Day: February 4, 2020

Elms College to Host Third Annual Executive Leadership Breakfast

By
Daily News

CHICOPEE — Elms College will host its third annual Executive Leadership Breakfast on Thursday, April 9 for the region’s business executives, state and local legislators, and community leaders.

The keynote speaker for the event is U.S. Rep. Richard Neal. His talk, “Leadership in Turbulent Times,” will examine how our congressional delegation is providing leadership on issues that could impact the economy of the Western Mass. region.

Neal was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1988. He currently serves as chair of the powerful tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. He is a co-chairman of the New England Congressional Caucus, where he advocates for the unique regional interests of the six New England states, and is the Democratic leader of the Friends of Ireland Caucus. Prior to his time in Congress, Neal was a high-school teacher, member of the Springfield City Council, and mayor of Springfield. He is a longtime lecturer at UMass Amherst.

This annual event features talks by the region’s leaders on topics of relevance that impact all sectors of business and the economy in Western Mass. Corporate sponsorships are available for this event, and an invitation is required to attend. For more information on the various sponsorship opportunities or to request an invitation, call the Elms College Office of Institutional Advancement at (413) 265-2448.

Cannabis Education Center Announces Scholarships

By
Daily News

HOLYOKE — The Cannabis Education Center, a collaboration between Holyoke Community College (HCC) and the Cannabis Community Care & Research Network (C3RN), has announced the awarding of scholarships to six students enrolled in its entry-level cannabis culinary assistant training program, which began Jan. 25.

These initial scholarships were provided by cannabis businesses Curaleaf, Good Chemistry, Mill Town Agriculture, and Cultivate and awarded to students who either live in the Holyoke area, are unemployed or underemployed, or were disproportionately impacted by drug-enforcement laws before the legalization of marijuana in Massachusetts, among other criteria.

“The goal of the scholarship program is to provide high-quality cannabis training to those who might otherwise not have the financial opportunity,” said Marion McNabb, CEO of C3RN and the 501(c)(3) nonprofit that manages the scholarship program for the Cannabis Education Center. “The initial scholarships provided by leading local cannabis businesses demonstrate their commitment to furthering opportunities that advance social justice via education locally in Massachusetts and in Holyoke.”

The cannabis culinary assistant program started Jan. 25 at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute and runs for six Saturdays through Feb. 29. Cannabis culinary assistants are responsible for preparing cannabis or cannabidiol-infused products using a variety of cooking, baking, and infusion techniques. Students are also learning about manufacturing operations and security, health, and safety policies and regulations. Course instructors and guest lecturers include representatives from C3RN, HCC, INSA, Cloud Creamery, Ardent, Willie’s Reserve, MCR Labs, and Bay Grown Farms.

Hemp products are being used in place of cannabis on the HCC campus. Students will follow up their classroom sessions with internships at cannabis businesses, including INSA in Easthampton and AmeriCann and BASK in Fairhaven, Mass., and additional internship partnerships will soon be announced. The $3,000 scholarships cover the full cost of the training program, including the internship.

“Curaleaf Massachusetts is proud to partner with C3RN and Holyoke Community College by sponsoring scholarships at the Cannabis Education Center,” said Patrik Jonsson, president of Curaleaf Massachusetts. “We greatly value the opportunity to provide support for individuals from areas of disproportionate impact, and we are looking forward to getting involved in the onsite occupational training aspect as well.”

Additional scholarships are envisioned for future cannabis training programs. The Cannabis Education Center will begin a program to train workers for jobs as patient advocates/budtenders on March 2 at HCC’s Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development.

“We’re looking forward to offering these training programs to as many people as possible,” said HCC president Christina Royal. “Thanks to these scholarships, one more barrier to education and training is lessened for those with significant financial need.”

Eversource Customers Benefit from Increase in Reliability

By
Daily News

BOSTON — Eversource’s commitment to enhancing system reliability is significantly reducing the number of power interruptions that customers experience, with outages in the Commonwealth down by nearly 17% in 2019 compared to 2018, the company reports.

This improvement stems from the energy company’s investments in strengthening and modernizing its electric system, including a program to install more than 1,000 smart fuses to the system throughout the Commonwealth. These smart fuses can automatically restore power to customers when a tree limb temporarily contacts wires and help to protect the electric system when a problem is detected, such as a current surge or overload.

“Our continued investments in developing a smarter, more resilient, and more flexible grid are delivering direct reliability benefits to our customers and allowing us to reliably and seamlessly connect more clean energy resources onto our system,” said Craig Hallstrom, Eversource’s president of Regional Electric Operations. “Additionally, our commitment to enhancing the electric system throughout the state will help us to reach our goal of being carbon-neutral by 2030 and support continued economic growth across the region.”

Eversource has invested more than $2.5 million to install more than 350 smart fuses on its electric system throughout Massachusetts since 2018. The energy company plans to expand the program in 2020 by installing more than 300 devices on the system throughout the state. In addition to its smart-fuse program, Eversource will continue to install smart switches, devices that enable system operators to remotely reroute power to customers in minutes. The energy company has installed more than 1,100 smart switches over the last five years and continues to replace utility poles with more durable structures, install hundreds of miles of covered wire, and conduct robust tree-trimming programs to ensure the reliable delivery of energy to customers.

Eversource customers across New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut all experienced a significant improvement in reliability in 2019. January through December of this year represented the system’s strongest reliability performance across Eversource’s entire service territory since 2013 — the first full year following the merger in 2012 between Northeast Utilities and NSTAR Electric & Gas.

Bay Path Programs Rank Highly on Intelligent.com

By
Daily News

LONGMEADOW — Intelligent.com has recognized eight Bay Path University degree programs as some of the best online degree programs available in multiple areas of study. The website is a free, privately supported online platform that’s editorially independent and claims to provide unbiased, accurate, and fact-based information on a wide range of issues surrounding education.

According to the website, programs were evaluated on reputation, course strength, cost, faculty, and flexibility. In addition to their numerical rankings, Bay Path’s master of science in accounting and bachelor of science in health services administration degree programs were recognized as “Best Student Resources” in their respective categories, while its bachelor of arts in psychology – counseling foundations and master of science in nonprofit management and philanthropy programs were recognized as the “Best in the Northeast” out of all degree programs assessed in their respective fields. Bay Path’s master of science in leadership and negotiation program was awarded “Best Job Placement Rate” out of the 147 colleges and universities assessed.

Other programs awarded include the master of science in applied behavior analysis, the master of science in higher education administration, and the master of fine arts in creative nonfiction, which ranked in the top 8% of creative-writing graduate programs reviewed.

“It is Bay Path’s mission with both our undergraduate and graduate degree offerings to build robust programs that will not only provide quality instruction and exceptional resources for our students while they are enrolled, but that will also give them the skills, knowledge, and experiences needed to meet the workforce needs of their communities,” Bay Path President Carol Leary said. “It’s an honor to see so many programs within multiple disciplines recognized for both their academic rigor and the value they bring to our students.”

Difference Makers Event Rescheduled to Sept. 24 Virtual Event

By
Class of 2020 Cover Story

Celebrating the 2020 Class

Back in late 2008, BusinessWest conceived a new recognition program.

It was called Difference Makers because, well, that’s the best way to describe those who would be honored. No matter what their career or field or passion — and, over the years, they have been myriad — the one common thread would be making a difference in the community.

Our goal was, and remains, to show the many ways in which an individual or group can make a difference, and suffice to say this goal has been met — as you’ll find out, once again, as you read the stories generated by the 12th such class of honorees.

The regularly scheduled gathering to honor our Difference Makers had to be post-poned because of the pandemic and ongoing bans on large gatherings.

But BusinessWest is now ready to move forward with an exciting virtual-hybrid event that will enable the region to celebrate this year’s honorees — and in settings that will comply with the state’s many guidelines for gatherings in the COVID-19 era.

Our 2020 Difference Makers event will take place on Thursday,  Sept. 24, 4 p.m.-5:30 p.m. and will honor the large and distinguished Difference Makers class of 2020. This will be a ‘virtual-hybrid’ event, with the honorees and sponsors to gather at the Upper Vista at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House in Holyoke — 40 are allowed under the current guidelines — with the more than 300 other guests able to take the award program proceedings virtually. Guests who have purchased tickets to the original March event will have private access to view the virtual program.

The Difference Makers program for 2020 is sponsored by Burkhart Pizzanel-li, Mercy Medical Center/Trinity Health Of New England, Royal P.C., and Tom-myCar Auto Group, with nonprofit part-ners MHA Inc., the Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Charity Golf Tournament, and United Way of Pioneer Valley

2020 Difference Makers Virtual-Hybrid Event
Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020; 4 p.m.-5:30 p.m.

 

2020 Difference Makers

Christopher ‘Monte’ Belmonte

DJ at WRSI the River Radio

His March is Changing
The Conversation
on Food Insecurity

Ira Bryck

Consultant and Former Executive Director of the Family Business Center of Pioneer Valley

He’s Helped Create
Fun, Imaginative
Learning Experiences

Sandy Cassanelli

CEO of Greeno Supply

She’s Fighting to Find a Cure for Metastatic Breast Cancer

Dianne
Fuller Doherty

Retired Director of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center

She’s Retired … but Not from Her Role as a Difference Maker

Ronn Johnson

President and CEO of Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services Inc.

This Community Leader Has Tackled Many Roles
With a Sense of Purpose

Steve Lowell

President and CEO of
Monson Savings Bank

Giving Back Has Always Been a Big Part of His Life — and His Work

Rick’s Place

This Unique Nonprofit Provides Support, Light in the Darkest of Times

2020 Sponsors

Mercy_Stacked_CMYK_FINAL
TommyCarAutoGroup

Pay it Forward Non-Profit Partners

MHA logo copy
DrivefortheCureTomCosenzi Logo
UnitedWayPioneerValley LOGO


Photography for this special section by Leah Martin Photography

Christopher ‘Monte’ Belmonte, DJ at WRSI the River Radio

By
Class of 2020

His March is Changing The Conversation on Food Insecurity

Sean Barry recalls listening to the first few editions of Monte’s March on the radio. (Photo by Leah Martin Photography)

What he remembers most is how Monte Belmonte, the radio personality who created this unique publicity stunt to raise money for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, seemed to keep getting lost on his trek from Northampton to Greenfield.

“That first year, I was listening to him taking wrong turns … I thought to myself, ‘maybe he needs help,’” said Barry, owner of Four Seasons Wines & Liquors in Hadley. “The second year, the march snuck up on me, so I wasn’t able to sign up. So again I listened, and I believe I heard him getting lost again — he didn’t seem to have a clear idea of where he was.”

Anyway, the more Barry listened, the more he wanted to be part of what Belmonte was doing.

“I’m a true believer in what the Food Bank does and how unfortunately necessary it is,” he said, adding that he secured enough coverage at the store to be able to march in the third event, and he’s been back every year since. He now carries out an important role in this curious and all-important spectacle — keeping the souped-up shopping cart pushed by Belmote out of harm’s way.

“I’m the one you see in the pictures with my hand on the cart, steering it so Monte doesn’t have to worry about it hitting a tree or getting it stuck in a pothole,” he explained. “That leaves Monte to do what Monte does best.”

In a way, Barry’s growing involvement with the march is a microcosm of its growth and evolution over the past decade. It started small, but almost immediately it caught people’s attention — and kept it. And then, they wanted to be part of it in some way. And all kinds of groups and individuals have found a way, helping to raise more than $1.2 million to date.

“Through his various efforts and interviews, people come to understand the complexity of the problem and the diversity of the problem. It’s not a once-a-year thing — he’s creating a movement, and he’s creating awareness.”

The ranks include lawmakers, especially U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, the Democrat from Worcester, who marches alongside Belmonte every year, as well as state representatives and senators. And school children, who have been inspired to raise money for the cause in many different ways and even hand over their allowance to Belmonte as he marches by. And the famous UMass marching band, which has joined the trek in downtown Amherst.

While on his march, Belmonte is, as they might say in the military, on point. That means he’s at the front of the line — actually, Barry is at the very front — usually interviewing one of those elected officials or kids as he’s conducting a radio show. In other words, he’s multi-tasking and looking forward, to the real estate in front of him.

That means that he’s generally unaware of just how many people have joined him for the march in a manner that has prompted some to compare him to the pied piper and others to Forrest Gump in that famous scene where he’s repeatedly running across the country.

Later, after the march is over and he sees photos, he’s often taken aback by just how much company he has.

“When I see that breadth of humanity behind us, it’s really overwhelming to me,” he said, adding that he’s also quite struck by how many people have “taken ownership” of the need to raise money for the Food Bank through their own initiatives — ranging from one brewery owner’s 50-mile run to a solidarity march conducted by students and teachers at Conway Elementary School, to one woman’s march in Antarctica (because she was visiting there the week of the march).

Monte Belmonte, seen here with U.S. Reps. Richard Neal, left, and Jim McGovern, gets set to start another of his marches. (Photo from Matthew Cavanaugh)

But while this event has grown to attract hundreds, and perhaps thousands of participants and supporters, Belmonte has been the individual most responsible for its success and its ability to keep food insecurity front of mind — not for two days in November, but all year.

McGovern perhaps said it best when he told BusinessWest that Belmonte hasn’t created a march — he’s created a movement.

“It’s a movement to not just be there in this fight against hunger during Monte’s March, but all year round,” the congressman explained. “Through his various efforts and interviews, people come to understand the complexity of the problem and the diversity of the problem. It’s not a once-a-year thing — he’s creating a movement, and he’s creating awareness.”

And those sentiments clearly explain why Belmonte is a member of the Difference Makers class of 2020.

Walking the Walk

Belmonte calls it ‘Amity Hill Horror.’

That’s meant to be a blend of The Amityville Horror, the movie, and Heartbreak Hill, the notorious stretch of the Boston Marathon in Newton that taxes the runners because of its sharp incline, and describes one of the only real physical tests along Monte’s March — the climb up Amity Street to the center of Amherst.

“Pushing up that hill and trying to broadcast is a bit of challenge,” said Belmonte, noting that Barry, whom he refers to as his ‘Sancho Panza,’ helps him navigate that climb and, overall, keep him on track.

Belmonte now has plenty of company as he attacks that hill with his shopping cart — outfitted for long-distance travel by students at Smith Vocational High School in Northampton — and that’s just one way to measure how far this march has come, and how impactful it now is. But there are many others.

Starting with the number $333,333.33.

That was the fund-raising goal for the march in 2019. It’s an odd number, one packed with significance, because those at the Food Bank estimate they can provide three meals for each dollar raised for their organization. Thus, this became the ‘march for a million meals’ — and the money it takes to provide them.

Over the years, Monte’s march has drawn ever-growing numbers of marchers, one of many indicators of how it has become a force in the fight against food insecurity.
(Photo from Matthew Cavanaugh)

“We had a lot of fun with it. We used that number — $333,333.33 — a ton, and people really gravitated toward it; we got a lot of $33 donations and $333 donations,” he said, adding that bestselling author and illustrator Mo Willems and his wife, Cher, who live in Northampton, pledged $33,333.33 “because they’re generous, but also because they love the schtick.”

As he talked about the march, Belmonte said it was hard to imagine those kinds of numbers back in the beginning when this wasn’t actually a march. Indeed, efforts to help the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts with a fundraising ‘publicity stunt,’ as he called it, started with Belmonte standing with a shopping cart in front of Whole Foods Market soliciting donations of food items.

When those at the Food Bank noted that, with that organization’s buying power, it could do much more with cash than it could with donated food, the focus eventually shifted to Belmonte pushing a cart from Northampton to Greenfield, soliciting donations as he went over the air.

As Barry’s comments earlier indicate, it took a few years for this endeavor to find its way — figuratively, but also quite literally.

“The first two years, I basically did it all by myself,” Belmonte recalled. “It was me, a shopping cart, a station van to make sure I didn’t get hit from behind, and a guy with a flashlight when the sun went down to make sure people could see me well enough.”

But from the beginning, the march resonated with people — and raised healthy sums of money. Over the years, it continued to pick up speed — and supporters, and donations.

In recent years, it has become a truly regional phenomenon as the march was extended from one day to two, from 26 miles to 43, starting in Springfield’s Mason Square, specifically Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services, led by another of this year’s honorees, Ronn Johnson (see story, page 35).

Positive Steps

But while the march has succeeded in garnering donations of all sizes and from a wide range of individuals and groups, its impact has gone well beyond money and the meals it buys.

Indeed, those we spoke with said Belmonte, his march, and his efforts before and after the annual trek have shed much-needed light on the subject of food insecurity.

“One of the great things about the march and the lead-up to it is Monte spending a great deal time on the radio and in public forums talking about the problem of hunger and food insecurity, and talking about the faces of the hungry in our community,” said McGovern. “And by doing that, he helps dispel those stereotypes that have become common in right-wing media; the reality is, hunger defies stereotypes. We live in the richest country in the world, and yet there are 40 million of our fellow citizens who don’t know where the next meal is coming from.

“People you’re working with may fall into that category of being food-insecure or hungry,” he went on. “And if you talk with teachers, you’ll come to understand the realities they see in their classrooms — kids who come to school on Mondays and can’t concentrate because they haven’t eaten all weekend or who ask for food on Fridays so they’ll have something to eat. And there are people who work full-time but make so little money they still qualify for SNAP benefits.”

Through his platform as a radio personality, Belmonte has broadened the discussion on hunger and taken it to a higher level, said McGovern. “The fact that he has some celebrity enables him to bring in people who might not otherwise gravitate to this issue.”

Andrew Morehouse, executive director of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, agreed, and said Belmonte, now a member of the Food Bank’s Coalition to End Hunger, has taken his efforts well beyond the fundraising level.

“He’s been involved in an ongoing effort over many years to conceptualize and put into action long-term solutions,” he noted. “He’s learned a lot from it, and he’s been involved in a very different way, not just raising money and awareness.”

When asked about what the march that bears his name has accomplished, Belmonte said that, beyond inspiring people to write checks, it has prompted them to rethink this problem and join the effort to confront it.

“My hope is that more people will think differently about what it means to be hungry, and what it means to be poor,” he told BusinessWest. “No one wants to be hungry forever; no one wants to be on SNAP or food stamps forever. Most of the people who are on it are working and need help for a short amount of time. To demonize those people, who are in many cases children, the elderly, disabled people, veterans, and others who just need help for a little while, is wrong.

“Overall, I want to people to know that the Food Bank, and hopefully our government, has their back and will give them help when they need it,” he went on. “But I’m hoping more people will hear these stories from these people during the march and surrounding the march and change the way they think about poverty, being poor, and needing help — and pitching in when they can.

“As Jim McGovern loves to say, we could end hunger in this country, but we lack the political will,” he said in conclusion. “So I guess the goal of the march is to change hearts and minds about what it means to be hungry.”

Food for Thought

Monte Belmonte doesn’t have to worry about getting lost anymore.

He knows the route by heart now, and besides, he has lots of company, including Barry, with his hand on the shopping cart, guiding it away from potholes.

All this company, and the many forms it takes, is symbolic of how the march has grown and evolved, and how it has come to do much more than raise money for the Food Bank.

As McGovern said, it’s more than a march, it’s a movement — one that’s bringing a problem to light and maybe, just maybe, someday to an end.

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

Ira Bryck, Consultant and Former Executive Director of the Family Business Center of Pioneer Valley

By
Class of 2020

He’s Helped Create Fun, Imaginative Learning Experiences

(Photo by Leah Martin Photography)

Ira Bryck started working in his family’s business — Barasch’s, a store on Long Island selling children’s clothes — when he was 5, and continued putting in hours there on weekends, after school, and during the summer through his college years.

He has a lot of memories from those days, including the fact that he generally had more money in his pocket than his friends because he was gainfully employed — even in middle school.

But he also remembers something his father — and boss; a tough boss at that — told him. Something that gnawed away at him in some respects and stayed with him as he embarked on a career path he probably couldn’t have imagined while he was folding jeans and T-shirts, one that has made him a Difference Maker.

“He told me when I was a little kid, ‘if all else fails, there’s always the family business,’” Bryck recalled. “And I took that to mean, ‘if you’re a failure, you can come work with me.’ It took a long time — several years, in fact — for me to realize that this did not mean I was a failure.”

Years later, his father’s line worked its way into a play Bryck wrote called A Tough Nut to Crack, a title chosen to reflect his father’s toughness and the difficulty of meeting monthly sales targets at the clothing store. Thus, it became one of the intriguing and imaginative methods Bryck has used for convincing those who became members of the UMass Family Business Center (now the Family Business Center of Pioneer Valley) that, like him, they weren’t failures if they joined the family enterprise.

Of course, there were other times when he helped individuals come to the realization that being part of the family business wasn’t the best idea, and that they should be doing something else. Anything else.

“We’ve helped family businesses that shouldn’t be family businesses anymore get out of jail,” he explained. “Because there are a lot of people who are trapped in family businesses.”

It’s all part of what Bryck calls ‘frank talk,’ which he still provides today, roughly six months after retiring from his role as the center’s director. He provides it as a consultant, mostly to those in family businesses, but in some other realms as well — as a speaker as various events here and in other markets, and even as the host of a weekly radio program called the Western Mass. Business Show.

Ira Bryck is seen with his parents, Bill and Barbara, outside Barasch’s for a piece in Kids Fashions magazine published in 1977.

He is a Difference Maker not simply because of the frank talk and his ability to help those in family businesses see the light — whatever that might mean to them — but because he’s helped people become better business owners and managers and become more comfortable handling all the frank talk that accompanies those roles.

Indeed, to say that Bryck’s unique style has resonated with those he’s worked with in family businesses would be an understatement, as is made clear by comments from some members we spoke with. They refer to him as a ‘communicator,’ ‘connector,’ ‘facilitator,’ and even ‘entertainer.’ And they use adjectives such as ‘determined,’ ‘assertive,’ and ‘direct’ to indicate how he approaches his work.

“He has an approachable and entertaining and positive way to talk about many issues, even when they can be tense or controversial,” said Kari Diamond, third-generation partner of Astro Chemical, the East Longmeadow-based company led by not one but two families. “He has a way of lightening things up so you’re comfortable talking about them. He makes it fun; he makes it interesting.”

