J. Watson
Seller: Richard J. Corsi
Date: 12/11/19

68 Ray St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Alan S. Kirkland
Seller: Nicole L. Longtin
Date: 12/06/19

MONSON

Cote Road #G
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Peter D. Martins
Seller: Jack G. Carter
Date: 12/06/19

36 Country Club Heights
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Steven Giguere
Seller: Jessy R. Sirois
Date: 12/12/19

118 Peck Brothers Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $176,500
Buyer: Stephen R. Chiacchia
Seller: Nicole Hamel
Date: 12/13/19

PALMER

1084 Overlook Dr.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Sarah A. Thompson
Seller: Healy, Helen M., (Estate)
Date: 12/16/19

RUSSELL

385 Blandford Road
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $329,000
Buyer: William F. Barry
Seller: Reuben M. Leinbach
Date: 12/12/19

387 Blandford Road
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $329,000
Buyer: William F. Barry
Seller: Reuben M. Leinbach
Date: 12/12/19

48 Pine Hill Road
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Paula M. Tennyson
Seller: Brian D. Kibbe
Date: 12/17/19

SPRINGFIELD

114 2nd St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $153,000
Buyer: Geraldo Rodriguez
Seller: Joseph P. Latif
Date: 12/13/19

88 Agnes St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: Katie A. Verrochi
Seller: Bradford J. Trahan
Date: 12/13/19

555-557 Armory St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Kelnate Realty LLC
Seller: Emtay Inc.
Date: 12/13/19

145 Barber St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $139,900
Buyer: Aimee Chofay
Seller: Michelle Stewart
Date: 12/13/19

224 Birchland Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $243,000
Buyer: James T. Lawson
Seller: Benjamin Elliston
Date: 12/09/19

83 Bowdoin St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Tammy Reed
Seller: Nikolaos Panteleakis
Date: 12/13/19

959 Bradley Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $126,700
Buyer: Old Green Acres LLC
Seller: O’Connor, Ruth Joan, (Estate)
Date: 12/10/19

189 Brookdale Dr.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $1,080,000
Buyer: You & Me Investment LLC
Seller: Shawinigan Drive LLC
Date: 12/13/19

14 Brunswick St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $208,000
Buyer: Carlos K. Osorio
Seller: Oscar Gonzalez
Date: 12/10/19

46 BurnsideTerrace
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Stephanie M. Hurley
Seller: Daniel S. Triggs
Date: 12/13/19

1640 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Rosemary B. Rosado
Seller: Lynne M. Goda
Date: 12/06/19

94 Catharine St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Samuel Roman
Seller: Yubelkis Rijo
Date: 12/04/19

113 Cedar St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Robert A. Monegro
Seller: Golden Gates Realty Assocs.
Date: 12/16/19

246 Dickinson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Swami Dickinson LLC
Seller: Epsilon Property Mgmt. Inc.
Date: 12/16/19

44 Duryea St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Cecilia Z. Bonilla
Seller: Bachir M. Saleh
Date: 12/06/19

14-16 Esther St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $246,000
Buyer: Yeslin B. Gonzalez-Perez
Seller: Lisa Kern
Date: 12/11/19

30 Fallston St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $199,900
Buyer: Jason Johnson
Seller: Charles H. Heimann
Date: 12/10/19

76 Ferncliff Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $179,900
Buyer: Nancy J. Pride
Seller: Juan J. Irizarry
Date: 12/13/19

11-13 Flagg St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $179,900
Buyer: Hector M. Martinez
Seller: Ben M. Garfield
Date: 12/06/19

116 Fort Pleasant Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: 116 Fort Pleasant LLC
Seller: Youngs Realty Management
Date: 12/06/19

116 Gillette Circle
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Rafael Irizarry-Fields
Seller: Arlene Rodriguez
Date: 12/13/19

53 Hall St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Round 2 LLC
Seller: Valley Castle Holdings
Date: 12/13/19

255 Hartwick St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Jeffrey Mueller
Seller: John E. Pike
Date: 12/12/19

33 Holy Cross St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Charles Lattanzio
Seller: Andre P. Tessier
Date: 12/05/19