Brenda Olesuk, who operates Graduate Pest Solutions with her husband, Glenn, agreed.

“He has an approachable and entertaining and positive way to talk about many issues, even when they can be tense or controversial. He has a way of lightening things up so you’re comfortable talking about them. He makes it fun; he makes it interesting.”

“This is a man who has a passion for what he does and is eager to both accomplish his mission and help people along the way,” she said. “He has done that with great intellect, the ‘connector spirit,’ and love.”

Those sentiments make it clear why he’s been chosen as one of BusinessWest’s Difference Makers for 2020.

Common Threads

In 1977, Kids Fashions traveled to Long Island to do what turned into a cover story on Barasch’s. While noting that the landmark was the oldest children’s clothing store in the country, the magazine described it as “well-organized clutter.”

“Which we all felt great about,” said Bryck, who can be seen with his parents — Bill and Barbara — standing in front of the store in one of the photos from the article. The piece came not long after he ran a “hippie K-6 free school” after graduating from SUNY Buffalo and eventually decided to return to the family business for what he thought would be the summer — or until he figured out what he was going to do next.

“That summer lasted 17 years,” he said with a laugh, noting that, at one point, he was the president, the tailor, and the window dresser for this venture all at the same time.

And while he managed in all those roles, Barasch’s ultimately couldn’t survive all the many forms of competition it faced, and Bryck oversaw its closing in 1993.

Soon after, he moved to Amherst and started looking for gainful employment.

“I didn’t know what I was going to do,” he said, adding that a high-school friend from Northampton saw an ad in the Daily Hampshire Gazette seeking someone to lead the recently created UMass Family Business Center. While the job had essentially been given to someone else, he was granted an interview anyway, and that interview changed the course of the center — and a number of businesses in the area as well.

“They hired me and unhired him,” Bryck said of what became a somewhat controversial hiring. “And he called me the next day and said, ‘I want to buy lunch for the bastard that stole my job.’ And that’s how we became friends.”

The UMass program, the 12th in the country at a time when such centers were gaining in popularity, had a number of large companies as members in the beginning, such as Peter Pan, Big Y, and American Saw.

“But they never came to the meetings anyway,” said Bryck, adding that, over the years, the center’s membership came to be dominated by small to mid-sized companies across all sectors, but especially manufacturing and construction. Collectively, they were grappling with the many issues common to all businesses, and some that are unique to family businesses.

“It’s one thing to read a paper from a professor who deals in theory, but is that reality? Can that be applied to the everyday businessperson? Ira was able to translate those kinds of things.”

To showcase them — and create an effective dialogue about them — Bryck created a host of imaginative programs and learning opportunities. These included plays — in addition to A Tough Nut to Crack, there was also Wait Till Your Father Gets Home and The Perils of Pauline’s Family Business — as well as dinner meetings with insightful speakers and roundtables that had a specific set of rules, right down to attendees being forbidden from telling their spouses what was said.

“You couldn’t even go up to the person after it was over and say, ‘I had another thought about that,’” he explained. “You’re able to have this conversation in that time and space, and they were very helpful.

“I’m a big fan of roundtables, where you get a bunch of people who are listening well to someone’s challenge and asking good questions and helping them think it through,” he went on. “I think that’s probably been the highest and best teaching that we’ve done.”

Off the Cuff

As for the plays, they’ve been performed at family business centers and other venues across the country and around the world, he said, noting that A Tough Nut to Crack was recently presented by a group in Catalonia, Spain. And they’ve become a different, very effective way of presenting — and, again, creating a dialogue about — issues facing family business.

With each learning opportunity he created, the goal was always to give attendees something they could bring to the office or the plant the next day. Bryck calls them “gems.”

As he talked about family businesses and helping to resolve issues and conflicts within them, Bryck first compared such companies to snowflakes — “no two are alike” — and then summoned that famous opening line from Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina: “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”

“No two tragedies are the same, but you start to see patterns,” said Bryck, who, as director of the family business center and a consultant, has always addressed these patterns with creativity, that entertaining style that Diamond mentioned, and a tenacity that became the subject of a number of jokes at the Family Business Center’s 25th anniversary last fall, which doubled as a passing of the torch from Bryck to current Executive Director Jessi Kirley.

Steve Neveu, second-generation principal of Notch Mechanical Constructors in Chicopee, describes Bryck as a resource and a “connector.”

“Whenever I had an issue or something to talk out, he was a great listener,” he said. “And he’d point me toward other people that might be helpful. He knew a lot of people, not just other businesses owners, but consultants and experts in related fields; he’s a great resource.”

Diamond agreed, and said Bryck, while providing learning opportunities for others, has a thirst for learning himself, and this is reflected in what he brings to the table — whatever table that might be.

“While many people think of him as an expert in this field, that doesn’t stop him from exploring new things,” she noted. “When you’re around him, he’s always saying, ‘I was listening to this podcast,’ or ‘I was reading this book, and this is a really good concept,’ or ‘this might be theoretical, but I can see how it can be applied by doing XYZ.’

“He can take things that are very theoretical and make them realistic,” she went on. “It’s one thing to read a paper from a professor who deals in theory, but is that reality? Can that be applied to the everyday businessperson? Ira was able to translate those kinds of things.”

Olesuk concurred, and said that, through Graduate’s membership in the FBC and her interaction with Bryck, she been able to develop new business relationships and, more importantly, continue to learn and develop as a business owner.

“He’s created a unique, creative, and holistic approach to supporting family and independent business owners,” she said, adding that this model has continued with the transition to Kirley.

Dress for Success

Bryck was quick to note that, while his father voiced that opinion — the one about working in the family business “if all else fails” — more than a half-century ago, those thought patterns — and, indeed, a stigma about working for one’s parents — still exist today.

“In China, it exists at billion-dollar companies,” he noted. “Children don’t want to work with their parents, even it’s a billion-dollar business.”

But for some, this is the path they want to take. It’s not an easy road to get on and stay on, but Bryck, through his unique learning tools, has helped keep them on track.

And pretty much all those who have learned from him — and with him — have said the same as Diamond. “He makes it fun. He makes it interesting.”

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

Sandy Cassanelli, CEO of Greeno Supply

By Kayla Ebner
Class of 2020

She’s Fighting to Find a Cure for Metastatic Breast Cancer

Photo by Leah Martin Photography

Thirty-seven. 

That’s the age Sandy Cassanelli was diagnosed with stage-3 breast cancer. 

Thirty-eight.

That’s the age she was declared cancer-free — a bilateral mastectomy, eight rounds of chemotherapy, and 28 days of radiation later.

Thirty-nine.

That’s the age she was diagnosed with stage-4 metastatic breast cancer — a diagnosis with no cure.

Forty.

That’s the age many doctors start to recommend mammograms for women.

Yes, Cassanelli was diagnosed with uncurable breast cancer before most women even get their first mammogram.

In just three short years, she was knocked down by this disease more than once, but each time, she did something extremely difficult — she got right back up.

Living with a terminal illness is a different experience for each individual it affects. But Cassanelli is determined to take her personal experience with cancer and use it to help others to, hopefully, find a cure.

Sandy Cassanelli (third from left) with daughter Samantha, husband Craig, and daughter Amanda at Breast Friends Fund’s biggest annual fundraiser, Taste the Cure, in March 2019.

“I feel like the more you give, the more you’ll get,” she said. “I feel so blessed that I’m able to give, and I get so much that I just want to give and show people that, if you are kind, it just makes life so much easier.”

Four years after her stage-4 diagnosis, she continues to try out new medications and treatments, but has yet to find one she can stick with. In October 2018, she began an FDA-approved treatment, but recently found out, once again, her medication was not working. The next step — discussing possible options with her team of doctors.

Despite her diagnosis, Cassanelli lives her life full speed ahead. She’s a mother (to daughters Samantha, 17, and Amanda, 13), as well as CEO and co-owner (with her husband, Craig) of Greeno Supply, a company in West Springfield that distributes various cleaning and packaging supplies both locally and nationally.

She’s also the creator and manager of the Breast Friends Fund, a charity that takes aim at the very disease she was diagnosed with. One hundred percent of funds raised go directly to metastatic breast-cancer research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

That’s a heck of a load for any person, let alone someone with severe health problems. But Cassanelli holds the weight just fine, and with a smile on her face.

“Having a terminal illness, of course I live every day like it’s my last,” she said. “I try not to sweat the small stuff. I believe that every day I get is a gift, and I’m going to make the best of that day, and I’m going to be positive, because if I’m positive, then everybody around me is going to be positive.”

It is estimated that 155,000 Americans currently live with metastatic breast cancer, a disease that accounts for approximately 40,000 deaths annually in the U.S. That’s why Cassanelli has made it her mission to raise money for the cure.

“Once I became metastatic, it was obviously a big punch in the gut to our family, and we realized that we needed to help find a cure,” she said.

Upon her research into some of the major charities and organizations that support breast-cancer research, she found herself in shock at some of the information she came across.

“We started to do our homework about what most breast-cancer organizations give to research to find the cure,” she said. “We were totally and utterly shocked that most of them give 7% of their money raised to research for the cure.”

So, where does the rest of the money go?

Much of it goes to awareness campaigns, pink ribbons, salaries, community outreach, and more — all important things, she said, but not what she is looking for. So she decided to take matters into her own hands and start her own charity — one that has raised $400,000 in five short years.

But Cassanelli isn’t stopping there.

She says she has a long-term goal of raising $1 million, and is dedicating her life to finding a cure for the very disease that causes her to see every day as a gift — and an opportunity.

Determined to Fight

Cassanelli says being a full-time mom and CEO while running a very successful charity is not an easy task, but she is grateful she can spend many of her days with her family.

“I cherish every minute with my family,” she said. “We do a lot of trips together; we spend a lot of time together.”

Before purchasing Greeno with her husband, Cassanelli lived a very different life. She was a travel agent for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), booking flights and hotels for superstars like the Rock and the Undertaker — a non-stop job that required a lot of traveling.

This is where she met Craig, who was also working at the WWE as an advertising agent in New York City. They got married, and, after 9/11, it became difficult for Cassanelli to send Craig into the city for work every day.

Photo by Leah Martin Photography

Then they had their first daughter, and working in a big, corporate environment became even harder. When Craig’s uncle passed away, he left behind a business, Greeno Packaging. So, the two purchased it from the estate in 2003.

“There’s nothing glamourous about selling toilet paper and paper towels,” Cassanelli joked, explaining the differences between her previous job and the position she now holds. “I was used to a different lifestyle. To come to Western Mass., it was definitely a culture change … but it’s nice to be your own boss and to be an employer to other people and give back that way.”

A member of BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty class of 2014, Cassanelli has successfully run Greeno for more than 15 years. The company distributes regionally to Western Mass. and Connecticut, where she resides, but also ships nationally with an online Amazon store. Local manufacturers, hospitals, schools, and other companies utilize its products.

Greeno is also a certified woman-owned business, and Cassanelli holds a few key core values that she uses not only in her business, but also in her charity work.

“I believe that, with hard work and dedication, you can do anything,” she said. “I tell my daughters that all the time: try your hardest, work the hardest, and you can achieve your dreams.”

While Cassanelli refers to her charity as part-time, it never slows. Once she realized she wanted to start something on her own, she approached her doctor, Dr. Eric Winer at Dana-Farber, to see if they could make something work.

“When I approached him, I said, ‘why would I give somebody else money to give to you? Can I start this thing and give money directly to you?’” she recalled, adding that he agreed, and that’s when she began the Breast Friends Fund. Every single dollar raised goes to metastatic breast-cancer research at Dana-Farber. Every expense, from postage stamps to signs for fundraisers, is paid for by Cassanelli’s company, Greeno.

The decision proved to be a solid one. In just five years, the fund has raised $400,000, with a long-term goal of $1 million.

Coming up soon for Breast Friends Fund is its annual Taste the Cure fundraiser on March 27. This wine-tasting at the Gallery in Glastonbury, Conn. includes a wine tasting, appetizers, silent and live auctions, raffles, and more. Last year’s event raised more than $120,000.

Cassanelli maintains that the charity wouldn’t be as successful as it is today without the involvement of the Dana-Farber institute and all the help from her community. “I think our partnership with Dana-Farber is why I’m such a huge success,” she said. “People really believe in them.”

In Connecticut, she said, several local businesses hold fundraisers for the Breast Friends Fund, especially in October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

In the past, 2 Hopewell American Bistro & Bar, a restaurant in Glastonbury, donated $1 per pink martini to Cassanelli’s charity. A local bakery also sold cookies and donated 100% of the profits to the charity all month long.

Additionally, in September during the Big E, Greeno parks cars in its space and gives $1 per car to the charity.

This support and growth is a clear testament to the genuine intentions of Cassanelli and her family and the charity that she works so hard to run.

Chasing the Cure

Cassanelli continues to tell her story as much as possible to get the word out about metastatic breast cancer, and hopes to get more Western Mass. businesses involved as the charity grows in more regions across Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Despite her diagnosis, she chooses to get up and fight the fight every day — not just for herself or for her family, but for others who are battling this terrible disease.

“Does it suck? Yeah, it totally sucks,” she said. “But me crawling up in a ball and putting the sheets up over my head is not going to fix anything, so I might as well just get up and go.”

And that’s exactly what she does — she gets up, even when she has every reason not to, and that’s why she is a Difference Maker.

“There’s no point in being sad because, I mean, we’re all going to die,” she said. “I know that every day is a gift, and I’m going to live it to the fullest and do the best that I can.”

Kayla Ebner can be reached at [email protected]

Dianne Fuller Doherty, Retired Director of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center

By
Class of 2020

She’s Retired … but Not from Her Role as a Difference Maker

Photo by Leah Martin Photography

Dianne Fuller Doherty has her own working definition of ‘entrepreneur.’

“Someone who’s resourceful,” said the now … well, let’s call it semi-retired director of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network’s Western Mass. office, before elaborating in some detail.

“Successful entrepreneurs are willing to ask for help; many people, particularly young people, think they have to have all the answers themselves,” she explained. “They don’t, and they need to develop the willingness to seek help and not be ashamed to ask. It is amazing how many people have struggled with that.”

For more than 20 years, it was the MSBDC — and quite often Fuller Doherty herself — that entrepreneurs, including BusinessWest founder John Gormally, would turn to for such help and guidance with everything from financing a venture to marketing a product, to simply deciding if a concept had legs. Often, it didn’t, and she would help them come to that important conclusion.

It was immensely rewarding work — and it still is.

Indeed, even though she officially retired from the MSBDC in 2016, Fuller Doherty remains quite active — with everything from mentoring young entrepreneurs, and especially women, to serving on the boards at Valley Venture Mentors, Tech Foundry, and Western New England University, where she sits on the committee now searching for a successor to long-time president Anthony Caprio.

Fuller Doherty — who bylined a piece for the New York Times in 2010, one in a series of pieces spotlighting people working past, or well past, what would be considered retirement age — has always believed in keeping the calendar full, and today, four years after retiring and also losing her husband, Paul Doherty, to cancer, she does so with everything from yoga and Pilates to consulting and mentoring.

“My feeling is that, as long as I’m doing something of value, why not continue doing it?’ she asked rhetorically in the piece she wrote for the Times. And those words ring true as she continues to do a number of things of value.

Especially in her role as a mentor and, yes, a role model to entrepreneurs, including a number of women who have been steered in her direction, continuing work to build the region’s economy through the development and maturation of small businesses.

“I love helping people, and I learn more from any job than I’ve ever given to people,” she told BusinessWest. “And that’s definitely true with mentoring; you learn about new industries, jobs, and approaches. I learn so much from my clients and mentees.”

Throughout her life and her career, Fuller Doherty has been a strong advocate for women — she was one of the founders of the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts — and “ensuring they have full and equal share in economic, social, cultural, and political decision making,” as she put it. There is still some work to do, but overall, she believes great strides have been made.

And she feels the same about the region itself.

“We have a lot going for us here — there is quality of life, great colleges and universities, and wonderful communities in which to raise families,” she said. “It’s a great story, and we need to be telling it.”

For all that she has done — and all she continues to do — she’s a true Difference Maker.

Role Modeling

By now, most people know at least some of the Dianne Fuller Doherty story.

Born in upstate New York, she went to Mount Holyoke College, where she earned a degree in philsophy. She lived for a year in Boston after graduating and, while there, met third-year Harvard Law School student Paul Doherty and fell in love.

Paul contemplated heading west to Chicago and work in investments, but ultimately chose the law firm in Springfield where his father and grandfather both worked. And that’s where our story unfolds.

Dianne Fuller Doherty (second from left) and the other founders of the Women’s Fund of Western Mass., as well as its founding executive director, Kristi Nelson, were honored at an event in March 2019 at the Tower Square Hotel. Seen here are, from left, Donna Haghighat, CEO of the Women’s Fund, Fuller Doherty, founder Martha Richards, Nelson, Mimi Goldberg (accepting for the third founder, the late Sally Livingston), and Haydee Lamberty-Rodrigues, board chair of the WFMA.

Doherty admits to not knowing much about Springfield beyond its train station and the Student Prince restaurant, where her parents would take her to dinner while she was in college, but she quickly went about learning more. And by the ’90s, she was becoming a force in everything from business to helping women break through the glass ceiling.

Over the years, she became involved with institutions ranging from the Springfield Regional Chamber to the YMCA; from the World Affairs Council to Glenmeadow; from Bay Path University to the National Conference for Community and Justice.

When her four daughters were in their teens, Doherty, seeking to be a role model for them, first earned an MBA at Western New England College (20 years after she graduated from Mount Holyoke) and then went about looking for work — and maybe a career.

She started in Springfield City Hall working as a volunteer with the grants manager. “I wanted some experience, and I’d taken a grants course; I liked writing, and I liked to raise money,” she said, adding that all these talents would come into play later.

From there, she took a job with a marketing agency in Hartford, working primarily in business development.

“I didn’t know much about business development, but I could pretend pretty well,” she joked, adding that she enjoyed the work and, inspired to go into business for herself, partnered with Marsha Tzoumas and created a marketing firm that took their last names. The venture did well, eventually growing to 16 employees and a deep portfolio of clients, but it couldn’t survive the recession of the early ’90s.

“It was fun on the way up and hard when the economy changed and no one was spending any money on marketing,” she recalled, adding that she went on to work for Springfield Mayor Bob Markel before winning the job leading the regional office of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center.

Her intention was to stay for a few years “until I figured out what I really wanted to do.” She stayed nearly a quarter-century because she quickly discovered this was, indeed, what she really wanted to do.

“It was such a fun job, and I got to know so many people up and down the Valley, because I was in Northampton one day a week and Amherst one day a week,” she recalled. “I really got to know the region.”

She used all kinds of adjectives to describe her work with entrepreneurs, including ‘rewarding,’ ‘fulfilling,’ ‘exciting,’ and also ‘challenging’ — that last one because entrepreneurs don’t need someone telling them what they want to hear. They want, or should want, what amounts to tough love.

This 2010 New York Times article makes it clear Dianne Fuller Doherty plans to do things — including retirement — on her own schedule and in her own way.

“You have to be encouraging — you never want to say anything negative, but you also want to be honest and realistic,” he said. “The best advice I give to people is to ask enough questions so that they can come to the right conclusion on whether this is the right time, or the right place, or the right financial backing to go forward.

“You let them come to the decision about whether it’s a ‘no,’” she went on. “And if it’s a ‘yes,’ then you just try to be as encouraging as possible and let them know that there are going to be highs and lows in any business, and the challenges will come. But the rewards will come also.”

Thinking Big

Overall, Fuller Doherty said she believes the growth and evolution of the region’s entrepreneurship ecosystem — which she is now an integral part of — is one of the better economic-development stories unfolding in the region.

She told BusinessWest that, while MGM Springfield has been a solid addition to the landscape, and the eds and meds sectors remain pillars of the economy, the development of small businesses — with the hope that they that will bring jobs and perhaps grow into larger ventures — is the best economic-development strategy moving forward.

“When you think about MassMutual, it started with one man in a little building at 101 State St.,” she noted. “We don’t know what the next new thing or the next new business sector might be — it might be something not even known to us yet — but the key is to support and mentor people with ideas and help them turn those ideas into businesses and jobs.”

But there are many other good stories, she went on, listing everything from revitalization of Springfield’s downtown to new businesses emerging from the science labs at UMass Amherst and other area schools; from the growing strength of the area’s higher-education sector to this region emerging as a solid, affordable alternative to Greater Boston.

It’s a message that needs to be delivered — both to other markets in the Northeast and perhaps beyond, and in this market as well, she said, adding that a good deal of work remains to be done when it comes to building pride within the region.

“When I had my agency, my mantra was ‘marketing starts in the toes of the bus boy in the kitchen,’ and I truly believe that,” she said. “If you get him excited about what he’s doing serving people, he’s enthusiastic about not only his job but the region, and he shares that with other people, and they get excited; there’s a ripple effect. It’s the same with people living and working in this area.”

But perhaps the story she’s most intrigued by, and most proud of, is how the scene has changed for women over the decades.

For evidence, she points to the number of area colleges now led by women; in addition to the women’s schools, Springfield College, Holyoke Community College, Greenfield Community College, and Berkshire Community College all have a woman in the president’s office. And also to the number of businesses and nonprofits, as well as many new business ventures, being led by women.

‘When you look at the number of women leaders in this valley … it wasn’t this way 20 or 30 years ago; there’s been a real concentration of effort to promote women,” she explained. “Between women college presidents, not-for-profit CEOs, and for-profit CEOs, this is a very different place.”

Bottom Line

Fuller Doherty has had a lot to do with this region becoming that different place.

Over the years, she’s been a business owner, trusted consultant, mentor, role model, advocate for women, and cheerleader of sorts for the Pioneer Valley. And with most all of those titles, we can and do still use the present tense, which is a good thing for this region.

The headline placed over that aforementioned New York Times article from a decade ago read, “When She’s Ready to Retire, She’ll Know It.” Fuller Doherty may have retired from the MSBDC, but she hasn’t retired from being active in this region or from motivating and helping others to fulfill their specific dreams.

In short, she hasn’t retired from being a Difference Maker.

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

Ronn Johnson, President and CEO of Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services Inc.

By
Class of 2020

This Community Leader Has Tackled Many Roles With a Sense of Purpose

Photo by Leah Martin Photography

Back in the mid-’70s, Ronn Johnson recalls, he’d walk past a nondescript house on Wilbraham Road in Springfield, a few blocks down the road from both his home and his school. Sometimes he’d sit in the front room of that house, waiting for a dental appointment. In the neighboring Presbyterian church, a young, dynamic pastor, the Rev. Ronald Peters, had recently taken over a decidedly dwindling flock.

“I never thought this was a place I’d ever have a connection to,” Johnson told BusinessWest. “But I do believe that God has a plan for every one of us. I’m a very faith-driven person. I’ve been blessed to be in places where people see my interests and read my heart, and where I’m able to make some things happen.”

Today, he makes them happen in that same house. The dental office long gone, it now serves as the administrative center of Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services Inc., where he’s been president and CEO for the past seven-plus years.

The neighborhood has changed much over the past half-century. Peters, who rebuilt that church by attracting kids and teenagers and then their parents, restored the church to vibrancy and oversaw the construction of the community center that became MLK Family Services.

Meanwhile, Johnson has spent much of the past four decades making a real difference for children and families in the community.

He’s done that through a variety of roles, all of which blended business acumen with a heart for service. He’s also done it through the Brianna Fund, a charity named after his daughter that has, over the past 22 years, helped children with disabilities access the tools and resources they need to achieve a better life (more on that later).

“I do what I do because I have a passion for making a difference for people,” Johnson said. “It’s that simple. And I’ve been fortunate enough where I’ve been able to make a career around doing that. So I feel I’m doubly blessed to have made a good life for myself, but in the context of being a professional helper.

“I do what I do because I have a passion for making a difference for people. It’s that simple.”

“It’s made my life more complete, more purposeful — not just crunching numbers for folks to get rich, but working on the side of creating opportunities that help corporations make good decisions about how to invest in our community and invest in people,” he went on. “And meeting the most basic needs people can have — food, sustenance, shelter, education — that’s very much what we’re about here.”

It’s a winding story with many stops, each of them worth visiting to understand why Ronn Johnson is a true Difference Maker — one whose influence will continue to resonate in the decades to come.

‘A Springfield Person’

Johnson’s family moved from Georgia to New England during the 1950s, part of the great African-American migration from the South in search of better economic opportunities, and he grew up along that stretch of Wilbraham Road.

“I’m a Springfield person. My formative years were right here,” he recalled. “I was part of a very caring community, as were most neighborhoods during that time. It wasn’t until later that we became so disparate and not as connected to our neighbors as we used to be. That laid the foundation for me to become very relationship-oriented. That has served me well.”

Indeed, each stop in his long career has been marked by building relationships between various entities — businesses, schools, social-service agencies, government — in the service of helping individuals and improving communities. “It’s not what I’ve done that’s so great, but other folks have sown seeds and shared a vision, and collectively we’ve come together to make it happen.”

He might have never made a career in Springfield had he followed through with an acceptance to Morehouse College in Atlanta. But when his father was diagnosed with terminal cancer, he decided to stay home with his mother and sisters, and attended Western New England College instead. “And I have no regrets,” he noted.

That’s due to the remarkable journey of service that followed. After graduating from WNEC, he was recruited to the W.W. Johnson Life Center, an organization that dealt in mental-health issues, and earned a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Cambridge College.

His next stop was the Dunbar Community Center, where he was involved in grant writing in an effort to meet the needs of an “underfunded community,” as he called it. “Poverty was at the core of what so many people were living with on a daily basis.”

His next role was vice president of Child and Family Services at the Center for Human Development (CHD), where he worked for 13 years — giving him a larger platform, a much broader range of financial supports, and a specific mandate.

Ronn Johnson has spent a lifetime improving the neighborhood of his youth — and impacting lives far beyond it.
(Photo by Leah Martin Photography)

“Leadership at the time wanted to make a stronger connection to community,” he recalled. “Yes, was important to do closed-referral programs, but we were getting referrals because of the dysfunction that existed in the communities, the poverty that was happening.”

Gang violence was also on the rise during the early part of the 1990s, and it was creeping into local schools, so he created a CHD program called the Citywide Violence Prevention Task Force.

“We had no contract for violence-prevention work, but we committed some resources to make some changes,” he said, adding that police, faith-based organizations, youth-serving agencies, concerned citizens, and businesses all wanted to be a part, as did college students who helped with marketing strategies and research projects.

“I got really tuned in to how to address violence from a public-health perspective because people don’t think about kids being shot in the street as a public-health issue — but, my goodness, for urban youth, it’s the number-one killer. Cancer is big, diabetes is big, but if you’re a young person in a certain urban environment, you’re more likely to be killed by violence.”

Part of that initiative was a street-outreach program that drew young people to environments where they could feel better about their lives, draw on community resources, and develop aspirations for a healthier future. That plan, dating back two decades, was recently used to write a proposal to fund a similar street-worker program, and the Department of Public Health issued grants to several organizations to launch it this year — including MLK Family Services.

“That made me feel old,” Johnson said with a laugh. “This thing has come full circle. I couldn’t have designed it that way.”

Measurable Results

Before his current role, however, Johnson had one more notable stop, as director of Community Responsibility at MassMutual.

“I moved from the micro side and case work to being a social worker in the macro context, setting policy and strategy around a corporation’s giving of millions of dollars to the community. It was a cultural difference, but I was happy. I got to spread my wings and be a positive contributor and see that these things we were funding were making a difference with people, and that they were measurable.”

He worked there for almost six years, until the economic downturn in 2009 forced cutbacks at many companies, and he was laid off. But he had no regrets, and he took advantage of relationships he had built in the worlds of higher education, healthcare, and other sectors and launched a consulting firm, RDJ Associates.

One of his clients was MLK Family Services, which approached him, during the summer of 2012, with an offer to take over leadership of the venerable but financially struggling agency. When he came on board, the first goal was simply to make payroll, but eventually he righted the ship — with the help of a business community that saw the organization’s value and quietly helped raise a half-million dollars.

“It was stressful, but I was committed. And I had a committed board of directors who hung in there and facilitated the change that needed to happen,” he said. “We regained credibility with funders. That was big.”

“It’s made my life more complete, more purposeful — not just crunching numbers for folks to get rich, but working on the side of creating opportunities that help corporations make good decisions about how to invest in our community and invest in people.”

Importantly, at MassMutual, he had learned the value of measurable results, and he’s been able to demonstrate that the agency’s programs — from helping people access healthier food to a College Readiness Academy that gives students tutorial help while bringing them to college campuses to raise their educational aspirations — do make a difference.

But no effort has been more personal to Johnson than the Brianna Fund, named for his daughter, who was born into the world with multiple broken bones from the brittle-bone condition known as osteogenesis imperfecta. Over the years, she would fracture dozens more. The family decided they needed an accessible van to keep Brianna in her wheelchair while moving from place to place, so they started a fundraiser.

“The community got behind us so significantly that we over-fundraised by about $30,000,” he recalled. “That was a message from God. I said all along that I didn’t want to do this if we’re not in it for the long haul. This needed to be ongoing, in perpetuity, for children in our community.”

Twenty-two years later, the Brianna Fund has raised more than $750,000 and helped 50 children. “Sometimes it’s advocacy, but in 90% of the situations, it’s to purchase a vehicle, renovate a home, widen hallways, install ramps,” he noted. The 50th recipient, Omer DeJesus, will use the funds to bring home a service dog.

The Brianna Fund also honors the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. each January with a benefit gospel concert, drawing thousands of attendees to the MassMutual Center.

“This is a ministry for me and my wife, something we do together that has a lot of benefit for folks,” Johnson said. “For us, it’s a gratifying experience to give something to folks that we know is going to move their life forward.”

Legacy of Service

These days, Johnson’s son, Ron, works as an attorney at Yale New Haven Hospital, while Brianna is living in a city she loves, Washington, D.C., working for an agency focused on issues that affect poor people, especially women. Often, someone will tell Johnson he saw Brianna wheeling around the capital, enjoying a life of service no doubt partly inspired by her difference-making dad.

He comes back repeatedly to the fact that he can’t do any of it alone. To serve 750 different people each week with after-school programs, college courses, family support, public-health outreach, sports programs, cultural activities, and more — with only about $1.6 million in annual funding — he relies not only on his team, but 114 active volunteers. “We could never do that kind of volume without the important role volunteers play.”

Still, he added, “small not-for-profits are under siege in this state and across the country,” because large funders want to give bigger contracts to fewer agencies, those with a broader infrastructure than MLK Family Services has. “In the meantime, those agencies who have the best relationships with the consumers on the ground, we get squeezed out of the game. So we need the support of our home communities and the business owners.”

In short, the challenge never ends. And Ronn Johnson, a man with a heart for the City of Homes, who works within shouting distance of his own childhood home, will keep working to meet his community’s needs.

After all, he’s a Springfield person. 

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Steve Lowell, President and CEO of Monson Savings Bank

By
Class of 2020

Giving Back Has Always Been a Big Part of His Life — and His Work

Photo by Leah Martin Photography

Steve Lowell vividly recalls the conversation he had with his wife, Anne, when he decided to apply for a position at a bank located on Cape Cod — roughly half the state away from their home in Upton.

“She said, ‘Steve, you can go ahead and take the job, but I’ll tell you right now that we are not moving Emily out of school to go to another place,’” he told BusinessWest, noting that his daughter was in the second grade at the time. “If I wanted the job, I was going to have to commute.”

Long story short, he took the job, and he did commute — 90 miles each way — for 16 years. And, as we’ll see, he didn’t just commute to the office. In fact, he was at so many community events, and became so involved with all that was happening in that area of the Cape, that people just assumed he lived there and were often shocked to find out he didn’t.

This ‘giving back’ has always been a big part of who Lowell is, as a person and as a financial-services professional. And he certainly brought this trait to another job he pursued and eventually won — president and CEO of Monson Savings Bank.

Pretty much since the day he took that job early in 2011, Lowell has been active not only in Monson and surrounding communities, but also across the region as a whole, through his work with agencies ranging from the United Way of Pioneer Valley to Link to Libraries.

And when we say ‘from the day he took the job,’ we mean it.

Indeed, just a matter of weeks after he arrived, a tornado ripped across the region — and downtown Monson. As the community began the arduous task of digging out, many looked to the bank, one of the pillars of the community, for guidance and support.

Lowell and the bank responded in all kinds of ways, from helping to clear debris — he remembers cutting up fallen trees himself — to providing some leniency on mortgage and loan payments for those who needed it to emergency loans to help businesses reopen their doors.

For Lowell, who recently announced that he’ll be retiring early next year, ‘giving back’ isn’t just something he does. It’s something he preaches, if that’s the right word. Over the course of his more than 40 years in banking, he told BusinessWest, he’s had mentors who taught him the importance of community banks — and the people who work for them — to be involved in the communities in which they do business. And for decades now, he’s been teaching others.

Steve Lowell, center, is among the many dignitaries cutting the ribbon at the YMCA of Greater Springfield’s new Learning Center in Tower Square, sponsored by Monson Savings Bank.

“I learned early on, if I was going to be successful in this work, that it was important to be involved and give back — not only your monetary contributions, but your time and talent,” he said. “I’ve tried to live by that, and it’s worked out well.”

Thus, he has been a very effective role model for countless young professionals, and also something else — a true Difference Maker in Western Mass.

Saving Grace

Lowell said he could hear the tornado roaring down Main Street in Monson that fateful afternoon, noting that it really did sound like a freight train — a phrase so many have used to describe it. And that sound told him he needed to move. Fast.

“I hid in that bathroom right over there,” he said, pointing to a door in his office within the 150-year-old Lyons House, a large, handsome former residence now home to a few businesses, including some of the bank’s offices. “I looked around at the glass chandelier and all these windows and decided this was not a good place to be. And when I came out…”

He started shaking his head for emphasis as be recalled what he saw as he ventured out of that bathroom and then onto the street.

“It was over quickly, and there was dead quiet; I went outside, and it looked like a war zone,” he recalled, noting that trees were down, roofs had been torn off buildings, and a peaceful, rural town had been turned on its side, figuratively, but almost literally.

Lowell, who, as noted, had only been on the job a few months, hadn’t had a chance to meet too many people or find out just what kind of community Monson was. Suffice to say, the tornado greatly accelerated that process, thus providing the only real bright spot he could see from that catastrophe.

Steve Lowell, seen here with Link to Libraries executive director Laurie Flynn and students at Elias Brookings School, has made Monson Savings one of the leading corporate supporters of LTL.

“As traumatic and as bad as that was for the community, it provided me with the opportunity to meet a lot of people right away,” he said. “People from the town were reaching out to us, saying, ‘how is the bank going to be able to help?’ I got to meet a lot of people that it would have taken me years to meet.”

Only a few months before the tornado, Lowell was taking Anne on a drive to see Monson. He was applying to be president of the community bank based there and admits now to not actually knowing where said community was.

A headhunter had alerted him to the opportunity, and he was eager to consider it because the president of that bank on the Cape was just a little older than him and not ready to retire any time soon.

The subject of community involvement came up repeatedly during the many interviews for the position, and Lowell recalls being eager to answer those questions.

“I told them what I did on the Cape — I had been chairman of the United Way, chairman of the local YMCA, involved with the EDC, and involved with a host of other things, even though I didn’t live on the Cape,” he recalled. “So it was easy for me to let the board know what kind of commitment I was willing to make.”

And, as noted, it didn’t take long for this commitment to manifest itself, in all kinds of ways.

Starting with the United Way of Pioneer Valley, a story that is also related to the tornado in some ways.

Active Interest

Indeed, Dora Robinson, then executive director of the United Way chapter, knowing of Lowell’s involvement with that organization earlier in his career, asked him about being on her board.

Before getting to that, he informed her that many people in the Monson area were critical of the United Way’s response — or a perceived lack of a response — after the tornado struck. Upon being informed the agency was highly involved in relief efforts, Lowell recalls telling Robinson, “no one knows that — and you have to tell them; you have to take credit.”

And so he became not only a board member, but a very active one, taking on a role as “advocate” (his word) for those living in the many smaller towns in the eastern part of Hampden County.

“I have a hard time saying ‘no’ when people ask me like that,” he told BusinessWest, adding that his stint with the board, including his recent work as president, has been one of extreme challenge as the United Way chapter has battled through fiscal woes (as many have) and leadership changes, eventually coming into a partnership agreement to essentially share an executive director with the United Way of MetroWest, a move that has brought about many economies of scale.

Like most others, Lowell found it impossible to say ‘no’ to Link to Libraries (LTL) founder Susan Jaye Kaplan when she came to talk with him about that still-fledgling nonprofit soon after he arrived in the area. The occasion was a check presentation; soon after Lowell arrived, the bank created a program whereby the public could help decide how the bank gave back to the community through cash donations by voting for nonprofits via Facebook. Link to Libraries was one of the highest vote gatherers.

But upon learning more about the agency, Lowell took the bank’s involvement to a much higher plane.

“I was fascinated by the mission,” he said, adding that, through introductions made by Kaplan, the bank soon sponsored two schools — one in Monson and the other in Hampden — as part of LTL’s Community Book Link program. Today, the bank sponsors five schools — Elias Brookings School in Springfield, Springfield Public Day Elementary School, Springfield Public Day Middle School, Quarry Hill Community School in Monson, and Stanley M. Koziol Elementary School in Ware — the most of any company in the region.

“Steve Lowell’s generosity and passion for this community, particularly with regard to children and education, has had an enormous impact on our work at Link to Libraries,” said Laurie Flynn, president and CEO of LTL. “Through their sponsorships, community-giving initiatives, and emphasis on volunteering, Steve has created a culture of giving at Monson Savings Bank. Through their sponsorship of five local elementary schools in need and the numerous Monson Savings Bank employees who volunteer to read in classrooms each month, Steve Lowell and the bank have impacted the lives of more than 1,000 underserved children.”

Lowell has also become involved with Baystate Health, serving as chairman of its Eastern Region, as well as with the Monson Free Library, the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts, and a number of other groups and institutions.

But what really makes him a Difference Maker is that culture of giving that he has helped create and the way he mentors others to give back.

“One of the things I really enjoy is helping my staff move up within the organization,” he said. “And I tell them all, ‘if you want to get ahead here, you’re going to have to be involved in the community.’ I tell them it’s not really important to me what they do, but I encourage them to find something they’re interested in and that they enjoy. I tell them they need to buy into that, and they need to be part of it.”

Common Cents

Returning to that commute from Upton to the Cape, Lowell said that, over the course of those 16 years, he became quite fond of books on tape — “I was very well read” — and adept at knowing when the traffic would be worst and how to avoid it.

“I made it work,” he said simply, adding that those years helped cement a legacy of giving back and getting involved.

But in Monson, he has taken that philosophy to an even higher level, putting the bank at the forefront of a number of efforts to improve quality of life and secure a strong future.

Today, he enjoys a much shorter commute, affording him time to be even more of a Difference Maker.

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

Rick’s Place

By Kayla Ebner
Class of 2020

This Unique Nonprofit Provides Support, Light in the Darkest of Times

Kelsey Andrews (third from left, with Therese Ross, program director; Bill Scatolini, board president; and Diane Murray, executive director) calls Rick’s Place “a wonderful support system” — and much more. (Photo by Leah Martin Photography)

Kelsey Andrews remembers her husband, Michael, a Massachusetts state trooper, being larger than life.

“He was full of life, full of energy,” she told BusinessWest as she recalled how quickly and how profoundly so many lives were altered when Michael was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma in June 2017 and passed away two short months later. And also how a big a void was left in all those lives.

Kelsey, mother to now-12-year-old Madeline, was abruptly pressed to take on the role of both parents, all while grieving the loss of her husband and trying to raise a grieving child — something no parent is ever prepared or equipped to do.

She recalls thinking — actually, knowing — that she needed help, but didn’t know where to find it or if it even existed.

“I wanted my daughter to be around kids who are, unfortunately, going through a similar situation, and for me to be around people who have gone through the same thing,” said Andrews, adding that, through a co-worker, she eventually found a unique nonprofit that provided all this in the form of free peer support to grieving families, especially children.

Creating just such a place was the mission of several friends and loved ones touched by Rick Thorpe, an individual who was himself larger than life in many ways. And so they gave it his name.

Thorpe, a former football star at Minnechaug High School and 1984 graduate, was among the more than 1,100 people who died in the South Tower of the World Trade Center on 9/11; he left behind his wife, Linda, and newborn daughter, Alexis.

After his death, friends — and there were many of them — felt the need to memorialize him and searched for ways to do so.

They started with a scoreboard placed in his honor at Minnechaug’s football field — the message written across it read “In memory of Rick Thorpe #3 – Class of 1984” — and later a memorial fund, a charity golf tournament, and scholarships. But they wanted something even more impactful.

For inspiration, they turned to Rick’s daughter, Alexis. The bereavement center they established in her father’s name was created in her honor.

Here, children and families can talk about their own experiences, or simply be in the presence of others who are facing similar situations. 

That’s something Executive Director Diane Murray and Program Director Therese Ross say can be incredibly comforting for grieving families. While each person experiences grief differently, they noted, what helps most is being with those who have gone through something similar — one of the main factors that encouraged Kelsey to walk in the door.

“It’s a unique grief journey, but it’s also a universal experience,” said Ross. “To hear from other people how they manage when their child says this or does that, it’s real boots on the ground, people living it, and it’s really helpful.”

Above all else, Rick’s Place provides families with a safe space to not only grieve the loss of their loved one, but keep their memory alive, and does it in a way that people are surrounded by those who understand what they are going through.

Younger children in Rick’s Place programs often use arts and crafts to explain how they’re feeling about their loss.

“To be around others who understand is the single most important thing we do,” Murray said. “There’s just something about being around others who understand a little of what you’re going through that helps diminish the isolation they feel.”

And that’s why this unique nonprofit has been chosen as a Difference Maker for 2020.

Support System

Bill Scatolini, president of Scatolini Insurance in Wilbraham, was a teammate of Rick Thorpe’s at Minnechaug. He describes Rick as a selfless, caring person who always considered others first.

“Rick was the type of person that always thought about the person sitting in front of him,” he recalled. “I would consider Rick to be a giver, whether it was helping somebody in the street or in a soup kitchen. That’s the type of person he was — always trying to look out for the other person’s welfare and see if he could help.”

The nonprofit formed in his honor has taken on this same quality, and it carries out its mission largely through volunteers — facilitators who complete a comprehensive, 17-hour training that addresses bereavement, child development, reflective practice, and group-curriculum planning and facilitation. The board of directors is also completely volunteer-run.

All those involved understand that, according to research, unexamined grief in children can lead to worsening mental-health issues in the long term, including poor school performance, anxiety, depression, addiction issues, and increased risk of suicide.

To help those who are grieving, Rick’s Place offers free programs on site at its home base in Wilbraham for kids ages 5 to 18, and separates groups by age to provide specific activities for each age group. For example, younger children may focus more on arts and crafts to illustrate how their grief makes them feel, while older kids may do more journaling.

The nonprofit also provides eight-week grief groups to schools in the Pioneer Valley, and has recently added a family night once a month where anyone can come in and share their story.

“It’s a unique grief journey, but it’s also a universal experience. To hear from other people how they manage when their child says this or does that, it’s real boots on the ground, people living it, and it’s really helpful.”

It’s this sharing of stories, of common emotions and challenges, that makes Rick’s Place so unique and impactful.

“Madeline’s been a trooper through the whole thing; she’s been very strong,” Kelsey said. “Rick’s place has been wonderful for her, just being around kids that have also experienced loss, knowing that other kids have been through it and she’s not alone.”