210 Keddy St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Patrick K. Russell
Seller: Anthony S. Gregory
Date: 12/06/19

67-69 Kensington Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Round 2 LLC
Seller: Valley Castle Holdings
Date: 12/13/19

68 Kensington Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Round 2 LLC
Seller: Valley Castle Holdings
Date: 12/13/19

95-97 Kent Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Jarelis E. Rodriguez
Seller: Anthony M. Santaniello
Date: 12/16/19

38 Kingoke Lane
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Multi-Cultural Community
Seller: Richard C. White
Date: 12/05/19

49 Kirk Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $119,367
Buyer: Kirk Drive TR
Seller: Pamela L. Bongiovanni
Date: 12/09/19

116 Lakevilla Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Justin X. McMillian
Seller: Scott J. Rogers
Date: 12/12/19

110 Lehigh St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Jorge Perez
Seller: Jorge Perez
Date: 12/11/19

64 Lyndale St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Jennifer Diaz
Seller: Mike Nguyen
Date: 12/06/19

5 Mandalay Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $122,000
Buyer: Steven Hoang
Seller: Dil M. Gurung
Date: 12/09/19

70-72 Manhattan St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Darinel Marte-Diaz
Seller: RM Blerman LLC
Date: 12/05/19

96 Manhattan St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $291,900
Buyer: Kiara Correa
Seller: Tehran Lewis
Date: 12/09/19

41 Merrimac Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $162,500
Buyer: Tascon Homes LLC
Seller: US Bank
Date: 12/06/19

74 Monmouth St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $253,500
Buyer: Orlando C. Harvey
Seller: Patriot Living LLC
Date: 12/13/19

36 Montrose St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $164,000
Buyer: JJJ 17 LLC
Seller: JJJ 17 LLC
Date: 12/16/19

73-75 Narragansett St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $198,000
Buyer: Jacqueline Merced
Seller: Anthony Alvaro
Date: 12/11/19

605 Newbury St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Joseph Vazquez-Rivera
Seller: Linda Perlman
Date: 12/16/19

140 Oak St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Lisa M. Fotiathis
Seller: USA HUD
Date: 12/05/19

80 Oklahoma St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Juan A. Colon
Seller: Casey J. Placek
Date: 12/06/19

1093 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: Luz Quintana
Seller: Jamie J. Agen
Date: 12/04/19

11 Perkins St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Felix Decesare
Seller: Susanne M. Fahringer
Date: 12/05/19

59 Pheasant Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Nicola S. Williams
Seller: Jeffrey T. Perrin
Date: 12/04/19

7 Plumtree Circle
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Ricky T. Mack
Seller: Catherine V. Santaniello
Date: 12/13/19

1570 Plumtree Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Chelsea M. Blake
Seller: Jovanna A. Soto
Date: 12/17/19

120-122 Powell Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Chad VanWingerden
Seller: Michael E. Larose
Date: 12/06/19

235 Prentice St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Karla E. Garcia-Arroyo
Seller: Lynn A. Laplante
Date: 12/12/19

106 Revere St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Wilbert Weche
Seller: Global Homes Properties
Date: 12/11/19

39 Rimmon Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: Jasmine Santana
Seller: Jacek J. Klosowski
Date: 12/12/19

79 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $194,500
Buyer: Shawn D. Cruzado
Seller: David Borkosky
Date: 12/13/19

227 Roy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Jose Zavala
Seller: Anthony Santaniello
Date: 12/16/19

50 Scarsdale Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Marie McCormack
Seller: Rita M. Panasian
Date: 12/13/19

55 South Tallyho Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Kenneth D. Taylor
Seller: Adam Robbins
Date: 12/11/19

95-97 Suffolk St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Round 2 LLC
Seller: Jeffrey VonDauber
Date: 12/13/19

24-26 Sullivan St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $143,500
Buyer: Teresa Quiles
Seller: Maria D. Farina
Date: 12/12/19

285 SunriseTerrace
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $155,500
Buyer: Jonathan Dimo
Seller: Kara A. Petrie
Date: 12/06/19

111 Upton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Taylor N. Holland
Seller: Michelle Stuart
Date: 12/11/19

32 West Alvord St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Kelnate Realty LLC
Seller: Emtay Inc.
Date: 12/16/19

348-350 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $231,000
Buyer: Nancy A. Urena-Pena
Seller: Benjamin J. Brunese
Date: 12/10/19

2004 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Cynthia McCarthy
Seller: John Rosado
Date: 12/09/19

SOUTHWICK

15 Ferrin Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $542,000
Buyer: Vicki L. Lacapria
Seller: Jeremy D. Leap
Date: 12/04/19

14 Hunters Ridge Circle
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $388,000
Buyer: Nicholas A. Beaudette
Seller: Deborah Melita
Date: 12/11/19

15 Lake Shore Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Richard R. Tumolo
Seller: Maher, Paula J., (Estate)
Date: 12/06/19

19 Laurel Ridge Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: James Montemayor
Seller: David B. Hart
Date: 12/05/19

Noble Steed Xing #22
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Harley J. Dulude
Seller: Jaan Development Corp.
Date: 12/13/19

Noble Steed Xing #23
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Harley J. Dulude
Seller: Jaan Development Corp.
Date: 12/13/19

143 South Longyard Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Gregory Hamelin
Seller: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Date: 12/06/19

17 White St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $397,500
Buyer: David S. Bunten
Seller: John Gulbrandsen
Date: 12/10/19

WALES

22 Holland Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $289,900
Buyer: Jason Oney
Seller: David W. Foote
Date: 12/16/19

10 Lake Shore Dr.
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: Carl L. Erickson
Seller: Ruben Semidey
Date: 12/10/19

73 Main St.
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $129,000
Buyer: Barbara L. Lovell
Seller: Theodore W. Siok
Date: 12/06/19

WEST SPRINGFIELD

57 Abigaile Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $515,000
Buyer: Christopher T. Connelly
Seller: Michael R. Bogacz
Date: 12/04/19

50 Apple Ridge Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $261,000
Buyer: Henry Tenzar
Seller: Whitehead, Judith, (Estate)
Date: 12/09/19

41 Banks Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Shelley A. Burgeois
Seller: Joshua X. Tower
Date: 12/12/19

229 City View Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Center For Human Development Inc.
Seller: Brightside Inc.
Date: 12/04/19

148 Craiwell Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Brendan R. Cawley
Seller: Thomas Flaherty
Date: 12/06/19

53 Greystone Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Jjrob Realty LLC
Seller: Kathleen S. Matera
Date: 12/05/19

223 Greystone Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $281,000
Buyer: Carl O. Jalal
Seller: Christopher A. Settle
Date: 12/06/19

151 Labelle St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Sergey Savonin
Seller: Mary A. Parley
Date: 12/13/19

318 Lancaster Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Christopher N. Williamson
Seller: Paul J. Meals
Date: 12/13/19

28 Laurence Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $252,500
Buyer: Robert J. Robinson
Seller: Kevin T. Atkin
Date: 12/13/19

176 Lower Beverly Hills
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: MAA Property LLC
Seller: Falbo, Rosanne C., (Estate)
Date: 12/13/19

1022 Main St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Invast LLC
Seller: West Co. Investments LLC
Date: 12/16/19

2 Primrose St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Deddeh Investment LLC
Seller: Peter J. Asta-Ferrero
Date: 12/10/19

138 Southworth St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Stephen M. Heald
Seller: Kuber Adhikari
Date: 12/05/19

25 Virginia Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Amy Russell
Seller: Robert F. Pion
Date: 12/17/19

102 Westwood Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Stephanie M. Palange
Seller: Glenn Grabowski
Date: 12/06/19

100 Wolcott Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Tuyen T. Le
Seller: Troy Collins
Date: 12/17/19

WESTFIELD

7 Atwater St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Jennifer Balukonis
Seller: Erik B. Quinn
Date: 12/12/19

9 Belden Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $258,000
Buyer: Shaelyn N. Bielanski
Seller: Patrick J. Healy
Date: 12/13/19

12 Briarcliff Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Karen D. Hackett
Seller: Robert G. Pouliot
Date: 12/06/19