This concept of not being alone is at the very heart of Rick’s Place, said Murray, noting that the program began with six kids and four families, and has now served nearly 245 families.

Before finding Rick’s Place, both Ross and Murray served in education roles, and say that, while they loved their previous jobs, they can now truly feel the impact they are making.

Kelsey and Michael Andrews and their daughter, Madeline, before his tragic death in 2017.

“It’s been, quite literally, the most rewarding work of my life,” Murray said. “Being an educator was wonderful, but the way we touch lives here is so important to the families.”

Ross, who has a unique connection to the families that walk through the doors, agreed. She lost her husband to cancer and became a single parent to three children, and she said her experience with loss keeps her present and allows her to remember that each person’s journey is different.

“Just because my husband died doesn’t mean my experience is exactly the same as someone else’s because her husband died,” she explained. “It’s feeling like I’m in those shoes, and I’m farther out than they are now, but boy, do I remember the fog of that first week, month, year, multiple years. It keeps me present in what is the hard journey of grief.”

Both she and Murray emphasized that grief may also include laughter and happiness when remembering a loved one, and they try to normalize that as much as possible. During group activities, they may include projects that help keep a bond of connection to a loved one, such as memory boxes or dreamcatchers.

But, as they noted, each grief experience is different, and with the very young it may also include not fully understanding what’s happening, in which case things get a little trickier.

“We know that preschoolers and kindergartners often do not understand the permanence of grief,” said Murray. “Parents may think they have things under control, and then the child might say, ‘OK, but is she coming to my soccer game?’”

That’s just one of many difficult — sometimes seemingly impossible — questions that parents must try to answer as they navigate an extremely difficult time.

“It’s hard to parent in the first place, but then you have the challenge of parenting a grieving child,” said Ross. “It’s a daunting experience.”

While Rick’s Place does its best to assist parents facing a situation like this, it also encourages adults to find an outlet with either a counselor or a bereavement group themselves so they can work with their own grief while being present for their child’s grieving process.

Shedding Light

The agency is currently midway through a comprehensive strategic plan to examine possible paths to more sustainable growth, while continuing to provide the services so many families desperately need.

Coping with the loss of a loved one is a struggle that, while not often talked about, is more common than most realize.

And for folks like the Andrews family, Rick’s Place is more than just a place: it’s a family.

“They are always here for me and my daughter if we ever need anything,” Kelsey said. “Just being with the people that work here, the volunteers, the other parents, grandparents, that have unfortunately gone through loss as well, has just been a wonderful support system.”

Families often participate in activities together at Rick’s Place.

A support system that emphasizes it’s not about keeping a brave face, but being honest about what it means to be grieving.

A support system that fosters a caring, judgment-free, open environment to anyone who walks through the door.

A support system that encourages people to try to see the light, even in the darkest of times.

“You can choose to let the loss define you positively or negatively,” said Ross. “That doesn’t mean, when you choose to define it positively, that you’re not paying attention to the pain of it. It’s working with the pain to still continue to grow.”

That’s what Rick’s Place helps people do. And that’s why this agency is a real Difference Maker.

Kayla Ebner can be reached at [email protected]

At Conservation Works, the Mission Comes Naturally

By
Features

To Preserve and Protect

Pete Westover

For more than 30 years, Pete Westover served as Amherst’s conservation director and watershed forester, and over that time he worked with a host of others to preserve large tracts of farmland, create a system of conservation lands, and build roughly 80 miles of trails. In 2006, he left that post to, in essence, partner with others and take his conservation work to a higher, broader plane. The company is called Conservation Works, and it is changing the landscape — or not changing it, as the case may be — in a number of meaningful ways.

The red Prius (what else would he drive?) in Pete Westover’s driveway is not yet five years old.

But he has more than 165,000 miles on it already, by his estimates — he hasn’t looked at the odometer lately — and the number climbs steadily each week.

That’s because he’s on the road — a lot — in his work, and sometimes off the road as well. Indeed, from his home in South Deerfield, he’s packed up and trekked off to dozens of communities in the Commonwealth and beyond, doing work that, well, doesn’t seem much like work.

It’s more of a passion.

And it’s the same for all the partners at a unique company called Conservation Works, a name that doesn’t say it all, necessarily, but goes a long way to explaining what this is.

As it notes on its website, this company works with public, private, and nonprofit landowners to enhance land conservation and ecological resiliency. And it does so through work on everything from conservation of open space and farmland to the development and maintenance of trails; from invasive-plant-management plans to an upcoming workshop on climate-change resilience at Frontier Regional High School in South Deerfield.

“We focus on land — trails, ecology, and land-protection work,” said Westover, the company’s managing partner, who was appointed Amherst’s conservation director and watershed forester in 1974 — the first such position in the state as far as he knows — and held that position for 30 years.

In 2006, he collaborated with Terry Blunt, former executive director of the Connecticut River Watershed Council (now the Connecticut River Conservancy) to create Conservation Works.

Blunt passed away in 2010, but a team of professionals (more on this group later) carries on his work and his legacy.

A look at the portfolio of recent and current projects provides an effective snapshot of both what this company does and the challenges facing municipalities and individual landowners today:

• Providing assistance to the town of Dover for an open space and recreation plan;

• Working with the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game’s Natural Heritage & Endangered Species office on inventories of rare plants and invasive species on Mount Tom;

• Working with the town of Deerfield on phases I-IV of a municipal vulnerability (climate change) preparedness plan;

• Working with Amherst College on a host of initiatives, from replacement of nine red pine stands to invasive plant monitoring and control;

• Working with Fish & Game on breeding bird surveys in Southwick, Montague Plains, and other communities;

• Providing assistance to the Hilltown CDC on a farmers’ market and local food-promotion program;

• Conducting a wetlands assessment and planning project for the Orchards Golf Club in South Hadley; and

• Working with Lathrop Retirement Community in Northampton to improve trail accessibility at its facility.

And then, there are the projects involving trails and trail systems. The company has worked on dozens of them, from the Three Bridges Trail in Hatfield to the Willard Wood Trail in Lexington to the Robert Frost Trail, which winds its way through several communities in Western Mass.

Conservation Works will be working with the Kestrel Land Trust to overhaul the entire 47-mile Robert Frost Trail, which stretches from the Holyoke Range to Wendell State Forest. (Photo courtesy of Conservation Works)

But, as Westover noted, much of the company’s time and energy is spent on helping communities and individuals preserve land, especially the dwindling amounts of farmland in the Commonwealth.

“We just can’t afford to lose any more farmland,” he said, noting that the state’s Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) program has protected more than 80,000 acres to date — roughly a quarter to a third of “what needs to be protected.” Conservation Works has played a role in several efforts to preserve farmland, and has become a valuable partner in navigating what can be a daunting process.

When asked about what’s in the business plan for Conservation Works, which he described a low-overhead company — everyone works out of their homes (when they’re not working in the field) — Westover implied that the goal is to be able to do more of the above, as in all of the above.

For this issue, BusinessWest talked at length with Westover about Conservation Works, the many types of work it undertakes, the importance of conversation, and even the already-visible signs of climate change. While doing so, that passion mentioned earlier is clearly evident.

No Walk in the Park

When Westover talks about an MVP, he isn’t referring to most valuable player in the NFL or NBA.

In his world, that acronym stands for municipal vulnerability plan, like the one Conservation Works is finalizing for Deerfield. Such a plan involves climate change and what such developments as rising temperatures and rising rivers — which are both already happening — mean for communities.

No community had an MVP until a few years ago, and most still don’t have one now, but the number of cities and towns looking into getting something down on paper is growing, said Westover, because more municipal leaders are coming to understand that climate change is real.

Conservation Works has partnered with the New England Small Farm Institute on a long-term land-preservation plan for the 420-acre Lampson Brook Farm in Belchertown, one of many initiatives to preserve dwindling farmland in the region. (Photo courtesy of Conservation Works)

And Deerfield’s plan, now in the latter stages of development, could become a regional and even a national model.

“It’s state-funded,” he told BusinessWest, “and the state’s been putting a lot of money into not only phase one — which is an analysis of what the vulnerabilities are in each town with such things as flooding and agriculture damage from temperature changes, and damage to town facilities — but also with follow-up programs that give money for actual improvements.

“Every town is now expected to come up some kind of municipal vulnerability plan in response to climate change,” he went on, noting that he’s now talking with officials in Bernardston about such a plan, and he expects others to follow suit.

Thus, MVP becomes part of the alphabet soup of acronyms one finds in this realm — from DFG (Department of Fish & Game) to MDAR (Mass. Department of Agricultural Resources) to FCROG (Franklin Regional Council of Governments) — that the partners at Conservation Works will use as they go about their work.

And, as Westover noted, it’s a talented team with members who bring specific areas of expertise to the various projects on the to-do pile. That team also includes:

• Fred Morrison, who brings expertise in everything from geology to freshwater mussels to dragonflies;

• Laurie Sanders, a naturalist, writer, and former host and producer of Field Notes, a weekly natural history series that aired on NEPR;

• Christopher Curtis, retired chief planner and section manager for the Land Use and Environmental Section of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, a consulting environmental planner for the company;

• Dick O’Brien, former regional director for the Trustees of the Reservations and director of the Buck Hill Conservation Education Center, who brings to the table extensive experience as a conservation land manager and specialist in the design and construction of sustainable and ADA-accessible trails; and

• Molly Hale, who worked for 10 years as an independent contractor and owner of Molly Hale Wildlife Biologist before joining the company in 2010. She has completed detailed habitat assessments and surveys for rare plants and animals on more than 3,000 acres.

Together, the partners are working on more than a dozen projects at any given time, said Westover, adding that there is a consistent pipeline of work.

And, as noted, much of that work involves land preservation, an often time-consuming and difficult process with a number of steps, beginning with a landowner willing to seek restrictions on his or her property. The company has created a strong niche helping landowners work with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources to complete Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) applications, assemble supporting materials, obtain funding assistance, and make the case for approval to local town boards and committees and the state Agricultural Lands Preservation Committee.

Such work, and the company has undertaken a lot of it, takes on a heightened sense of urgency as the challenges for farmers mount and the value of real estate — especially in the eastern part of the state — continues to rise.

“We’re losing a lot of dairy farms; 20 years ago, we had something like 650 dairy farms, and now we’re down to under 200,” Westover said. “And our orchards are under pressure. Land is in extreme demand here in the Valley, so if land is available, people are going to bid on it.”

Since the APR program began roughly 40 years ago, more than 30,000 acres have been preserved in Hampshire County alone, said Westover, adding that there have been some recent success stories, including a project he worked on — the Szala Farm in Hadley.

“We had been concerned about that property because the owners had been approached by developers regularly,” he said. “Fortunately, that won’t become a subdivision.”

Growing Pains

But more subdivisions are needed, he said, adding that there must be a balance between preservation efforts and needed new commercial and residential development.

“Land preservation has to go in parallel with land development,” he explained. “We’re not trying to protect everything; we’re trying to create a balance. In Amherst, for example, the balance is pretty good; there’s a lot of protected farmland, a lot of open space, but there has been a lot of development as well.”

Conservation Works built a 450-foot boardwalk in Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary in Wales, one of hundreds of projects in its portfolio. (Photo courtesy of Conservation Works)

Helping communities create such a balance through open-space plans, trail creation, and other initiatives is a big part of the portfolio of services offered by Conservation Works, which has many types of clients. These include municipaliti; private companies and institutions, like the Orchards Golf Club, Lathrop Communities, and Amherst College; and a host of land-conservation trusts.

These include the Amherst-based Kestrel Land Trust, perhaps the company’s biggest client. Indeed, Conservation Works is now assisting Kestrel with a number of initiatives, including wood turtle habitat monitoring in Agawam, work on the Robert Frost Trail, construction of the Holland Glen Trail in Belchertown, and land negotiations in collaboration with the Silvio O. Conte National Wildlife Refuge.

Trail work has become a big part of the portfolio, with work in communities across the state, from Newton to Westfield (Stanley Park) to Fitchburg.

“One of our hopes with trail development is that everyone will have, within walking distance, a trail they can use, whether it’s a 10-minute walk or a 20-minute walk,” Westover noted, adding that the company is working on a trails project in Southampton and continues to assist Lathrop Communities with trail development on its properties.

One of the better success stories in this broad realm is the Robert Frost Trail, which now stretches 47 miles and runs from the Holyoke Range to the Wendell State Forest.

“It goes through a lot of public lands, town-conservation lands, state forests, and state Fish & Game land, but it also goes through a lot of private land, by permission,” noted Westover, who helped conceive the initiative decades ago. “It’s a wonderful asset, a real recreational resource, and we worked with the Kestrel Land Trust to completely overhaul the trail because maintenance tends to fall behind; we’re going to go in and replace bridging, get rid of downed trees, replace signage, and more.”

Meanwhile, a growing amount of work falls into the category of invasive-species inventory and subsequent action to control those species, he said, adding that some of these problems are directly linked to climate change.

As an example, he cited frangula alnus, commonly known as glossy buckthorn, a tall, deciduous shrub native to Europe and parts of Africa and Asia.

“It expands exponentially once it comes into an area, and it’s one of about a good half-dozen invasive plants that have absolutely taken over the landscape,” he explained, noting that many of these plants were brought in as landscaping elements and then quickly spread well beyond their intended perimeter.

Forest Park in Springfield is one area that is being threatened by these plants, he said, adding that it is urging the Parks Department to consider some type of action, but there are many others as well.

“I was in Westport, Mass on a project recently,” he recalled. “The multiflora rose down there is so bad you literally cannot walk through the woods. It’s super aggressive — it will take over the landscape, and it’s very hard to get rid of, and that’s true of bittersweet, swallowwort, and many others.

As for climate change, there is plenty of evidence that it is already impacting communities in Western Mass., he said, citing, as just one example, the severity of floods on the Deerfield River.

“The Deerfield has gotten hammered; the farms along the river have been really hit hard by silt that washes up over the farms and smothers the plant growth,” he explained. “Historically, it has always flooded, but the flooding is getting worse, and they’re expected to be even more so.”

Meanwhile, temperature records continue to be set, there are other extreme weather events, and invasive plants, which benefit from hotter, wetter weather, have gained a foothold, which is why communities need an MVP.

Looking ahead, the company, as noted, is looking to expand. Westover and other team members meet periodically with officials at the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network for advice on to take the venture to the next level.

“What we’re hoping to do is broaden the number of projects that involve our whole team,” he said, adding that, in addition to larger-scale initiatives, he would, of course, like to expand the portfolio of clients, especially with the region’s colleges and universities, and also entities specializing in land development.

“We’re pretty busy dealing with what’s right in front of us,” he said, noting that he’s working on perhaps 15 projects at the moment. “But we have one eye on the future, and we see opportunities to grow.”

On the Right Trail

That other eye is on everything from migrating birds in the Southwick Wildlife Management Area to needed work on the Robert Frost Trail, to that dreaded glossy buckthorn taking over the region.

It’s a job that takes him all over New England and even beyond and puts hundreds of miles on that red Prius each and every week.

But for Westover and his partners at Conservation Works, it’s only work in the sense that they get paid to do it.

It’s really a passion, and one that is helping to change the landscape in this area — or not change it, as is very often the case — in very positive ways.

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

Universities Step Up to Recruit, Retain International Students

By Kayla Ebner
Education

Valuable Perspectives

Students at UMass Amherst participate in the 2017 International Festival.

International students can add a lot to a university or college. They bring diversity when it comes to cultural traditions, and they give domestic students a chance to experience global perspectives. However, it is not always easy to be an international student at a U.S. institution. The process to get in can be very difficult, tuition is expensive, and a rocky political climate makes the decision to go to a different country for school even more unsettling. But colleges and universities in the area are taking steps to make international students feel at home.

Imagine moving to a new country where you don’t know anyone and don’t speak the predominant language.

This is the reality for international students who travel to the U.S. to further their education. But local institutions in Western Mass. are well aware of this and have implemented several new strategies to make these students feel more at home.

The 2019 Open Doors Report on International Education released by the Institute of International Education and the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs notes that the total number of international students enrolled in U.S. colleges fell by 2.1% from 2017 to 2018, and continues to drop. This national decline is being attributed to many factors, including student visa delays and denials, the steep price of U.S. higher education, and a rocky political climate.

However, a few institutions in Western Mass. are bucking this trend and continue to accept a consistent number of international students. In some cases, the numbers are even increasing.

While dedicating resources, staff members, and lots of time toward specifically reaching out to international students may not have been on the radar for institutions 10 or 15 years ago, the benefits of bringing these students to campus has become clearer for schools, several of which have adopted strategies for recruiting international students. Some even have positions dedicated to just this effort.

“It’s only been about 10 years that we’ve been really putting our mind to it,” said Kregg Strehorn, assistant provost for Enrollment Management of Undergraduate International Admissions at UMass Amherst.

But putting forth such an effort can’t happen all at once; it requires thoughtfulness, a solid plan, and a team willing to put in the work to make sure these students not only enroll in the university, but thrive there.

“One thing when we began to recruit international students was to make sure that we had a slow-growth model,” said Strehorn, adding that they didn’t just open up the doors and welcome any qualified international student because they wanted to increase the numbers. “We were very planful, very guided. That included me being in constant contact with our campus partners.”

At Western New England University (WNEU), two staff members travel internationally to recruit students, and the institution works with several companies geared toward marketing efforts specifically for international students.

Michelle Kowalsky Goodfellow, executive director of Undergraduate Admissions at WNEU, said a big part of the process is making the students feel welcome, just like they do for any domestic student as well.

“We really try, as we do for any student here, to get them involved in other clubs and organizations and get them to a place where they can make some connections with other friends and not just treat them as, ‘oh, they’re the international students,’” she said. “We want them to have the full experience like any other student.”

Despite a tense political climate and some difficult circumstances, these two universities, among many others, have implemented specific plans to give international students a great experience from start to finish — and those efforts are bearing fruit.

Welcoming Diversity

Strehorn summoned a phrase — “the farther you get away from home, the more you understand home” — to explain how he approached learning about the international student market.

So much so, in fact, that he moved to China with his family for four months to get to the bottom of it.

“China was the first market that we really drilled down and tried to understand how we would compete in that market,” he told BusinessWest, adding that UMass Amherst was already receiving a solid flow of applications from China before implementing specific outreach strategies.

UMass and other institutions have honed strategies for not only attracting international students, but creating a welcoming environment for them.

Living there, he added, helped him understand the intricacies of the market and helped him develop a strategy to move forward.

And it’s working.

According to a fact sheet from the Office of Institutional Research at UMass, the number of entering first-year international students has grown continuously over the past decade, from 54 in the fall of 2010 to 444 last fall.

“From that slow-growth model, we can meet and decide, how many more students can we add for the following year?” Strehorn said.

WNEU has had similar experiences, and Goodfellow says the university accepts around 50 new international students each fall at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

One of the ways UMass and WNEU have been able to retain these students is by cultivating an open and welcoming environment. Goodfellow noted that, despite the negative perception the media may portray regarding the U.S. and its relationship with international visitors in general, most are able to recognize that they will be coming to a safe space.

Massachusetts also leans toward the more progressive side — another talking point for international students and their families.

“I tend to articulate that and say, ‘you would be coming to a place that’s a lot more open to diversity and people with different backgrounds,’” she said. “That’s kind of a big part of a university in general — the inclusion and feeling of acceptance of all people.”

Strehorn added that creating a welcoming environment from start to finish is a big part of recruiting and retaining international students. When they are admitted, the first department they hear from on campus is International Programs, where they receive help with their I-20 document and visa to enter the country, as well as assistance with how to travel to the U.S., where to land, and how to get to campus.

Michelle Kowalsky

“We really try, as we do for any student here, to get them involved in other clubs and organizations and get them to a place where they can make some connections with other friends.”

“It’s really that welcoming spirit that then carries through,” he said. “Not only have they had a good experience through the admissions process, that first handoff over to International Programs is quite smooth and friendly.”

Strehorn said the somewhat tumultuous political climate in the U.S. is a common topic for international students and their families. He added that these families frequently see Americans on the news being less than welcoming of people from other countries, and that can be a valid concern.

“We hear from students and families constantly about the political atmosphere in the United States, whether they will be safe,” he went on. “We are consistently asked about the president and his policies. I think people are doing their due diligence when they’re sending their children here, wondering, are they still going to get a good education at a fair price? And are they going to be safe and welcomed?”

A more recent concern is the spread of the coronavirus, which continues to wreak havoc in China. As a result, UMass has decided to suspend its spring 2020 program to China, affecting seven students. However, the university has not yet made any changes to recruiting Chinese international students. Like everyone else, Strehorn noted, they are waiting for more information before making any big decisions.

“Right now, we are moving business ahead as usual,” he said, adding that they have reached out to several contacts at universities in the U.S. as well as overseas. “We’re hoping to support people from China as always, and we’re hoping this doesn’t turn out to be as devastating as it has the potential to be.”

Home Away from Home

Despite these challenges, there are certainly benefits to bringing international students to an American campus. The first, Goodfellow says, is the diversity factor.

“It allows both our domestic students to interact with folks from all over the world, as well as for those students that are coming from abroad to get a perspective of a U.S. student,” she said.

Another reason is the economic impact international students have on universities and the areas surrounding them.

International students are not eligible to receive federal financial aid, meaning most students, aside from merit-based scholarships like the #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship at WNEU, are paying full price to attend these universities, boosting revenues for schools and the areas around them.

To put a specific number on that impact, according to the Assoc. of International Educators, international students studying at U.S. colleges and universities contribute $39 billion to the U.S. national economy and support more than 400,000 jobs.

Strehorn added that UMass likes to call itself a “global community,” and it can’t be that without representation from the globe.

“Having folks from all different countries is imperative,” he said. “Domestic students can benefit tremendously from being in classes, discussions, clubs, and social events with students from other countries. I think all of that has formed kind of a home away from home for these students.”

Kayla Ebner can be reached at [email protected]

Vince Jackson Sees a Deeper Role for the Greater Northampton Chamber

By
Hampshire County

Getting Down to Business

Vince Jackson

Taking over leadership of a chamber of commerce is always fraught with challenges, especially in a community as rich in diverse businesses and nonprofits as Northampton, and also stepping into the large shoes of the previous executive director, who served for 27 years. But Vince Jackson, with his deep background in entrepreneurship, business development, and marketing, is proving to be an ideal fit, and has already begun to shift and deepen perceptions about what a chamber can be.

Vince Jackson has been preparing for his new role for more than 30 years.

“What attracted me to this job is, well, it’s a bit of a sweet spot,” said Jackson, who took the reins as executive director of the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce last June.

He was referring to an intriguing mix of careers leading up to that point, including a decade and a half in corporate America; he worked for 10 years as a senior product manager at PepsiCo, two years as an assistant product manager at Kraft Foods, and three years as a senior systems analyst at Procter & Gamble.

“When it comes to engaging and interacting with our corporate community here,” he told BusinessWest, “I understand large organizations like Cooley Dickinson Health Care, I understand Coca-Cola’s Northampton’s operation and the challenges they face, I understand L3Harris.”

Equally important — or perhaps moreso, considering the makeup of the region’s economy — was his two-decade experience with Marketing Moves, the company he founded in 2000, which provided client companies with strategic marketing support.

“For the last 19 years before I took this job, I was a marketing consultant,” he explained. “I targeted Fortune 50 corporations, but I also partnered and did subcontracting work with a lot of small businesses. And I was running a small business myself, so when it comes to understanding the joys and pain points and opportunities of the small-business owner, I can relate — regardless of the industry — and also bring some of my marketing experience that may benefit them in unique ways.”

In the meantime, he was also amassing a great deal of nonprofit board leadership experience, and Northampton and its environs have a rich base of such organizations, he added. In fact, among some 525 chamber members, close to 50 are nonprofits. “So understanding the nonprofit arena is important.”

“When it comes to engaging and interacting with our corporate community here. I understand large organizations like Cooley Dickinson Health Care, I understand Coca-Cola’s Northampton’s operation and the challenges they face, I understand L3Harris.”

In short, Jackson’s background made him an easy choice to replace Suzanne Beck, who had led the chamber for 27 years before her retirement last year.

He took the reins at an interesting time, as the chamber was beginning to activate a new strategic plan. Through that process, preparing a marketing plan of his own, and communicating with members, he quickly learned an important lesson: “The things that got us here won’t get us there. So we’ve got to do things differently.

“Our vision for this community is that we really want to make it a place for everybody,” he went on. “Northampton is a very welcoming community, and we want to make sure this is also a prosperous community and that all the things that make it special really cascade through Northampton and across the community.”

Part of that vision is recognizing and promoting the city’s calling cards, such as its array of eclectic, mostly locally owned businesses. “Most of the retail shops offer things you might not find at the mall, or on Amazon. That’s the kind of thing that makes this place special and unique.”

It’s also a welcoming and inclusive community, he added, and one with a heart for advocacy, as evidenced by the number of nonprofits in the area. “They provide a lot of services that are so needed in a community like this, and you see the impact of that kind of support when you are out in the neighborhoods.”

With those strengths in mind, the chamber’s new strategic vision emphasizes two key points: that the health of the economy and the health of the community are one, and the chamber must include and reflect that community.

“The mission of the chamber, in layman’s terms, is to be a matchmaker,” Jackson told BusinessWest. “We want to be that catalyst for bringing people together, bringing organizations together, doing innovations, collaborations, and anything that moves our economy and community forward. You’ll hear us say, over and over again, that when the economy thrives, our community thrives, and when our community thrives, the economy thrives. That’s our core belief, and that’s really what the mission of the chamber is all about — driving the economic impact and the community influence to make that happen.”

On Message

The plan seeks to boost Northampton’s economic profile — both internally, growing the business base, and externally, drawing more tourism — by targeting five specific audiences.

The first is arts and culture, an area Northampton and its surrounding towns has been long known for, with its raft of museums, music venues, historic-heritage sites, and host of resident writers, artists, and craftspeople. The second is outdoor recreation, which encompasses everything from bike paths, fishing, and boating during the warm seasons to skiing and other winter sports.

Both those realms draw heavily from New York, Boston, and other urban centers, which are home to both people with an interest in the arts and weekenders looking to get away and be outdoors. And on the outdoor front especially, economic-development leaders from Hampshire and Franklin counties have often joined forces to promote a wider swath of the Pioneer Valley.

This stretch of Main Street in Northampton is typical of the city: the odd chain amid a series of unique, eclectic, locally owned businesses.

The third audience is people with connections to the Five Colleges, which collectively serve some 50,000 students each year, roughly 10% of those international, which feeds into the chamber’s fourth targeted audience, the international market. The fifth audience is the LGBTQ community, which has long identified Greater Northampton as a welcoming place.

“We at the chamber want to be the local experts on the economy, and one of the ways we do that is through our tourism efforts,” Jackson went on, noting that the chamber gets an annual grant from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism for marketing and promotional activities and programs that drive tourism to the area.

“And we see enormous impacts on our economy when we do that, when we give people reasons to come to Hampshire County and Northampton,” he went on, adding that Northampton itself sees about 50% of the regional tax dollars from tourism.

“The other way we drive the economy to offer opportunities for entrepreneurs to get established and find ways to make this a business-friendly place by working with all of our business owners and the city to make this a good place to start a business and be successful,” he explained.

One example can be found in the burgeoning cannabis industry, as NETA, the first retail dispensary in Massachusetts to sell for adult use, has been a notable success story since opening 15 months ago, and the city has about a dozen licenses pending for businesses in all areas of the cannabis trade, from cultivation to production to sales.

“When the economy thrives, our community thrives, and when our community thrives, the economy thrives. That’s our core belief, and that’s really what the mission of the chamber is all about — driving the economic impact and the community influence to make that happen.”

To better connect and assist businesses and entrepreneurs of all kinds, the chamber recently presented more than a dozen free business workshops, or “knowledge sessions,” Jackson called them, in which business leaders volunteered their time to share information and ideas. These included a look at digital marketing, a session dealing with different generations in the workplace, and another that brought beauty, health, and wellness businesses together.

Crafting a new strategic plan is daunting when a chamber has had one director for more than a quarter-century, especially when a new director is coming in, he said, which is why the chamber treated 2019 as a transition year. But there were some notable success stories.

“For example, I found it a joy to partner with [state Sen.] Jo Comerford, who was working hard for earmarks for the nonprofit community in Western Massachusetts,” he said, noting that, right before Christmas, she was able to secure $150,000 for a handful of nonprofits, three of which are chamber members. “The chamber will be the fiscal agent when those funds come through. This was the kind of matchmaking we’re proud to do.”

The Right Fit

Ruth Griggs, a member of the chamber’s board of directors who was on the search committee that brought Jackson on board, told the Daily Hampshire Gazette last spring that he was a deeply experienced entrepreneur with a balance of skills and characteristics chamber members appreciate.

Jackson, in turn, said one of his goals was to move past being just a membership organization to more of a “partnership organization” — getting people to move from being just dues-paying members to becoming more engaged with the chamber and the community.

Today, he says that has, indeed, been a priority, citing the recent opening — a couple storefronts away from the chamber offices on Pleasant Street — of Wurst Haus, the most recent new eatery from the restaurant group led by Peter Picknelly and Andy Yee, and the chamber’s outreach to them.

“When new businesses come into the community, we want to make the sure the chamber is partnering with them, and that they’re also excited about partnering with the chamber,” Jackson said. “It’s a two-way exchange that will benefit all of Northampton. We make sure we invite them and introduce them to all the work the chamber does.”

Part of that is encouraging members to participate in committees that shape much of the chamber’s direction, including a finance committee, an ambassador committee that welcomes new businesses, and an economic-development committee of about three dozen members that meets monthly to talk about projects big and small.

Members of that latter committee include “seasoned business owners and young ones, nonprofits, local politicians, bank presidents — it’s a good, diverse mix of folks who add a point of view that’s unique, and when we come together, we’re all better collectively,” he said.

In a thriving, 21st-century chamber, he told BusinessWest, members aren’t just dues-paying entities, but true investors — of time and talent, not just money — in the chamber and in the community.

“The chamber is run by volunteers,” he said, noting that his team includes four full-time staff and three part-timers (the latter mainly managing the visitor center), so members who want to be deeply involved are critical. “There are a lot of connections to be made, and our role is really to be that catalyst and bring people together to make it all happen.”

If members are willing to work toward that goal, Jackson said, then the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce — and chambers in general — still have a key role to play in their communities.

“People expect the chamber to be the centerpoint, and historically we have been. But it wasn’t as open an organization as it is now,” he said, noting, again, that the endgame is a thriving economy and a thriving community. “They’re inextricably linked; they go hand in hand.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Understanding the SECURE Act

By
Accounting and Tax Planning

This Measure Changes the Retirement Landscape in Several Ways

It’s called the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act, and it was signed into law just a few weeks ago and took effect on Jan. 1. It is making an impact on taxpayers already, and individuals should know and understand its many provisions.

By Ian Coddington and Gabriel Jacobson

Signed into law Dec. 20, 2019, the SECURE Act, or Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act, has changed the retirement landscape for Americans retiring or planning to retire in the future.

The prominent components of the SECURE Act remove the maximum age for Traditional IRA contributions, increase the age for required minimum distributions, change how IRA benefits are received after death, and expand the types of expenses applicable to education savings funds. This law offsets some of the spending included in the budget bill by accelerating distribution of tax-deferred accounts.

Ian Coddington

Gabriel Jacobson

Due to the timing of this new legislation, there will be many questions from tax filers regarding the new rules and what changes apply to their plans. We hope this article will provide a starting point for understanding the changes that will impact us come tax time.

A Traditional IRA, or Traditional Individual Retirement Account, can be opened at most financial institutions.

Unless your income is above a certain threshold, every dollar of earned income from wages or self-employment contributed to the account by an individual reduces your annual taxable income dollar for dollar. This assumes you do not contribute above the annual limit into one or more tax-deferred retirement accounts.

Due to increasing life expectancy, the SECURE Act has eliminated the maximum age limit that an individual may contribute to a Traditional IRA. Prior to 2020, the maximum age was 70½.

The SECURE Act also raises the age that an individual with investments held in a Traditional IRA or other tax-deferred retirement account, such as a 401(k), must take distributions from 70½ to 72. These required minimum distributions, or RMDs, serve as the government’s way of collecting on tax-deferred income and are taxed at the individual’s income-tax rates, so no special investment-tax rates apply.

Each year, the distribution must equal a certain fraction of the year-end balance of an individual’s tax-deferred retirement account. The tax penalty for omitting all or a portion of your annual RMD is 50% of the amount of the RMD not withdrawn. The fraction is known as the life-expectancy factor and is based on the individual’s age.

The SECURE Act did not change the life-expectancy factors for 2020, but a change is expected for 2021. Unfortunately, RMDs for individuals who reached 70½ by Dec. 31, 2019 are not delayed. Such individuals must continue to take their RMDs under the same rules as prior to passage of the SECURE Act.

“With the SECURE Act going into effect Jan. 1, 2020, the law is making an impact on taxpayers now. The effects of this will continue over the next few years, as death benefits for beneficiaries and minimum distributions will not affect all retirees immediately.”

Individuals who inherit Traditional or Roth IRAs during or after Jan. 1, 2020 are now subject to a shorter time frame for RMDs pursuant to the SECURE Act. Prior to passage of the SECURE Act, individuals were able to withdraw funds from their IRAs over various schedules. The longest schedule was based on the beneficiary’s life expectancy and could last the majority of the individual’s life.

This allowed those who inherited Traditional IRAs to stretch the tax liabilities on those RMDs discussed previously over a longer period, reducing the annual tax burden. Under the current law, distributions to most non-spouse beneficiaries are required to be distributed within 10 years following the plan participant’s or IRA owner’s death (the 10-year rule). This may increase the size of RMD payments and push an individual to a higher tax bracket.

Exceptions to the 10-year rule are allowed for distributions to the following recipients: the surviving spouse, who receives the account value as if they were the owner of the IRA; an IRA owner’s child who has not yet reached majority; a chronically ill individual; and any other individual who is not more than 10 years younger than the IRA owner. Those beneficiaries who qualify under this exception may continue to take their distributions through the predefined life-expectancy rules.

Section 529 plans have also been expanded by the SECURE Act. These plans can be opened at most financial institutions and are established by a state or educational institution.

These 529 plans use post-tax contributions to generate tax-free earnings to pay for qualified educational expenses. As long as the distributions pay for these expenses, they will be tax-free. Qualified distributions include tuition, fees, books, and supplies. Previously, distributions were only tax-free if paid toward qualified education expenses for public and private institutions; now, they will include registered apprenticeships and repayment of certain student loans.

This will expand the qualified distributions to include equipment needed to complete apprenticeships and technical classes and training. For repayment of student loans, an individual is able to pay the principal or interest on qualified education loans of the beneficiary, up to $10,000. This can also include a sibling of the beneficiary, if the account holder has multiple children.

With the SECURE Act going into effect Jan. 1, 2020, the law is making an impact on taxpayers now. The effects of this will continue over the next few years, as death benefits for beneficiaries and minimum distributions will not affect all retirees immediately.

This article does not qualify as legal advice. Seek your tax professional or retirement advisor with additional questions on the impact this will have in your individual situation.

Ian Coddington and Gabriel Jacobson are associates with Holyoke-based public accounting firm Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.; [email protected]; [email protected]

Amherst Seeks to Bolster Its Destination Status

By
Community Spotlight

Community Spotlight

Claudia Pazmany says the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce and the Amherst Downtown BID have found many ways to partner to raise the town’s profile.

The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce shares a downtown storefront with the Amherst Downtown Business Improvement District (BID). More important, the two organizations share a common vision.

“In general, BIDs and chambers aren’t always symbiotic, but we have found a way to really bridge that,” said Claudia Pazmany, the chamber’s executive director.

Gabrielle Gould, executive director of the BID, agreed. “We’ve been working very closely with the chamber; it’s been great bouncing a lot of ideas off each other,” she said. “I think both the BID and the chamber have this approach that a rising tide lifts all shops. We want the Amherst area to thrive and succeed.”

Gould, who came on board the BID five months ago, said part of her focus has been heavily marketing a buy-local, shop-local, eat-local philosophy, and it’s bearing results. For example, a ‘red-ticket’ month held during the holidays, in which shoppers got a red ticket for each $25 spent downtown, which went into a drawing for cash prizes, generated about $500,000. “That’s money that stays local instead of going to the big-box stores.”

The BID is also conducting conversations with residents and businesses about zoning and development — particularly targeting those who generally oppose any change.

“We’re getting some developers together with some community members who are anti-development, where developers are saying, ‘look, I’m fourth-generation Amherst. I’m not the boogeyman. I’m not looking to build a high-rise,’” she explained. “Let’s stop talking about what we hate, let’s stop talking about what’s already been built, and let’s start working together to make a vibrant and dynamic downtown. And without some redevelopment, that’s not going to happen. We need retail stores. We need restaurants.”

Beyond that, the BID has formed a new Foundation for Downtown Amherst, looking to create a 501(c)(3) with a mission to boost the downtown through arts and culture development and promotion. Goals include building a parking garage and working with architects and engineers to create a permanent performing-arts shell on the common.

“Amherst has slipped a bit — we’ve become a drive-through town, and we’ve lost some retail — and to drive traffic back to our downtown, we need density, but we also need things that people will travel to town for.”

Gould hopes to raise sufficient funds to endow the latter project, maintain it, and program it for two years with free performances, ranging from local high-school plays and concerts to touring musicians and theater and dance companies. Another idea is to commission a piece of sculpture that would become a recognized landmark in Amherst and beyond.

“My take on downtown is, if you bring in more art and culture, the retail and restaurants will follow, because we’re going to drive people to Amherst,” she told BusinessWest.

“This should be a destination. In all four seasons of the year, we have a lot to offer. Amherst has slipped a bit — we’ve become a drive-through town, and we’ve lost some retail — and to drive traffic back to our downtown, we need density, but we also need things that people will travel to town for. Our job is to support the businesses that are here and help in bring new businesses and more visitors.”

Broad Vision

Meanwhile on Jan. 22, the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce released its 2020 Vision report, which seeks to activate:

• Fiscal resiliency, by establishing processes and benchmarks to keep the town resilient through challenging times, while creating pricing structures to benefit chamber members and drive further membership;

• Community impact, by developing new and deeper opportunities to create partnerships and increase exposure for the chamber’s 65 nonprofit members;

• Transformative tourism outreach, by creating opportunities to highlight the creative economy and redefine the Amherst area as a destination;

• The entrepreneurial pipeline, by creating a toolkit for startups that offers information and support on startup space, marketing visioning, pitch support, loan support, mentoring connections, and microfinancing;

• Workforce development, by bolstering educational and training programs, supporting other regional educational offerings, and connecting job seekers to jobs and transportation; and, conversely, working to address barriers to employment for chamber members;

• Advocacy, through the creation of a government affairs and policy advocacy committee to create programs and forums vital to members and bring forward key issues that support economic development through direct communication with lawmakers and key stakeholders; and

• Professional development for chamber staff, partly by establishing goals around membership, the entrepreneurial pipeline, tourism, advocacy, professional development, and community impact.

“Everything is driven by conversations with people who walk through the door — maybe an alum from one of the colleges, maybe someone who’s retiring here,” Pazmany said. “They’re here because it’s a destination with huge, untapped potential, and we have to get that word out.”

Take the town’s position as a dining destination, she noted. “Downtown Amherst has everything — you can explore the world through dining downtown, and because it’s a college town, the prices are right.”

The plan to take advantage of that is twofold, both she and Gould said — better marketing of what’s already downtown, especially to those outside the region, and bringing in more of it.

Economic efforts involve regional thinking as well, Pazmany added, noting that Amherst businesses have often felt that Route 9 development in Hadley was a deterrent to their success, while, in fact, an improving regional profile benefits everyone. Amherst, she said, can take advantage of that regional attention while honing its own strengths.

“People really love the community feel here. It’s a walkable downtown, with pretty much everything at your fingertips,” she told BusinessWest, adding that people want to feel like they’re part of something bigger, and that’s something a thriving downtown district can provide.

Amherst at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1759
Population: 39,482
Area: 27.7 square miles
County: Hampshire
Residential Tax Rate: $21.32
Commercial Tax Rate: $21.32
Median Household Income: $48,059
Median Family Income: $96,005
Type of Government: Town Council, Town Manager
Largest Employers: UMass Amherst; Amherst College; Hampshire College; Delivery Express
* Latest information available

“We have arts and culture and a lot of venues that offer music,” she went on, adding that museums like the Mead, the Carle, and the Yiddish Book Center offer an additional cultural backdrop in town, while the Amherst Cinema drives plenty of programming downtown. That’s why it’s important to take that strength and grow it further, she noted, as a way to both keep residents living here and cultivate a tourism economy.

“More than 30,000 come down Route 9 every day. I have the best of both worlds — I get to focus on the downtown, and I also get to focus on the broader community and bring that to the table when I partner with the BID.”

Creative Thinking

One other advantage for the chamber, Pazmany said, is its connection to UMass Amherst, which has deepened by reaching out to Gregory Thomas, executive director of the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship to discuss strategies for harnessing the significant entrepreneurial energy being generated on campus and keeping it local.

That takes physical development, and some creativity, she noted, as the town isn’t home to swaths of large, unused buildings like in Holyoke and Easthampton — and, as Gould noted, not everyone in town is high on new development.

But she would like to see an influx of new businesses that cater equally to residents and the 35,000 college students who live in town most of the year, from grocery stores to a men’s clothing shop to a place to buy bedding and furniture.

“We’re looking out there and saying, ‘what is going to benefit all of us?’ In terms of bringing in retailers, we need buildings to put them in. A lot of pieces need to fall into place, but we’re heading in the right direction.”

In her few months on the job, Gould has been asking businesses, ‘what do you need?’

“They all say, ‘we need more businesses,’” she went on, and that’s not always an easy sell to residents, especially long-established ones. “There’s excitement here, but also a lot of fear when you mention development, when you mention building, when you mention ‘new.’ When you start talking to them, it’s very fear-based.

“So how do we take the big, bad boogeyman out of the closet and decide what Amherst really needs?” she asked. “If we don’t, we’re not going to see growth and positive change. We might lose more retail and restaurants. And we don’t want that — we want more people to come in.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Cannabis Education Center Prepares People for Burgeoning Industry

By Kayla Ebner
Education

Joint Effort

Jeff Hayden says the Cannabis Education Center is a much-needed training ground that will support the growth of an industry on the rise in Holyoke and across Massachusetts.

Investment, job creation, and tax revenue.

According to Jeff Hayden, vice president of Business and Community Services at Holyoke Community College (HCC), these are the three keys to economic development.

They’re also precisely what the cannabis industry is bringing to the state of Massachusetts, which is why HCC has created the Cannabis Education Center, a new series of non-credit courses that provide skilled workforce training to prepare participants for a career in the cannabis industry.

HCC has partnered with the Cannabis Community Care and Research Network (C3RN) to create the first-ever cannabis training center in the state, and classes and programs are in full swing.

Hayden said the conversation about a cannabis training course started two and a half years ago, when discussion was heating up across the Bay State about the prospects of legal, adult-use cannabis — and how the Cannabis Control Commission would handle an expected proliferation of businesses. Once word got out that the commission would be licensing companies — and, therefore, creating jobs in the state — HCC jumped into action.

“Right now, there are about 75 employees in Holyoke who work for cannabis companies, but the projection is that, within a year of those licenses being granted to them, there will be somewhere between 400 or 500 employees in Holyoke.”

“When we heard that, we started to look around for different resources to try to learn more about what was going to happen, and especially what was going to happen in terms of the workforce training and how does someone get ready for the jobs that are going to come in this field,” he told BusinessWest.

About 14 companies have already applied for 21 licenses, and counting, in Holyoke alone. Two are active, both run by Green Thumb Industries on Appleton Street, and the rest are provisional or pending. But that won’t be the case for long.