6 Carriage Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Julie Hall-Case
Seller: Deborah M. Hadley
Date: 12/05/19

7-1/2 Frederick St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $193,000
Buyer: Ryan J. Emken
Seller: Denise L. Pumphrey
Date: 12/06/19

145 Granville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Ernest C. Gardner
Seller: Clark, Donald R., (Estate)
Date: 12/05/19

27 Knollwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Stefani Leonczyk
Seller: Tricia L. Ancelli
Date: 12/17/19

8 Lincoln St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $252,000
Buyer: Caio H. Veloso-Silva
Seller: Ivan Mokan
Date: 12/11/19

285 Lower Sandyhill Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $159,000
Buyer: Yves G. Dumonsau
Seller: Couture Partners LLC
Date: 12/04/19

145 Main St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Camile A. Hannoush
Seller: Stratton Renovation LLC
Date: 12/13/19

186 Main St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Terrence J. Welch
Seller: Dustin Taudal
Date: 12/11/19

409 Montgomery Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $399,900
Buyer: Daniel H. Bray
Seller: Barbara Dillon-Goodson
Date: 12/06/19

Munger Hill Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Megan A. Shibley
Seller: Robert P. Cunningham
Date: 12/16/19

255 North Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $565,000
Buyer: D. Larochelle-Pumphrey
Seller: Richard S. Leske
Date: 12/06/19

40 Orange St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: James P. Schmidt
Seller: Mark Sears
Date: 12/04/19

101 Pequot Point Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Patrick M. Lalli
Seller: Jenna R. Krzanik
Date: 12/06/19

64 Roosevelt Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $147,927
Buyer: Bank New York Mellon
Seller: Deborah L. Waterman
Date: 12/09/19

219 Russellville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: CED Westfield Solar LLC
Seller: J. W. Cowles Construction
Date: 12/04/19

124 Saint James Ave.
Westfield, MA 01040
Amount: $337,700
Buyer: Javier Rivera
Seller: Francis Wheeler Construction
Date: 12/09/19

509 Southwick Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: VAR LLC
Seller: 509 Southwick Road LLC
Date: 12/05/19

47 Zephyr Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Ruth H. Taraska
Date: 12/05/19

WILBRAHAM

3086 Boston Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $246,250
Buyer: CIL Realty Of Mass. Inc.
Seller: Peter M. Ferland
Date: 12/17/19

6 Devonshire Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $350,100
Buyer: John D. Sopet
Seller: Maryann Baltazar-Alves
Date: 12/12/19

151 East Longmeadow Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $253,000
Buyer: Association Props Group
Seller: Juan C. Rodriguez-Lopez
Date: 12/16/19

4 James Circle
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $306,000
Buyer: James Circle NT
Seller: Vincent M. O’Connell
Date: 12/17/19

1 Sawmill Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $288,000
Buyer: Jessy R. Sirois
Seller: Gladys M. Grande
Date: 12/12/19

161 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Elizabeth Damato
Seller: Benjamin C. Hudnall
Date: 12/04/19

21-35 Weston St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: 21-35 Weston Street RT
Seller: Raymond G. Lewis
Date: 12/17/19

22-36 Weston St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: 22-36 Weston Street RT
Seller: Raymond G. Lewis
Date: 12/17/19

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

212 Aubinwood Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Jesus A. Carl-Acosta
Seller: Michael J. Jenkins
Date: 12/12/19

51 ButterfieldTerrace
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: 51 ButterfieldTerrace LLC
Seller: Grethe B. Camp
Date: 12/17/19

64 High Point Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $337,000
Buyer: Karl Knapp
Seller: Lucinda S. Nuthmann
Date: 12/16/19

10 Poets Corner Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Wei Cui
Seller: Nancy A. Keefe
Date: 12/05/19

1427 South East St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: David Merck
Seller: Plumtree Real Estate LLC
Date: 12/05/19

1488 South East St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Mara Niefer
Seller: Maria E. Caputo
Date: 12/06/19

759 South East St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Stephen D. Gillett
Seller: Edward A. McCarthy
Date: 12/06/19