“Right now, there are about 75 employees in Holyoke who work for cannabis companies, but the projection is that, within a year of those licenses being granted to them, there will be somewhere between 400 or 500 employees in Holyoke,” Hayden said.

Soon, the demand for trained, qualified employees in several different cannabis careers will skyrocket, and there needs to be people to fill those positions.

That’s where HCC comes in.

Growing Like a Weed

Hayden says there are currently five key pillars under the Cannabis Education Center’s umbrella: community education, meaning teaching people all about the cannabis industry; social-equity training; occupational training; custom contract training to cannabis businesses, including communication, leadership, and mentorship skills; and developing different trainings that would be useful for the industry.

Sage Franetovich says there’s a lot of curiosity around the subject of cannabis, and she expects the career prospects to draw people from different backgrounds.

“In all these pillars that we have, we hope that we’re providing a broad-based approach to the industry to either the job seeker or the business so that they can get the training and skills they need either to get on that career track or to be able to be a successful business,” said Hayden. “The hope, really, in terms of what they walk away with, are stackable credentials.”

A few examples of rising careers in this industry are cannabis culinary assistant, cannabis retail/patient advocate, cannabis cultivation assistant, and cannabis extraction technician assistant.

But HCC’s cannabis education doesn’t stop at the center. The college is also soon to offer its first credit-based cannabis-related course, called “Cannabis Today,” through its Sustainability Studies program. While no cannabis will be allowed on campus, the programs will use off-site locations for programs that require practice with the plant.

Sage Franetovich, Biology professor at HCC, will be teaching the class and said she has been working on developing the curriculum for the fall of 2020, and hopefully sooner, in the summer, if all goes well.

“With a response to the growing market and job market, we decided it would be a good fit to offer a course on cannabis cultivation with a focus on hemp,” she said.

The class will target topics such as the cultivation of hemp, indoor growing versus outdoor growing, and plant diseases and pest management.

Franetovich said she has been working with several people in the cannabis industry to develop the best possible curriculum for the class. “I think there’s a lot of curiosity around the subject, and I think that will be a draw for people from different backgrounds.”

All this activity comes in response to what will soon be incredibly high (no pun intended) demand for a cannabis workforce.

“When you start to think about that many new people coming in, that’s the equivalent of some of the large things that have happened regionally, like the CRRC company in Springfield, or MGM,” Hayden said.

And this center is striving to prepare people for careers in cannabis with everything from knowledge of the cannabis plant to knowledge of the industry itself, to understanding the commission’s regulations and how those impact the way they’ll do their jobs.

For example, a culinary technician working with edibles needs to know some of the ways the chemicals impact the edible product, specific measurements, levels of dosing, and more.

In the end, all this training is an investment that will, hopefully, bring the city of Holyoke a lot of jobs, and a lot of revenue.

High Expectations

Hayden estimates that between $20 million and $30 million has already been invested in the cannabis industry in Holyoke alone, despite only two operating licenses so far. He says the taxes going to the state will be significant, but 3% of sales also goes to the municipality. That means $1 million in sales equals $30,000 in taxes for the city of Holyoke.

“It’s a significant amount of money that the town can garner,” he said. “This past year, we’ve already received over $100,000 from cannabis-related companies for the city of Holyoke with only two licenses.”

And, so far, the response to the center has been positive, he noted. One of the first programs, a one-time class on the business and accounting side, drew 15 participants, and more than 100 people have expressed interest in training.

The first occupational training course began on Jan. 25 at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute and will continue for five more Saturdays for eight hours a day. C3RN will then place those who successfully complete the course in internships with local companies.

The ultimate goal of all these trainings is not simply to hand participants a diploma, but give them several certifications that will allow them to thrive in every aspect of the field.

“That’s really what we’re shooting for, someone who’s got multiple pieces of paper,” Hayden said. “It’s not just one diploma, it’s multiple pieces of paper that show to an employer that they’re ready for the job and that they can learn from the employer in terms of the skills they need for the future.”

Kayla Ebner can be reached at [email protected]

Game On in Easthampton

By
Hampshire County

Prodigy Offers Fresh Entertainment Alternative

By Mark Morris

Jeff Bujak says he designed the mini-golf course to challenge everyone who plays it.

When game designers evaluate a new concept, one of the most important considerations is for the game to deliver a fun and different experience every time it’s played.

Jeff Bujak, owner of Prodigy Mini Golf & Game Room in Easthampton, applies that same standard to his business.

“I want folks to view the experience at Prodigy as one where they haven’t had enough. I want people to say, ‘there are about 2,000 games I haven’t played yet, so I’m going to keep coming back.’”

Actually, there are currently 2,198 games available at Prodigy, and that’s one reason why the company website describes it as “a gamer’s wonderland.”

Located on the ground floor of the Eastworks mill complex, the 8,000-square-foot game room is the culmination of Bujak’s past experiences as a musician and game player, and his passion for creating things that didn’t exist before.

Originally from Syracuse, N.Y., he spent 15 years traveling the country as a solo keyboard player and as part of the band Somebody’s Closet. He moved to Northampton for its well-known music scene in 2004. Tired of life on the road and sleeping on people’s couches, he decided in 2015 that he’d had enough of life on the road and left music for what he called “a stable paycheck with daytime hours.”

While working in the IT department at Viability, a human-services provider in Northampton, Bujak had the idea of a business that featured a mini-golf course and board games. Meanwhile, around that same time, his wife opened Small Oven, a bakery in Easthampton.

“I could see that Easthampton had real positive energy for business, so I started telling bakery customers about my idea for an entertainment complex,” he recalled. When he presented his business plan to Will Bundy, owner of Eastworks, it proved to be a winning move.

“When I first met Jeff, I knew that Prodigy was going to happen at Eastworks,” Bundy said. “Eastworks is a community of creative and entrepreneurial businesses. Prodigy and its unique view on games and gaming is a perfect fit for us.”

Flipping the Switch

The original proposal was for a mini-golf course and board-game room with no video games that would be called Analog. When Bujak saw how much space was available at Eastworks, he refined his idea and decided to offer more entertainment options. As a collector of video games and their consoles, he knew he could easily include those into the game room.

Most of the video-game offerings are on consoles like NES, Sega, and ColecoVision, which are no longer produced. Bujak has connected them to TV sets from 20 to 30 years ago because the games work best on the older sets.

“I want to keep this place fun for real gamers. When someone plays Mario, they expect it to react the way it did when they were younger, so you need the older TVs to get that.”

Prodigy is positioned as a game room for ages 13 and up. As a result, Bujak said some of the younger players have never seen televisions with picture tubes and often ask for help in turning them on.

Prodigy offers 26 retro video-game consoles that work best on older TV monitors.

The nostalgia doesn’t end with video games, as Bujak proudly pointed out that, instead of serving alcohol, Prodigy offers vintage sodas such as Yoo-hoo, Mellow Yello, and Hawaiian Punch to put customers in a nostalgic mood.

Bujak considered naming the game room after himself, but Bundy suggested that choosing a an edgy word people could relate to might be more effective. After researching several candidates, Bujak landed on ‘prodigy,’ loosely defined as ‘young and smart.’

“My vision was for a place that was ‘young’ in the sense that it always offered something fresh, and ‘smart’ because it encouraged people to use their brains in a fun way,” he said.

He envisioned a game room with one admission price, and every game is then free to play, intentionally countering the typical business model of an arcade, where admission is free and customers pay for each game they play.

All-day admission on Wednesdays and Thursdays costs $10 “per human” and increases to $12 Friday through Sunday. Monthly memberships and discount punch cards for small groups are also available. Bujak said he wants to keep his focus on providing value to people who visit Prodigy.

“I will often ask myself, ‘what does $12 get you at a movie theatre compared to the experience at Prodigy?’ Did my customers get their $12 worth?”

Opened in March 2018, Prodigy features a rich mix of retro video games, classic pub games, and stacks of board games. Winding its way throughout the game room is a challenging 18-hole mini-golf course Bujak designed and built himself. As someone who won mini-golf tournaments in the past, he researched courses and game rooms throughout the Northeast to come up with a fresh design for his course.

“My vision was for a place that was ‘young’ in the sense that it always offered something fresh, and ‘smart’ because it encouraged people to use their brains in a fun way.”

“I wanted to throw a whole different angle on mini-golf course design,” he said. “I’ve tried to incorporate some of the decision making players are confronted with in video games and apply that to mini-golf. “

He explained further that, like a video game, many of the holes on the course offer several paths to aim for, all with different consequences.

Next Level

Business has been brisk, with Bujak doubling his first year’s projections. Along the way, he has also been making adjustments to the room and game choices to make sure the appeal stays fresh.

“I see my key demographics as people in their 30s,” he said, adding that couples in their 30s will often come together to Prodigy to play competitively with a board game or a four-player video game. If they want to play cooperatively, they can form a band and play Guitar Hero.

Bujak has also found that Prodigy is a great place for first dates.

“You can really get to know someone better when you are having a conversation over a game — not to mention what you learn about a person when you see how they handle winning and losing,” he said. Because Prodigy doesn’t serve alcohol, it’s also a safe place to ‘break the ice’ with someone.

“While we host plenty of families and friends, our place appeals to folks who don’t know each other well, but end up knowing each other better at the end of the experience,” he noted.

With that dynamic in mind, he sees hosting business groups as a growth opportunity for Prodigy in 2020. “Because games bring out the competitive and cooperative nature in us, I feel we can offer companies a great place for team-building events and networking opportunities.”

From day-long rentals to single meetings, Bujak said Prodigy is set up with plenty of audio-visual support, including a 10-foot-wide screen for PowerPoint and video presentations and seating to accommodate up to 40 participants.

Recently, Bujak hosted his former co-workers from Viability, who took part in several staff days. This experience assured him that Prodigy can be an effective location for off-site business meetings.

“When you have a social event with a game theme, it generates conversation in ways other gatherings don’t,” he said, adding that “competing with yourself or with others creates healthy competition, which is good for your mind and good for productivity.” 

Prodigy has found success early on as a place where people bring their friends to share a fun place they’ve discovered, which is right in line with Bujak’s marketing strategy.

“From the beginning, I’ve told people that Prodigy is not like any other place,” he said. “It’s something you have to come and see.”

Changes in Nexus Standards May Bring Tax Consequences

By
Accounting and Tax Planning

The State of Things

By Jonathan Cohen-Gorczyca, CPA

Very rarely do court cases related to state taxation make national news. South Dakota v. Wayfair Inc. (2018) was a Supreme Court case that decided in a 5-4 vote that states can charge and collect tax on out-of-state sellers, allowing the new precedent to supersede the physical-presence standard that most states were practicing.

Jonathan Cohen-Gorczyca

Typically, when a case is decided, states react quickly in order to increase tax revenues. While this case predominately affects Internet retailers who exceed a certain amount of shipments to a state or a certain dollar threshold of sales, it should cause all businesses to rethink what state tax filings and business registrations they are required to complete in order to maintain compliance with state tax laws and reduce exposure. In addition, pass-through entities, such as partnerships and S corporations, could have partners and shareholders that may also have tax-filing requirements in these states.

Businesses should maintain records of the number of completed transactions as well as the dollar amount of sales to each of the 50 states. Since each state has different laws that could trigger nexus for income or sales tax, this is a starting point to determine if additional state filings are required or if they should have been filed in prior years.

Nexus is the amount and degree of a taxpayer’s business activity that must be present in a state before the taxpayer is required to file a return and pay tax on income earned in the state. Individual states determine what degree of nexus triggers a tax-return filing requirement, and those rules can vary from state to state. Other questions that should be asked and analyzed include, but are not limited to, the following:

• How much property and equipment does the company own in another state?

• How much payroll is paid to employees that are in another state?

• If the company is selling tangible property, how is the property delivered? Are they using a third-party carrier? Are they sending company employees to make the delivery?

• Are employees or hired independent contractors installing the property once it is delivered in another state?

While these questions relate to the more traditional physical-presence standard in various states, the answers should be looked at in conjunction with the number of completed transactions and the dollar sales in a state. For example, Connecticut and New York have implemented a factor-based nexus standard (also known as a bright-line nexus test) for sales, payroll, and property (even if the taxpayer does not have a substantial physical presence in the state) in an attempt to increase tax revenue.

If, during the tax year, sales exceed $500,000 to Connecticut or $1 million to New York, a company located in Massachusetts with very little or no physical presence would be required to file tax returns in these states. Various states are now collecting income and sales tax revenue when an out-of-state company is not even setting foot into the state.

“Individual states determine what degree of nexus triggers a tax-return filing requirement, and those rules can vary from state to state.”

In order to help businesses determine if a sales or income-tax nexus exists in a particular state, states will commonly post a nexus questionnaire on their Department of Taxation’s website. Numerous questions will be asked about current and prior business activity in the state, such as sales amounts, how items are shipped, if employees are traveling to the state, and many other questions. Once submitted, the state will decide on whether sales or income-tax nexus exists in the state and what filings would be required. You should consult with your accountant or attorney prior to filling out these questionnaires because, if they are filled out incorrectly, it could cause a state to make an incorrect determination.

In addition to the questionnaires, many states have set up voluntary disclosure programs. If it is clear that a business has established nexus in a state in the current year but also failed to make this determination in prior years, there is the risk of exposure and potential tax audits, which could lead to additional taxes due plus penalties and interest.

By disclosing prior years’ sales, activities, and other connections to the state, the state may potentially waive penalties and interest through its voluntary disclosure program. Once again, the voluntary disclosure program should only be entered into after a determination is made by your accountant or attorney.

The states’ changes in nexus standards, which determine when a company may become subject to sales or income taxes in outside states, should be cause to review and analyze a company’s annual activities in other states. As these state laws may change every year, a company is responsible for maintaining tax compliance in each respective state and should review the nexus standards every year in order to stay compliant.

Jonathan Cohen-Gorczyca, CPA, MSA is a tax supervisor in Melanson Heath’s Greenfield office; (413) 773-5405.

Meet the 40 Under Forty Judges

By
40 Under 40 The Class of 2020

After Nominations Close on Feb. 14, They’ll Choose Class of 2020

Time is running out to nominate individuals for BusinessWest’s 14th annual 40 Under Forty, a program launched in 2007 to recognize rising stars in Western Mass., and has since become a coveted honor throughout the region.

Nominations will be accepted until Friday, Feb. 14. A successful nomination will be detailed and thorough, listing an individual’s accomplishments within their profession as well as their work within the community. Nominations can be completed  HERE.

The class of 2020 — who 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 — will, as usual, be chosen by five independent judges, who bring broad experience in entrepreneurship, business development, and civic engagement, among other things, and include three past winners. Here’s a quick look at each of them.

Mychal Connolly

A member of the 40 Under Forty class of 2011, Mychal Connolly currently serves as chapter chairman of SCORE Western Massachusetts, a nonprofit that gives free mentoring to people looking to start, grow, or exit a business. He is the author of the book Launch and Stand Out, a guide to starting and growing a business with creative marketing and branding, and an accompanying podcast. In addition, he leads Hundred Grand Plan, a group that works with entrepreneurs and business owners looking to earn their first $100,000. He was named one of America’s Top 100 Urban Entrepreneurs and is also a 100 Men of Color honoree for his work in the community.

 

Jose Delgado

As director of Government Affairs at MGM Springfield, Jose Delgado manages relationships with state and local elected and administrative officials, represents MGM’s legislative agenda in Massachusetts, and builds and maintains relations with host communities and community stakeholders. Prior to that, he was a pre-admissions adviser and recruitment coordinator for the University Without Walls at UMass Amherst. A member of the 40 Under Forty class of 2014, his community roles have included vice chairman of the Springfield Puerto Rican Parade Committee, a board member of the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield, and a founding member of Suit Up Springfield.

 

Claudia Pazmany

As executive director of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, Claudia Pazmany blends business-development skills with deep experience in capital campaigns, philanthropy, community engagement, social media, and alumni. She is also the advisory board president of CHD’s Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County and has served as president of Friends of Amherst Recreation. Pazmany has served on many search committees and been a judge for the Berthiaume Center for  Entrepreneurship at UMass Amherst, and is currently working to support Greenfield Community College’s workforce-development initiative, serving on its Future of Work advisory committee. 

 

Payton Shubrick

Payton Shubrick, a 40 Under Forty honoree in 2019, is a home office technology strategist at MassMutual, where she has focused on fostering an innovative culture with the creation of ideation spaces that have evolved into open workspaces throughout the home office. She has also worked on multi-generational relationships, supporting understanding between senior and millennial employees. Additionally, she serves on the company’s diversity, inclusion, and equity committee, focused on the notion of ‘belonging’ for all employees. She most recently launched an adult-use marijuana establishment, 6 Brick’s LLC, and consults with Smallify, an innovation capacity-building firm.

 

Donna Yetter

Donna Yetter is a principal in Commercial Services at Melanson Heath, a certified public accounting firm in Greenfield.  For more than 30 years, she has been a trusted accounting and tax advisor, working closely with clients in need of tax-planning and personal and business tax-preparation services. A member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants, she also has extensive experience as a certified estate and trust specialist, which allows her to expand her range of services and partner with law firms and investment advisors who do not have full-time staff dedicated to this specialized area.

An Opportunity for Western Mass.

By
Opinion

Editorial

We’re not sure just how the people of this region should take this, but apparently Western Mass. is finally getting some attention.

That’s attention as in … things are soooo bad in and around Boston when it comes to congestion, traffic, and the sky-high cost of housing (and living in general) that some people are thinking about maybe — dare we say it — thinking about possibly giving this area a look.

That’s what we mean by attention.

It seems that, as officials and residents alike ask out loud about possible solutions to the worsening situation in Boston, Western Mass. — and Worcester in some cases — are being mentioned as places where people might go to escape what’s happening in Beantown.

A few months ago, BusinessWest talked with local realtor and real-estate manager Evan Plotkin, who firmly believes that Boston’s rents have gone so high that some business owners, as well as those who run some state agencies, might be willing to move to Springfield, where the lease rates are a fraction what they are in the 617 — and some of the other zip codes as well.

Meanwhile, a few weeks back, Boston Globe columnist Joan Vennochi submitted a piece with this headline: “The Solution to Boston’s Housing and Congestion Crisis? Western Mass.,” and the subhead: “With high-speed rail, plus a major attitude adjustment, Western Massachusetts could be Greater Boston’s new hot neighborhood.”

We’ll get to the rail and ‘attitude adjustment’ parts in a minute. First, that column…

In the article, at what appears to be an invite from state Sen. Eric Lesser — or maybe it’s a challenge — Vennochi visits Western Mass. and writes about getting off at exit 5 in Chicopee. Perhaps she’s simply role-playing (assuming the identity of someone who needs an introduction to this area), but her trek seems much like a visit to a foreign country. Maybe she brought her passport with her just in case.

She marvels at the low housing prices in Hampden County, raves about the co-work space available at the Brewer-Young Mansion in Longmeadow, and describes the Valley Venture Mentors offices in the Springfield Innovation Center as “cool space.” She goes on to interview some people living and working here, as well as one couple that left Boston for Holyoke and admit to not really missing the Hub that much.

Like many of her readers in the Boston area, this was a real learning experience, and one that might, that’s might, open some eyes.

But now we have to return to that subtitle and what amounts to huge caveats, or stumbling blocks, concerning Western Mass.

The first is rail service. Not many will be willing to leave much-higher-paying jobs in the Boston area to come here, and few will want to keep them and commute from here at the present two hours each way. So high-speed rail will be essential to getting more people to move to the 413.

The other problem is that attitude-adjustment thing. One is definitely needed if some people are even going to look west. It shouldn’t be that way, but it is.

A Shakeup at MGM Springfield

By
Opinion

Editorial

Mike Mathis, the individual who guided MGM Springfield through the permitting and construction phases and then the first 17 months of operation, is out at the South End resort casino. MGM has chosen to go in another direction, leadership-wise, and probably also with regard to how the casino operates.

Mathis’s ouster was announced Tuesday, and it was immediately linked to December’s record-low monthly performance for the Springfield casino when it comes to gross gaming revenues — under $19 million. That same month, Encore Boston had its best month since it opened last summer (with $54 million), and the juxtaposition of the numbers is telling.

What they show, at least from a gaming revenues standpoint, is that MGM is not attracting enough gamblers — it’s not bringing enough people to its doors. Chris Kelley, who ran MGM’s operation in Northfield Park in Ohio and took over in Springfield on Tuesday, will be charged with changing that equation. Mathis will assume a new role as senior vice president of Business Development at MGM, working on various company initiatives.

“We are excited to have Chris lead the MGM Springfield team,” said Jorge Perez, regional portfolio president of MGM Resorts International. “Chris’ experience in Ohio, rebranding and integrating a property and introducing MGM to the community, will be an asset for Springfield as we continue to work closely with the community and strive to not only be a world-class entertainment destination but also a good corporate neighbor.”

That won’t be an easy assignment. Indeed, while MGM Springfield has succeeded in bringing jobs, additional vibrancy, and opportunities for a number of small businesses, it hasn’t really succeeded in its primary mission — bringing people to Springfield.

This has been clear since the day it opened in August 2018, when visitation was well below what was expected. For roughly a year, Mathis repeatedly used the phrase ‘ramping up’ to describe what was happening, with the expectation — based on previous experience at other casinos — that the numbers would improve.

There have been some good months since, but the numbers haven’t improved significantly, if at all. And now that Encore Boston seems to be hitting its stride, it will that much more difficult to improve those gaming revenues.

From the start, the question has always been ‘will people come to Springfield?’ But there have been variations on that query, including ‘will people come to Springfield now that Encore Boston is open?’ and ‘will people come to Springfield instead of Boston, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and all the other places where there’s casino gambling?’

Roughly 17 months after the casino opened, the answer to the question is the proverbial ‘yes, but…’ And the ‘but’ is followed by ‘not enough of them.’

It’s clear that MGM will have to create more draws — like the highly successful Red Sox Winter Weekend that brought an estimated 10,000 people to Main Street — to bring individuals and groups to the City of Homes.