BELCHERTOWN

402 Allen Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Christopher L. Dunn
Seller: Noryn A. Resnick
Date: 12/05/19

480 Chauncey Walker St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $423,000
Buyer: William J. Decker
Seller: Yvette C. Archambault TR
Date: 12/11/19

8 Cloverhill Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $429,900
Buyer: Christian Bourdeau
Seller: Alex N. Gerard
Date: 12/09/19

Front St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $133,334
Buyer: Belchertown Day School
Seller: Belchertown Economic Development
Date: 12/11/19

257 Jabish St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Priscilla B. Mollard
Seller: Rebecca J. Mazuch
Date: 12/06/19

160 Ludlow St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Philip Roncarati
Seller: Joshua N. Weiss
Date: 12/10/19

162 Munsell St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $470,000
Buyer: Jonathan Ankiewicz
Seller: Timothy C. Relihan
Date: 12/06/19

40 Oakridge Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $399,900
Buyer: David E. Eyerman
Seller: Allan A. Ruell
Date: 12/06/19

95 Pondview Circle
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Gottfried Schlaug
Seller: Ronald C. Simmons
Date: 12/13/19

480 State St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Jesus Gonzalez
Seller: Steven Cole
Date: 12/04/19

EASTHAMPTON

30 Bryan Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $249,000
Buyer: Cortney Kowalczyk
Seller: Richard V. Yarra
Date: 12/13/19

366 East St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Sarah-Jane M. Poindexter
Seller: Brian M. Greenwood
Date: 12/13/19

9-11 Exeter St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $195,100
Buyer: Kevin C. Netto Construction Inc.
Seller: 9-11 Exeter Street RT
Date: 12/04/19

33 Groveland St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Rachel Doubleday
Seller: Lauren E. Arcibal
Date: 12/12/19

1 Harvey St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $244,500
Buyer: Krystal M. Oldread
Seller: Frank S. Geryk
Date: 12/09/19

46 Highland Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Joyce C. Gurski
Seller: Hebert FT
Date: 12/16/19

2 Mutter St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $195,352
Buyer: Christopher St.Martin
Seller: Maureen McGuinness
Date: 12/16/19

201 Park St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $222,900
Buyer: Andrew D. Saltarella
Seller: James R. Tunstall
Date: 12/06/19

17 Picard Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Wilson G. Buri
Seller: Kimberly J. English
Date: 12/13/19

12 Sheldon Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $331,000
Buyer: Joy B. Bergman
Seller: Barbara A. Kasper
Date: 12/11/19

17 Stanley St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $334,900
Buyer: Ashley E. Anglin
Seller: James M. King
Date: 12/05/19

14 Water Lane
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $296,000
Buyer: Cory M. O’Brien
Seller: Judith Sector-Ryan
Date: 12/10/19

GRANBY

193 Amherst St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Kaylee A. Quenneville
Seller: Brian S. King
Date: 12/11/19

101 East St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $134,000
Buyer: Ann M. Gagnon
Seller: Citimortgage Inc.
Date: 12/04/19

Miller St. #B
Granby, MA 02771
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Oak Ridge Custom Home Builders
Seller: Irene R. Simon
Date: 12/13/19

HADLEY

Rocky Hill Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Huong C. Chow
Seller: Wilga, Joseph J. Jr., (Estate)
Date: 12/06/19

HATFIELD

36 North Hatfield Road
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $307,000
Buyer: Levin G. Dupree
Seller: Dunn, Ruby Pearl, (Estate)
Date: 12/12/19

HUNTINGTON

46 Basket St.
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $219,259
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Steven C. King
Date: 12/06/19

NORTHAMPTON

18 Burts Pit Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Konstantin Vatrenko
Seller: Rita M. Douville
Date: 12/13/19

13 Drewsen Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Rachel M. Goodman
Seller: Francis W. Hogan
Date: 12/10/19

137 Emerson Way
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Mary E. Just
Seller: Emerson Way LLC
Date: 12/11/19

2 Florence St.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $423,000
Buyer: Rachel Keller
Seller: Rosemary R. Black
Date: 12/06/19