In short, people need more reasons to come to the Springfield casino, and it will be Chris Kelley’s assignment to create them.

Picture This

By
Picture This

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

A Home for Innovation

On Jan. 23, DevelopSpringfield celebrated the completion of the Springfield Innovation Center at 276 Bridge St., a $7.1 million project funded through state and federal tax credits, grants, foundation money, and private financing. U.S. Rep. Richard Neal (left, with Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno), who helped secure more than $1 million in federal tax credits to finance the project, noted that innovation is a key part of the country’s — and the region’s — story, and needs to continue to be. State Sens. Eric Lesser and James Welch and state Rep. Carlos Gonzalez were also on hand for the ceremony.

 

 

Scoring a Milestone

The Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Charity Golf Tournament celebrated an important milestone in 2019, pushing past the $1 million mark in donations to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The tournament hosted its 11th annual tournament on Aug. 19 at Twin Hills Country Club and Elmcrest Country Club, where attendees heard from Dr. Patrick Wen from the Neuro-Oncology Department at Dana-Farber (pictured, left, with Carla Cozenzi and Tommy Consenzi of TommyCar Auto Group) about the impact of the tournament on brain-cancer research. In its 11 years, the tournament has raised $1,086,487.50 for Dana-Farber.

 

Car Wash for a Good Cause

 

Balise Motor Sales helped make a difference this holiday season by raising $13,341.51 for Square One. Balise donated the first month’s payment from each unlimited monthly car-wash plan purchased in December at two Western Mass. locations. Balise is a longtime supporter of Square One, donating $5,000 in 2018 to support its Adopt-a-Classroom program, $10,000 in 2017 to help build a new indoor playspace, and $10,000 in 2016 to support the organization’s new fitness program, LAUNCH. Pictured, from left: Joan Kagan and Kristine Allard from Square One, Alexandra Balise from Balise Motor Sales, and Dawn DiStefano from Square One.

Toward a New Home

Florence Bank has pledged $7,500 to the Harmony House of Chicopee to help fund a renovation and expansion that will allow the nonprofit to improve services and care for more terminally ill individuals who live alone or lack a capable caregiver. Harmony House is currently fundraising to cover the cost of the $600,000 home renovation. It recently broke ground on a permanent and much larger home in the Aldenville section of Chicopee. Pictured, from left: Ger Ronan, president, Yankee Home; Maureen Buxton, West Springfield branch manager, Florence Bank; Ruth Willemain, Harmony House founder; Amy Corcoran, president, Harmony House board of directors; and Pamela Quirk, RN, house operations and volunteer committee chair, Harmony House.

Forging Connections

State Sen. Eric Lesser and state Rep. Brian Ashe toured Toner Plastics in East Longmeadow recently with members of the FORGE Manufacturing Initiative, which builds and fosters connections between regional suppliers and innovative startups across the Commonwealth. They were also joined by QUIKCORD, a regional startup that has worked with Toner Plastics to develop a life-saving utility case for military paracord. Pictured, from left: Lesser and Ashe take in the tour with Toner Plastics President Jack Warren.

MassHire Grand Opening

On Jan. 14, MassHire Springfield Career Center held a grand-opening celebration at its new facility on the third floor of 95 Liberty Street. About 125 people attended the event, which included guided tours of the 13,200-square-foot facility. Pictured, from left: state Rep. Carlos Gonzalez; Rosalin Acosta, state secretary of Labor & Workforce Development; Kevin Lynn, executive director of MassHire Springfield Career Center; Shayvonne Plummer, Springfield Office of Planning & Economic Development; Talia Gee, Springfield chief Diversity & Inclusion officer; and Gary MacDonald, vice president of AIM HR Solutions.

 

Cannabis Conference

The Springfield Regional Chamber hosted the region’s first-ever cannabis conference on Wed., Jan. 28: “The Buzz About Cannabis: Marijuana in the Marketplace and the Workplace.” Employers and employees from all over Western Mass. attended the conference to get some help navigating the brand new complex world of marijuana in Massachusetts.

Theory Wellness, soon to open a new location in Chicopee, presents at the exhibitor marketplace

Scott Foster, attorney at Bulkley Richardson, and Tina Sbrega, CEO of GFA Credit Union, present “Business Structure and Banking in the Cannabis Industry”

Daniel Fogarty and Mikayla Bell from NETA show their products at the exhibitor marketplace

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, answer questions about cannabis in the workplace

 

 

Court Dockets

By
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 SUPERIOR COURT

Jocelyne Soto v. M. Gomez Enterprises d/b/a Sam’s Quality Motors

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $50,000

Filed: 12/12/19

Ronald Albee v. Rehab Resolutions Inc.

Allegation: Medical malpractice: $36,464.98

Filed: 12/12/19

Lela Bennett v. Stop & Shop; Albany Road Real Estate Partners, LLC; and Asphalt Paving & Maintenance Inc.

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $45,000

Filed: 12/13/19

Stephen M. Efkowitz and Lauren Efkowitz v. Red Roof Inn PLUS+ and Red Roof Inns Inc.

Allegation: Bedbug infestation and other negligence causing personal injury: $16,500

Filed: 12/18/19

Jose Nieves v. RR and Co. Realty, LLC

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $24,079.78

Filed: 12/18/19

Camerlin Electric Inc. v. A & G Contracting Inc.

Allegation: Money owed for services, labor, and/or materials: $153,700

Filed: 12/26/19

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

Glenn Gulotta v. Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.; anesthesiologist John Doe; Daniel McBride, M.D.; nurse Jane Doe; and AMN Healthcare Inc.

Allegation: Medical malpractice: $110,000

Filed: 1/16/20

PALMER DISTRICT COURT

Marcia Johnson v. The Northeast Health Group Inc., Williamsett Center East RE LLC, and Howard Jaffe

Allegation: Failure to pay wages: <$25,000

Filed: 01/16/2020

Agenda

By
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 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, WWLP-22News is the media sponsor, and the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield is a partner. Other sponsorship opportunities are available.

Elms College Art Exhibit

Feb. 4 to March 2: The Borgia Gallery at Elms College of Our Lady of the Elms will present an exhibition of artwork by Andrae and Priya Nadkarni Green, married painters from Springfield. “Ambidextrous” will be on display in the gallery from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, except college holidays and school closures. An opening reception will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 4 from noon to 1 p.m. Andrae and Priya have been married for the better part of the last decade. Although they work separately in their respective styles, they find inspiration in similar experiences and concepts. The couple recently began working together through public art projects, teaching together, as well as challenging each other to ‘paint battles’ where they both paint the same image in their own styles. This exhibition celebrates the spirit of competition, camaraderie, and partnership. Each time the show travels, the work changes, and it is a chance to see their works in conversation with each other — to observe the similarities, differences, and the overall effect of the two bodies of work in harmony. Admission to the Borgia Gallery is free and open to the public. The gallery is located on the second floor of the Dooley College Center on the Elms College campus at 291 Springfield St. in Chicopee.

Black History Month Event at Bay Path

Feb. 5: Vocalist, strategist, and speaker Traciana Graves believes people have the ability to change the world with the power of their voice, and she’ll bring that inspirational message to Bay Path University as the keynote speaker for its Black History Month celebration. Having presented to more than 300 Fortune 500 companies and colleges, including Forbes, JPMorgan, American Express, and the WNBA, Graves strives to make the potentially uncomfortable conversation about diversity and inclusion safe, engaging, and effective. Voted one of America’s Most Fearless Women by the Huffington Post, Graves’ will bring her unique perspective to Bay Path with a discussion focusing on hopes, dreams, and social justice. The talk will begin at 7 p.m., with a reception to follow. This free event is open to the community and will be held on the Bay Path Longmeadow campus at Mills Theatre in Carr Hall, 588 Longmeadow St. For more information and to register, visit tracianagraves.eventbrite.com.

Rotary Club of Enfield Wine and Beer Tasting

Feb. 6: The Rotary Club of Enfield announced that local musician Brian Jarvis will perform at the club’s wine- and beer-tasting event from 6 to 8 p.m. in Asnuntuck Community College’s Conference Center. The evening includes live music, appetizers and desserts, beer and wine tastings, and a silent auction. Tickets cost $25 and can be purchased by contacting Julie Cotnoir at (860) 745-3350 or Caroline Salazar at (619) 997-0548.

Sweetheart Dance to Benefit Harmony House

Feb. 15: Harmony House of Western Massachusetts will be the beneficiary of the upcoming Sweetheart Dance sponsored by the Pioneer Valley Harley Owner’s Group (HOG) and the Knights of Columbus (K of C) Council 4044 of Chicopee, to be held at the Castle of Knights, 1599 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. The event begins at 5 p.m. with cocktails, and dinner will be served at 6 p.m., followed by dancing, fun, and raffle prizes. The cost is $40 per person or $75 per couple, and included will be dinner, dessert, and music by DJ Stephan. Dress is casual — Valentine’s Day attire is optional — and seating is open. Proceeds from this event will benefit Harmony House of Western Massachusetts, a home for the terminally ill, along with the Thanksgiving Dinner produced annually by the Knights of Columbus, Council 4044. Tickets are available at the K of C member lounge on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6 to 7:30 p.m., or by calling Steve Dubreuil of the K of C at (413) 250-1677, Libby Martel of Pioneer Valley HOG at (413) 530-1389, or Amy Corcoran of Harmony House at (954) 495-3236.

Children’s Safety Program

Feb. 15, 22: Holyoke Community College (HCC) is running a two-day program designed to teach children how to protect themselves from violence and harm in their daily lives. The program, called radKIDS, is for children 6 to 12 years old and will run over two consecutive Saturdays at HCC’s Bartley Center for Athletics and Recreation. The sessions will be led by Kellie Cournoyer-Cronk and Maggie Brown, two area law-enforcement veterans and trainers certified by the radKIDS national nonprofit network. According to its website, radKIDS is a “fun, activity-based program” whose curriculum includes home, school, and vehicle safety; bullying prevention; abduction defense; and personal space/personal touch safety with a goal of “replacing fear with knowledge, skills, and power by enhancing a child’s critical-thinking abilities and physical-resistance skills.” The $75 program fee includes snacks, water, and a T-shirt. To register, visit hcc.edu/bce and search for ‘radKIDS’ or call HCC Community Services at (413) 552-2123.

Real-estate Licensing Course

Feb. 19 to March 19: The Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley will sponsor a 40-hour, 14-class sales licensing course to help individuals prepare for the Massachusetts real-estate salesperson license exam. The course will be completed on March 19. Tuition is $400 and includes the book and materials. For an application, call the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley at (413) 785-1328 or visit www.rapv.com.

Legal Interpreting Certificate Program

Starting Feb. 25: Interested in working as a legal interpreter? Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) will a training course that runs through April, with classes meeting Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Offered as a certificate program through the Workforce Development Center at STCC, this class is open to Spanish-, Portuguese-, Arabic-, and Russian-speaking students who would like to expand their interpreting skills in legal settings. Interpreting is a high-demand field, with jobs expected to grow by 19% through 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Large increases in the number of non-English-speaking people in the U.S. will drive growth, the bureau reports. The course will cover the most in-demand types of hearings, such as due-process hearings, unemployment hearings, and depositions. Students will learn legal terminology and procedural protocols needed to interpret for these various types of hearings. In addition, students will have the opportunity for intense practice through mock hearings, which will give them the experience and comfort level needed to apply for work in the field. Trained legal interpreters are in demand throughout Massachusetts and nationwide in law offices, schools, state agencies, and contracting agencies. For more information and to enroll online, visit stcc.edu/wdc/descriptions/legal-interpreting. To contact the Workforce Development Center office, call (413) 755-4225.

Difference Makers Gala

March 19: The 11th annual Difference Makers gala will take place at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. BusinessWest launched its Difference Makers program in 2009 to celebrate individuals, groups, organizations, and families that are positively impacting the Pioneer Valley and are, as the name suggests, making a difference in this region. The class of 2020 is profiled in this issue of BusinessWest. Tickets cost $75. To reserve a spot, e-mail [email protected] or visit businesswest.com. Difference Makers is sponsored by Burkhart Pizzanelli, Royal, P.C., and TommyCar Auto Group, while the Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Charity Golf Tournement, MHA, and United Way of Pioneer Valley are partners. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available.

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. Suzy Batiz, who will deliver the morning address to open the conference, earned a place on Forbes’ list of most successful self-made women — and an estimated net worth of $260 million — by creating of a suite of eco-minded household products, including Poo-Pourri, a toilet spray she developed to combat bathroom odors. Patrice Banks (no relation to Tyra) will address the audience at lunchtime. She is the owner of the Girls Auto Clinic and Clutch Beauty Bar, an auto mechanic shop and beauty bar staffed by women. She is also the founder of the SheCANics movement, which looks to demystify car repair and engage more women in the automotive industry. For further information on the conference and to register, visit www.baypathconference.com.

Chamber Corners: Upcoming Events

By
Chamber Corners

AMHERST AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.amherstarea.com

(413) 253-0700

• Feb. 6: Amherst Pitch Night with Valley Venture Mentors, 5-7 p.m., hosted by AmherstWorks. A collaboration with Valley Venture Mentors, the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship at UMass Amherst, Hampshire College, the Amherst Economic Development Department, and AmherstWorks, the Amherst Pitch Night will be an opportunity to network, meet new and upcoming businesses, and possibly win some cash prizes. Cost: $5 and optional donation to best pitch prize pool. For more information and to register, visit amherstarea.com.

• Feb. 12: Going Green & Saving Green Luncheon, 12-2 p.m., hosted by Hitchcock Center for the Environment. Panel discussion and lunch featuring local experts in sustainability sharing strategies to implement sustainable practices that will save organizations dollars and help save the planet at the same time. Cost: $25 for members, $35 for non-members. For more information and to register, visit amherstarea.com.

BRADLEY REGIONAL CHAMBER

bradleyregionalchamber.org

(860) 653-3833

• Feb. 11: TVCA Business After Hours, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Luppoleto Brewing Co., 20 Main St., Windsor Locks. Networking with six chambers, beer or soda drink ticket, appetizers, raffle prizes, and cash bar. Spotlight your business with a sponsorship. Cost: free for members, $20 for non-members.

 

GREATER EASTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.easthamptonchamber.org

(413) 527-9414

• Feb. 13: In the Know, 8:30-10 a.m., hosted by the Inn on Boltwood, 30 Boltwood Ave., Amherst. Continuing the popular series begun last year, In the Know will feature panelists Jeff Bujak, Prodigy; Michelle Zimora, Z Wraps; and Dan LiBissionnault, Dan’s Power Plant, Fauxmaggio Cheese. They will share what keeps them up at night, how they deal with those issues, and how they handle their surprisingly quick success. A light breakfast and coffee will be served. Cost: $15 for members, $30 for future members. Pre-registration is required; there will be no at-the-door registration. For more information and to register, visit www.easthamptonchamber.org or call the chamber at (413) 527-9414.

• Feb. 20: Books & Joe with Moe, 8:30-10 a.m., hosted by the chamber office, 33 Union St., Easthampton. This will be the second in a series of four meetings. Join like-minded individuals for an intellectual discussion sparked by reading books. Sponsored by Richard’s Fuel & Heating Co. and Freedom Credit Union. Cost: $99 per person for the entire series. Coffee and a light breakfast will be served. Participants are required to obtain their own copy of the book explored. For more information and to register, visit www.easthamptonchamber.org or call the chamber at (413) 527-9414.

• Feb. 25: Networking by Night, 4-6 p.m., hosted by Packard’s, 14 Masonic St., Northampton. We will enjoy a fun-filled evening of building friendships and business relationships, along with food, a cash bar, and networking. Cost: free for members, $25 for future members. Pre-registration is required and closes on Feb. 15. There will be no at-the-door registrations. For more information and to register, visit www.easthamptonchamber.org or call the chamber at (413) 527-9414.

 

GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.explorenorthampton.com

(413) 584-1900

• Feb. 5: Arrive@5, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Artifact Cider Project. Monthly networking and connection presented by the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce. Come when you can, stay as long as you can. Featuring libations and flatbreads from Artifact Cider Project in its new taproom in Florence. Cost: $10 for members, $14 for non-members. RSVP at www.northamptonchamber.com/chamber-events/arrive5.

• Feb. 25: Nonprofit Resource Roundtable, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Come together with nonprofit professionals for a monthly conversation facilitated by Kristin Elechko of Cascade Consulting. Cost: free. RSVP at www.northamptonchamber.com/chamber-events/workshops.

 

GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.westfieldbiz.org

(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 information and to register, visit westfieldbiz.org/events or call (413) 568-1618.

• March 2: Mayor’s Coffee Hour, 8-9 a.m., hosted by Tighe & Bond, 53 Southampton Road, Westfield. Join us for coffee with Westfield Mayor Donald Humason. The event is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is requested so we may give our host a proper head count. For more information and to register, visit westfieldbiz.org/events or call (413) 568-1618.

March 13: St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast, 7-9 a.m., hosted by Westfield State University, Scanlon Hall, 577 Western Ave., Westfield. Platinum sponsor: Westfield State University; coffee bar sponsor: Westfield Starfires; in-kind sponsor: Flowers by Webster. Join us for our annual St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast as we honor our 2020 Sons of Erin Colleen and her court, Irishwoman of the Year, Irishman of the Year, and Parade Marshal. Guest speaker is Associate Justice Edward McDonough Jr. of the Massachusetts Appeal Court. Cost: $28 for members, $43 for non-members. For more information and to register, visit www.westfieldbiz.org/events or contact the chamber at (413) 568-1618.

 

PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CHAMBER

www.springfieldregionalchamber.com

(413) 787-1555

• Feb. 10: PWC Headline Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., hosted by Storrowton Tavern, 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. Featuring Karla Medina, retired Hartford police sergeant and owner and founder of Sudor Taino Fitness. Cost: $35 for PWC members, $40 general admission, $25 for students. To make a reservation, visit www.springfieldregionalchamber.com, e-mail [email protected], or call (413) 755-1310.

 

SPRINGFIELD REGIONAL CHAMBER

www.springfieldregionalchamber.com

(413) 787-1555

• Feb. 5: “The 2020 Elections: Fasten Your Seatbelts — From Massachusetts to the Beltway, It’s All on the Line” Rise & Shine Business Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., hosted by MassMutual Center, 1277 Main St., Springfield. Featuring political consultant Tony Cignoli. Cost: $25 for members in advance ($30 at the door), $35 general admission in advance ($40 at the door).

• 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 in advance ($60 at the door), $60 general admission in advance ($70 at the door).

• Feb. 27: Leadership Institute professional development program kickoff, 1-4:30 p.m., hosted by TD Bank Conference Center, 1441 Main St., Springfield.

• March 6: Outlook 2020 hosted by U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., hosted by MassMutual Center, 1277 Main St., Springfield. Cost: $60 for members in advance, $80 general admission. Tables of 10 available. Reservation deadline: Feb. 26. No walk-ins will be accepted.

• March 24: Multi-chamber Speed Networking in partnership with the Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce, 7:15-9 a.m., hosted by Summit View Meeting House, 555 Northampton St., Holyoke. Cost: $20 for members in advance ($30 at the door), $30 general admission in advance ($40 at the door).

To register for any Springfield Regional Chamber event, 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

• Feb. 5: Wicked Wednesday, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Carrabba’s Italian Grill, West Springfield. Wicked Wednesdays are monthly social events, hosted by various businesses and restaurants, that bring members and non-members together to network in a laid-back atmosphere. For more information about this event, contact the chamber office at (413) 426-3880, or register at www.westoftheriverchamber.com.

• Feb. 27: Co-chamber Lunch ‘n’ Learn Seminar: “The State of Small Business in Western Mass.,” 12-1:30 p.m., hosted by Springfield Country Club, West Springfield. Enjoy lunch while learning about changes in small-business laws, minimum wage, PFML, and ways to overcome business challenges in Western Mass. Join us and ERC5 as we learn all there is to know. Register online at www.westoftheriverchamber.com. For more information, contact the chamber office at (413) 426-3880 or [email protected].

• March 19: Mayoral Breakfast, 7:30-9 a.m., hosted by Storrowton Tavern & Carriage House, West Springfield. Presenting Sponsor: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. Join us for an informative discussion with our mayors, who will update guests on all that is going on in our towns individually and collaboratively. To register or sponsor, visit www.westoftheriverchamber.com.

 

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY OF GREATER SPRINGFIELD

springfieldyps.com

• Feb. 20: YPS Third Thursday Networking Night, 5-7 p.m., hosted by BarKaya! Enjoy complimentary, handcrafted appetizers and a cash bar. Cost: free for YPS members, $10 for non-members. Register at springfieldyps.com.

• March 19: YPS Third Thursday Networking Night, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Trinity Pub at the Irish Cultural Center. Enjoy complimentary appetizers, a cash bar, and live Irish music. Cost: free for YPS members, $10 for non-members. Register at springfieldyps.com.

• April 16: YPS Third Thursday Networking Night, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Towne Taproom. Enjoy complimentary appetizers and a cash bar. Cost: free for YPS members, $10 for non-members. Register at springfieldyps.com.

• May 2: Fourth annual YPS Adult Field Day, 9 a.m. to noon, hosted by Extra Innings and Train for Life of Chicopee. This throwback to elementary school is built with adults in mind for a team-building competition. Register at www.runreg.com/ypsfieldday. Registration includes participation in activities, after party and lunch from 350 Grill, T-shirt, DJ, prizes, refreshments, and more. Early-bird pricing and sponsorships are available.

People on the Move

By
People on the Move

Jonathan Breton

Bacon Wilson announced that Jonathan Breton has been named the firm’s newest shareholder. Breton has extensive experience in business law, with particular emphasis on commercial transactions, including business formation, mergers and acquisitions, matters of corporate governance, and commercial loans. In addition to his experience with business law, Breton also works on all aspects of commercial and residential real-estate matters. He is licensed to practice in both Massachusetts and Connecticut.