269 Florence Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Edward J. Callahan
Seller: David E. Foucher
Date: 12/13/19

486 Haydenville Road
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $367,500
Buyer: Gabriel R. Deangelis
Seller: EDC Real Estate LLC
Date: 12/16/19

178 Island Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Sofia Szamosi
Seller: Jeffrey T. Remillard
Date: 12/05/19

163 Kennedy Road
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $686,000
Buyer: Malcolm White
Seller: Sharron V. Chiulli
Date: 12/06/19

11 Landy Ave.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $231,000
Buyer: Kathy J. Smith
Seller: Konstantinos Sierros
Date: 12/13/19

2 Laurel Lane
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $339,000
Buyer: William Gertzog
Seller: Rosehill FT
Date: 12/10/19

Northampton Meadows
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Szawlowski Realty Inc.
Seller: David Gizienski
Date: 12/05/19

28 Ridge View Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $570,000
Buyer: Barbara J. McCollough
Seller: James C. Link
Date: 12/09/19

40 Spring St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $185,400
Buyer: Grosz RT
Seller: Douglas E. Andrew
Date: 12/11/19

PELHAM

144 Harkness Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Beverly Haase
Seller: James Burgoff
Date: 12/06/19

SOUTHAMPTON

45 Lead Mine Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Hunter Tinkham-Silva
Seller: Carmelina G. Ortiz
Date: 12/13/19

SOUTH HADLEY

7 Ashton Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Shaina Tramazzo
Seller: David J. Della-Torre
Date: 12/12/19

24 CharonTerrace
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Maria Fahey
Seller: Wilson, Elaine R., (Estate)
Date: 12/13/19

412 Granby Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Scott Family Properties
Seller: Janet Doolittle
Date: 12/10/19

24 Leahey Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Carolyn J. Miller-Coulter
Seller: Cathleen A. Foley
Date: 12/06/19

Miller St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Oak Ridge Custom Home Builders
Seller: Irene R. Simon
Date: 12/13/19

209 Mosier St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: Katelyn Labrie
Seller: Kenneth J. Corneliusen
Date: 12/05/19

99 Pine St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Gregory Belanger
Seller: Deanna Dixon
Date: 12/10/19

WARE

12 Lovewell St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $186,600
Buyer: Maryam Morrow
Seller: Amy D. Vadnais
Date: 12/12/19

9 Wildflower Dr.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $333,000
Buyer: Theresa Martin
Seller: Yasser Fares
Date: 12/13/19

WILLIAMSBURG

146 Ashfield Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Frank S. Geryk
Seller: Christine M. Andrulis
Date: 12/09/19

WESTHAMPTON

69 Pine Island Lake
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Janice Pegels
Seller: Sheryl Blais
Date: 12/06/19

WORTHINGTON

126 Old North Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $337,500
Buyer: Kenneth P. Kirchner
Seller: Pulley FT
Date: 12/13/19

Building Permits

By BusinessWest Staff January 7, 2020

Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of December 2019.

AMHERST

Bank of America
1 South Pleasant St.
$2,500 — Temporary wall

LHB Enterprises Inc.
360 College St.
$5,000 — Remove two light pole bases

CHICOPEE

City of Chicopee
725 Front St.
$2,221,508 — Convert existing warehouse space into office space, including reconfiguration of walls; new HVAC, elevator, sprinkler, electrical, and interior finishes; and utility site work

Emery Street, LLC
220 Exchange St.
$13,565 — Install fire-alarm system and components

Dorothy Krawiec
2 Valier Ave.
$20,000 — Swap microwave dish and associated cables, etc.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Lenox American Saw
79 Industrial Dr.
$106,000 — Roof

Pride Plaza
618-634 North Main St.
$12,500 — Roofing

Pride Stores
622 North Main St.
$6,500 — Sheet metal

LEE

Mass Property Partners, LLC
220 Housatonic St.
$3,500 — Increase height of existing half-wall at ramp and move a door

LONGMEADOW

Zen’s Toyland
803 Williams St.
$3,000 — New signage

NORTHAMPTON

Investment Real Estate
550 Easthampton Road
$9,000 — Illuminated ground sign for Moove In Self Storage

Malvern Panalytical
22 Industrial Dr.
$4,000 — Non-illuminated ground sign

NETA Inc.
118 Conz St.
$12,500 — Non-illuminated ground sign

NETA Inc.
118 Conz St.
$1,800 — Illuminated wall sign

NETA Inc.
118 Conz St.
$1,700 — Illuminated ground sign

NETA Inc.
118 Conz St.
$1,500 — Illuminated ground sign

Smith College
10 Elm St.
$8,000 — Renovate offices in College Hall

SPRINGFIELD

Albany Road – St. James Avenue, LLC
1250 St. James Ave.
$2,500 — Modify tenant space fire-alarm system for 911 training center

City of Springfield
1535 Roosevelt Ave.
$42,000 — Install new microwave dish and associated cabling to existing tower for emergency 911 radio system upgrade

City of Springfield
1250 State St.
$2,972,000 — Renovations at Springfield High School of Science and Technology, including boiler replacement, asbestos abatement, windows and doors, roofing and chimney work

Commonwealth Academy Holdings, LLC
6 Ames Hill Dr.
$28,000 — Install new fire-alarm system and devices with monitoring

Zohad Faroogni
148 Fort Pleasant Ave.
$5,369 — Replace seven windows in office building

OSJ of Springfield, LLC
1686 Boston Road
$225,000 — Alter interior retail floor plan and update lighting at former Toys R Us for new tenant, Ocean State Job Lot

South Congregational Church
45 Maple St.
$25,000 — Add new exterior door, remove old ceiling, extend kitchen vent through ceiling, lay ceramic tile on existing floor, add exterior light at entrance

Western Massachusetts Electric Co.
300 Cadwell Dr.
$44,000 — Install new microwave dish and associated cabling to existing tower for emergency 911 radio system upgrade

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2019 Employment Law Year in Review

This past year was one that saw a number of landscape-changing developments in the broad realm of employment law. From paid family leave to cannabis to overtime-threshold changes, there were a number of changes to existing laws, new measures to keep track of, and new challenges for employers.

Paid Family Medical Leave

Marijuana

National Labor Relations Board

Union Fees

Department of Labor Overtime Threshold Changes

Non-compete Law

U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services’ H-1B Visas

2020 … Bring It On

Vision 2020

Administration

Surgical Technology

Behavioral Health

Weight Management

Cancer Care

Allergy and Immunology

Eye Care

Information Technology

Cardiovascular Care

Memory Care

Nursing Education

Orthotics and Prosthetics

Dental Care

Rehabilitation

Hearing Care

Community Spotlight

Banding Together

Art of the Matter

Creating a Buzz

What’s in Store?

Little Change in the Forecast

Higher Ground

On Fire

Maturing Industry

Springfield Regional Chamber to Host Marijuana Professionals, Officials

Budding Goals

Sowing Seeds

And to Keep It That Way, Businesses Can Make Use of the NDA

Understanding the Americans with Disabilities Act

More Than a Gym

The Bigger Picture

A New Venture

Editorial

Opinion

HCC Gives Back to the Community

No Shave November

Florence Bank Open House

Helping Families Celebrate the Season

HAMPDEN DISTRICT COURT

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

40 Under Forty Nominations

Micro-emerging Markets: Cannabis Certificate Program

Cannabis Education Center

‘Stress Less in 2020’

Free Workshop on Wage and Hour Laws

All Ideas Pitch Contest

Women’s Leadership Conference

Hooplandia

GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CHAMBER

SPRINGFIELD REGIONAL CHAMBER

WEST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The Hive Makerspace Comes to Downtown Greenfield

EforAll Holyoke Announces 2020 Winter Cohort

Springfield College Unveils New Master of Science in Athletic Training Program

New Restaurant to Open in Thornes Marketplace

Pilot Precision Products Wins Silver Economic Impact Award

Carr Hardware Opens New Store in Lenox

Jay Smith Receives Award from National Tour Assoc.

Rotary Club of Springfield Inducts Massachusetts Commission for the Blind