•••••

Sue Drumm

Sue Drumm was installed as the 2020 president of the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley (RAPV), a nonprofit trade association with more than 1,800 members. More than 140 people were in attendance at the 105th annual installation of officers and directors held on Jan. 9 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. Drumm is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Longmeadow. She has been active in real estate since 2009 and has served on the RAPV board of directors since 2013. She is involved in several committees at the association, including the community service, education fair and expo, finance, government affairs, and member engagement committees. In addition to the president, the 2020 RAPV officers installed include Elias Acuña as president-elect, Shawn Bowman as treasurer, Cheryl Malandrinos as secretary, and Kelly Page as immediate past president. Directors include Arlene Castellano, Luci Giguere, Lori Grant, Sharyn Jones, Peter Davies, Janise Fitzpatrick, Sara Gasparrini, Cheryl Malandrinos, and Clinton Stone.

•••••

Whittlesey announced the promotions of Tom Dowling and Chris Nadeau to director. Dowling joined the firm in 2017 and has more than 10 years of experience in assurance, tax, and advisory services. His primary focus is on assurance and advisory services for closely held businesses and nonprofit organizations. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accountancy and a master’s degree in taxation from Bentley University and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants (MSCPA), as well as the Assoc. of Certified Fraud Examiners. Nadeau joined the firm in 2015 and has more than 13 years of experience in public and private industry accounting. His primary focus is on business valuations for closely held businesses and professional service and medical practices. He is a member of the firm’s strategic leadership group. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, both in accounting, from Westfield State University and is a member of AICPA, MSCPA, and the Institute of Management Accountants. He is a certified valuation analyst, a credential issued by the National Assoc. for Certified Valuators and Analysts, as well as a certified management accountant and a certified information technology professional.

•••••

Pamela Ortiz

Webber & Grinnell Insurance recently welcomed Pamela Ortiz as a business development specialist working in its Holyoke branch, Ross, Webber & Grinnell. She will be responsible for business development of home and auto business in Hampden County. Most recently, Ortiz was a licensed sales producer at Allstate and a customer-service representative at Farm Family Insurance. She is licensed in property and casualty, life, and medical in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

•••••

American Outdoor Brands Corp. announced that its board of directors has named Mark Smith and Brian Murphy co-presidents and co-CEOs of the company, effective immediately. Smith was most recently president of the Manufacturing Services Division of the company, while Murphy was most recently president of the Outdoor Products & Accessories Division. In their co-leadership roles, Smith and Murphy succeed James Debney, who has separated as president and CEO and as a director of the company, following the determination by the board of directors that he engaged in conduct inconsistent with a non-financial company policy. The company is proceeding with its previously announced plan to spin off its outdoor products and accessories business as a tax-free stock dividend to its stockholders in the second half of 2020, a transaction that would create two independent, publicly traded companies: Smith & Wesson Brands Inc. (which would encompass the firearm business) and American Outdoor Brands Inc. (which would encompass the outdoor products and accessories business). Jeffrey Buchanan, chief financial officer, will continue to serve as the lead executive on coordinating and executing the separation of the two businesses. Upon completion of the transaction, and as previously announced, Smith will become president and CEO of Smith & Wesson Brands Inc., and Murphy, will become president and CEO of American Outdoor Brands Inc.

•••••

Ryan Barry

Elizabeth Zuckerman

Bulkley Richardson recently announced two promotions. Ryan Barry has become a partner at the firm, and Elizabeth Zuckerman has become counsel. Barry joined the firm in 2015 as an associate in the business department and focuses on traditional business practices, including healthcare, construction, and schools. More recently, he has been instrumental in the development of emerging practices such as cannabis, craft brew, and cybersecurity. Zuckerman joined the firm in 2014 as an associate in the litigation department, where her practice focuses on general commercial litigation, First Amendment issues, and defamation. She has a history of successfully litigating complex cases in both state and federal courts with both local and national significance.

•••••

The Collins Companies, one of the largest industrial distributors of pipe, valves, fittings, and engineered specialties serving the Northeast, announced a change in executive management roles effective Jan. 1. Brian Tuohey, owner and president of Collins, will be assuming the role of CEO and has promoted Vice President of Sales Paul Andruszkiewicz to president. In addition to these changes, Dave Shepard, branch manager of the Haverhill sales office, will lead the Collins sales team as director of Sales. He has more than 25 years of experience in the industry, first purchasing for Atwood and Morrill and then in sales for Power House Supply before Collins acquired Power House in 2015. Headquartered in East Windsor, Conn., the Collins Companies is comprised of Collins Pipe & Supply Co., Collins Controls, Niagara Controls, Collins Niagara, Power House Supply Co., and International Valve and Instrument, with nine locations throughout New England and Upstate New York.

•••••

Kylie LaPlante

Dina Merwin

Monson Savings Bank (MSB) recently announced three promotions. Kelly Collins has been promoted to assistant vice president, marketing officer. She joined MSB in February 2016 as marketing officer and has worked hard to promote the MSB brand over the last few years. She is passionate about sharing the bank’s story and successes. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and marketing, has an extensive background in marketing, and recently graduated from the Leadership Pioneer Valley program. Kylie LaPlante has been promoted to the position of business development officer. She joined the MSB team in December 2011 as a CSA (teller). She went on to earn positions of CSA supervisor, assistant branch manager, branch manager, and in December 2018 began working as a business relationship manager. She has a bachelor’s degree in management and is a graduate of the New England School for Financial Studies. Dina Merwin has been promoted to senior vice president, chief risk and senior compliance officer. She joined MSB in June 2013 as a compliance officer. She worked hard to build a successful compliance program for the bank and was promoted to positions of assistant vice president, vice president, and most recently first vice president, compliance and BSA officer. She attended Springfield Technical Community College, Quinsigamond Community College, and Worcester State College, and is a graduate of the Massachusetts School for Financial Studies and the National School of Banking.

•••••

Jessica Derouin has rejoined the Training Resources of America Inc. (TRA) team as manager of the Springfield office located at 32-34 Hampden St. She had previously been employed by TRA for eight years, serving as Western Mass. regional manager, assistant manager, and instructor/case manager. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from River College in New Hampshire. TRA, headquartered in Worcester, is a private, nonprofit organization that has been providing education, employment, and training services.

•••••

Dr. Estevan Garcia

Treehouse Foundation, a nonprofit that supports children and youth who have experienced foster care, their foster adoptive families, and older adults who live at the intergenerational Treehouse Community, announced that Dr. Estevan Garcia, who joined the board last year, will serve as board president. He is an adoptive foster parent with experience in the New York and Washington child-welfare systems. Additionally, four of his own siblings were adopted, three from the foster care system. Pete Crisafulli, a Realtor with Taylor Realty, also joins the board. Prior to joining the real-estate firm, he spent many years working to protect children. He was the Western Mass. director of MSPCC KidsNet and later worked in the Frontier Regional School district, becoming the assistant principal of Deerfield Elementary School and later the principal at Whately Elementary School for nine years. Since 2006, Treehouse Easthampton has been home to more than 100 community members, ranging in age from newborns to age 92. This neighborhood, where families adopting children from foster care live next door to seniors, is a hub of foster care, adoption, housing, and aging innovation for the region and the nation.

•••••

Kurt Shouse

Florence Bank promoted Kurt Shouse to the position of vice president, information and cybersecurity officer. Shouse brings extensive knowledge and skills to his new role. Prior to his recent promotion, he was the assistant vice president, information and cybersecurity officer. Shouse studied at UMass Amherst, where he received his bachelor of business administration degree in management studies. Additionally, he studied at Utica College, where he received his master’s degree in cyber operations and computer forensics. He earned certification from SANS Institute Global Security Essentials (GSEC), which demonstrates a high-level skill set of hands-on information technology with respect to security tasks. Shouse serves his community as a board member with Northampton’s Dollars for Scholars.

•••••

John Pember has joined Westfield Bank as vice president and commercial loan officer. He will be based in the West Hartford, Conn. office and will help lead the bank’s commercial-lending efforts in the Greater Hartford area. Pember has been in the financial-services industry since 2006. After holding various positions in retail and credit risk, he transitioned to commercial lending in 2014 at Farmington Bank and then held a similar role at United Bank. He graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Business in 2006 and was a Michael J. Piette Honors recipient from the Connecticut School of Finance & Management. In addition to his professional accomplishments, he is co-chair of the young professionals committee for the Real Estate Finance Assoc. and is a member of Hartford Young Professionals & Entrepreneurs, the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce, and the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce.

•••••

Jon Reske

Craig Boivin

Jon Reske, longtime vice president of Marketing at UMassFive College Federal Credit Union, has retired after leading the credit union’s marketing function for more than 23 years, and Craig Boivin has been promoted to the position of vice president of Marketing. Reske founded the UMassFive marketing department — spearheading a model of constant innovation and expansion — that today boasts leading-edge capabilities including in-house graphic design, social media, digital marketing, and marketing analytics. For the duration of his tenure, he represented UMassFive as lead press contact and a member of the senior management team. Over the last seven years, Boivin has taken on various roles within the Marketing department at UMassFive — most recently as interim vice president — and overseen many successful initiatives, including the credit union’s latest website redesign, implementation of the Buzz Points rewards program, and promotion of UMassFive’s sustainability loan products. In addition to the experience he has gained on the job, he continues to learn and expand his skillset. He will soon be completing the three-year CUNA Marketing & Business Development Certification School and is also enrolled at the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, pursuing a master’s degree in business administration. With this promotion, Boivin will continue to focus on promoting the UMassFive mission and brand, as well as lead public-relations efforts and oversight of the credit union’s Marketing team.

•••••

Meredith Wise, president of the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast (EANE), recently announced the addition of four new members to the EANE board of directors for three-year terms. Toni Hendrix is director of Human Resources and Compliance with Loomis Communities, where she is responsible for partnering with leadership to promote HR management practices to ensure fair, equitable, and consistent treatment of employees while minimizing the potential for legal liability. She also provides consultation and developmental support to leaders and team members relative to employee engagement, policy interpretation, change management, and performance management. Mike Hyland, CEO of Venture Community Services in Sturbridge, brings more than 25 years of experience and a sound history of nonprofit leadership. At the helm of Venture, Hyland focuses on ways to improve services and enhance the lives of the people the agency supports, as well as the employees. The EANE board represents a cross section of professionals throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island who provide certified expertise in the areas of business, human resources, and financial management. The other two new EANE board members are based in Providence, R.I.: Michelle Cunniff, director of Human Resource Services at AIPSO, and Gregory Tumolo, senior counsel and head of the employment-law team at Duffy & Sweeney, LTD.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

Red Sox Winter Weekend, Hoophall Classic Inject $7 Million into Economy

SPRINGFIELD — More than 10,000 people attended Red Sox Winter Weekend and the Hoophall Classic in Greater Springfield in January, and their economic impact on the region was significant, according to the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau (GSCVB), which calculated that approximately $7 million was injected into the local economy as a result of these events. Economic impact is calculated using a tourism-industry tool, inputting spending figures in categories like the number of attendees, room nights sold, venue rental, and the cost of food and beverages during the period. Visitor rooms were booked in downtown Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke, and West Springfield. Red Sox Winter Weekend occupied space at the MassMutual Center and MGM Springfield, while the Hoophall Classic was held on the grounds of nearby Springfield College.

PeoplesBank Gives $75,000 to Girls Inc. of the Valley

HOLYOKE — PeoplesBank presented $75,000 to Girls Inc. toward a $5 million comprehensive campaign with three primary goals: to build a permanent home in downtown Holyoke; expand school-based programming in Holyoke, Chicopee, and Springfield; and extend the Eureka! STEM education program. As a result of the campaign, Girls Inc. of the Valley will serve more than 1,000 girls each year with intensive, research-based programming designed to empower girls and provide opportunities to succeed in school and beyond. This partnership will help Girls Inc. of the Valley to expand its program offerings and create a stronger network that encourages girls to achieve, and contributes to the bank’s goals of community vibrancy and academic excellence. The need for qualified science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professionals in the workforce continues to grow, and women — particularly women of color — continue to be underrepresented in these fields. Girls Inc. of the Valley programs like Eureka! expose girls to the STEM fields and support them with mentors and guidance, specialized curricula, internships, and other hands-on opportunities to nurture their curiosity and interests. The “Her Future, Our Future” comprehensive campaign is designed to significantly move the needle on breaking the cycle of poverty and providing tangible opportunities for Pioneer Valley girls to achieve academic and personal success.

New England Business Associates Launches Learn to Earn Initiative

SPRINGFIELD — New England Business Associates (NEBA), a supported employment provider in Massachusetts and Connecticut, is celebrating the launch of its Learn to Earn initiative, thanks to a Kessler Foundation Signature Employment Grant that will fund the project for two years. The initiative, intended to introduce, train, and place four cohorts of employment candidates with disabilities to entry-level manufacturing positions, is the brainchild of NEBA CEO Jeannine Pavlak. The need for qualified employees to fill positions in the manufacturing industry is becoming critical; in many areas of the U.S., upwards of 35% of current manufacturing jobs will become vacant due to retirement by 2022. Pavlak, who is recognized nationally as a subject matter expert in disability employment, sees this as an opportunity. Manufacturing is not currently viewed as a typical pathway to gainful employment for people with disabilities, but there’s no reason it can’t become one. Learn to Earn will give identified candidates the initial training and skills needed to succeed in a manufacturing environment. Over the next two years, 48 candidates with disabilities and barriers to employment will be identified and receive Level 1 and 2 MACWIC manufacturing training and OSHA training, in partnership with MassMEP in Massachusetts and ConnStep in Connecticut. Candidates will also receive NEBA’s customized career-ladders training, designed to cater to individual needs in building employment skills. The goal of Learn to Earn is to place candidates in manufacturing positions that will allow them to earn a sustainable income, eliminate the need for public assistance, and foster growth and future promotions in the field. After placement, employees and employers will be given access to Tooling U-SME, a customized online platform with more than 800 manufacturing courses, allowing employers to identify and customize specific trainings for Learn to Earn employees. Those interested in learning more about the Learn to Earn initiative may e-mail inquiries to [email protected] or call NEBA at (413) 821-9200.

UMass Online Programs Highly Ranked Nationally

BOSTON — Online programs at UMass received high marks again in this year’s Best Online Programs rankings by U.S. News & World Report. Two UMass programs ranked within the top 30 in the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs category, with UMass Amherst ranking 23rd and UMass Lowell 29th. Amherst and Lowell were also the top two online bachelor’s programs in New England for the second consecutive year. In the same category, UMass Dartmouth ranked 113th, rising 10 spots over last year’s rankings, and UMass Boston ranked 93rd. UMass Amherst and UMass Lowell were also highly ranked in the new Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans category, coming in at 18th and 22nd in the nation, respectively. Three UMass online MBA programs rank in the top 100 nationally, with UMass Lowell placing 22nd, UMass Amherst 28th, and UMass Dartmouth 95th. In the Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans category, the same campuses perform even better, with UMass Lowell ranking 16th, UMass Amherst 22nd, and UMass Dartmouth ranking 53rd. Online programs at UMass have been steadily growing in recent years, with total revenues reaching a record-high $116 million in fiscal year 2019.

Monson Savings Bank Seeks Scholarship Applications

MONSON — The 2020 Monson Savings Bank scholarship application is now available to graduating high-school seniors residing in Hampden and Wilbraham. Applications are available at 15 Somers Road, Hampden, and 100 Post Office Park, Wilbraham. The purpose of the Monson Savings Bank scholarship is to promote the attainment of higher education for graduating seniors who reside within the bank’s footprint. Three $2,000 scholarships will awarded to graduating seniors who reside in Hampden or Wilbraham. Graduating seniors must be planning to attend an accredited college, technical school, or certification program. Scholarship awards will be based on the applicant’s financial need, academic performance, extracurricular activities during and after school, work experience, and music, arts, and sports programs. A candidate for this scholarship should also demonstrate a commitment to his or her community, and include an essay outlining that service and its impact. The deadline for application acceptance is April 6. The completed application and required supporting documents will be accepted by mail or electronically. Any questions should be directed to Donna Easton-Vicalvi at (413) 725-4560 or [email protected].

Five College Consortium Wins $2.5M Grant for Native and Indigenous Studies

AMHERST — Five Colleges Inc. has been awarded a $2.5 million, four-year grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to help its member campuses transform how they approach Native American and indigenous studies (NAIS), with the goal of enhancing teaching, learning, and scholarship in the field. The grant is one of the largest made by foundation to the consortium to date, and is also one of the consortium’s largest grant awards from any funder in its 50-year history. The Five College campuses — Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges and UMass Amherst — are located in the Kwinitekw (Connecticut River) Valley, which has historically been a crossroads of indigenous nations. Today it remains a central gathering place for NAIS scholars as well as for Native American and indigenous leaders, artists, writers, and activists. Called “Gathering at the Crossroads: Building Native American and Indigenous Studies at the Five College Consortium,” the effort will allow the campuses to develop and establish a set of new academic pathways for students interested in Native American and indigenous Studies — supported by new faculty, new courses, and new course modules — as well as create new advising structures to guide students through these academic options. The grant includes funding to bring a variety of scholars and indigenous experts to the campuses to collaborate in this work.

Land O’Lakes Taps Northstar Recycling for Innovative Sustainability Solutions

EAST LONGMEADOW — Like many major companies, Land O’Lakes has become increasingly committed to sustainability initiatives in recent years. For example, Purina Animal Nutrition, a Land O’Lakes subsidiary, recently set out to develop a cost-effective recycling solution for used Purina feed tubs, a difficult and logistically complex objective. Land O’Lakes called on Northstar Recycling, its recycling partner for all of the U.S. and Canada, to handle this challenge. Purina feed tubs present recycling issues because, by necessity, they need to be constructed of heavy, durable material — often rigid vplastics — to stand up to rough shipping conditions, inclement weather, and, of course, hungry animals. Another challenge was creating a process for collecting the used tubs from farmers across the country. After analyzing the plastics market and consulting with longstanding plastic-recycling partners, Northstar determined that plastic lumber manufacturers would have the greatest demand for the used Purina feed tubs. Northstar then selected the optimal partner and worked with Purina on the logistics of this pilot program to ensure smooth implementation. Additionally, working with a plastic lumber producer gave Purina the opportunity to create a unique and innovative customer experience and launch Project Re-Coop. Through this initiative, the plastic lumber made from recycled Purina feed tubs is used to construct floating chicken coops that protect chickens against flooding — a timely project, as Hurricane Florence alone killed an estimated 3.4 million chickens.

Incorporations

By
Incorporations

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

CHICOPEE

Defario Cleaning Services Inc., 672 Mckinstry Ave., Chicopee, MA 01020. Geovacir Goncalves Defario, same. Professional cleaning and janitorial services.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Helping Others Corp., 30 Oak Brook Dr., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Jose Cid, same. Right at Home franchise.

FEEDING HILLS

Ever Build Inc., 24 Carol Ave., Feeding Hills, MA01030. Michael J. Shepard, 542 Rock Valley Rpad, Holyoke, MA 01040. Construction.

GREENFIELD

Dustbunnies Professional Cleaning Inc., 9 Pierce St., Greenfield, MA 01301. Gina Roy, same. Home and office cleaning.

Firefact Investigations Inc., 35 Revere Circle, Greenfield, MA 01301. Stephen Houghton, same. Fire and explosion investigation.

HOLYOKE

Hothouse Holyoke Inc., 90 Seargent St., Holyoke, MA 01040. Audrey Yu Park, same. Wholesale production of allergen-friendly snacks.

MONSON

Hoof Beats 4 Change Inc., 111 May Hill Road, Monson, MA 01057. Jessy Shea, same. Dedicated to transforming lives through the power of the horse and helping people develop the skills they need to confidently move forward in life.

OAKHAM

East Hill Designs Inc., 1235 East Hill Road, Oakham, MA 01068. Kathleen M. Dunn, same. Kitchen and bath design.

SPRINGFIELD

Eugenio Construction Inc., 140 Waldorf St., Springfield, MA 01109. Stefanie Mejia, same. General home remodeling.

Fishers of Men New England Inc., 2660 Main St., Springfield, MA 01107. Daniel Torres, 20 Lafayette St., Springfield, MA 01107. To provide instruction and implementation of leadership, management and growth programs to ministers, board of directors and members of churches, religious organizations and community organizations.

Heavy Transportation Inc., 45 Itendale St., Springfield, MA 01108. Hancel Valentin, same. Transportation.

TURNERS FALLS

Hearts of The Most Holy Trinity Inc., 32 Central St. Apt. 1, Turners Falls, MA 01376. Elizabeth Guedez, same. Evangelization.

WEST HATFIELD

Fields Center Inc., 117 Linseed Road, West Hatfield, MA 01088. Jennifer A. Bogin, same. Provide services to children with autism spectrum disorder.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Honor Transport Inc., 284 Main St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Murad-John Osmanli, same. Transportation.

WESTFIELD

Feng Ye Inc., 205 Elm St., Westfield, MA 01085. Yong Feng Zheng, 38 Edgewater Ave., Shrewsbury, MA 01545. Restaurant, food service.

Whately

Eighty-Seven Grille Inc., 87 Westbrook Road, Whatley, MA 01373. John Reilly, same. Restaurant business with liquor license.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and trade names were issued or renewed during the month of January 2020.

AMHERST

goPuff
160 Old Farm Road
goBrands Inc.

Potwine Neighborhood Farm
216 Potwine Lane
Jesse Selman

Red Cardinal
328 College St.
Salvatore Carabetta

Sunset Grille Pizza
150 Fearing St.
Rebecca Casagrande, Jason Casagrande

Sutton Court Property Management
1193 South East St.
Elaine Fronhofer

Xenocs Inc.
7 Pomeroy Lane
Karsten Joensen

CHICOPEE

Blue Hair & Beauty Studio
401 Broadway St.
Nildalys Santos

C & D Carpentry
75 Sanford St.
Donald Lemelin

Crochets by Trista
665 Burnett Road
Trista Burke

Geraldine’s
116 School St.
Richard Harty

Jasin Advertising
64 Hendrick St.
Francine Jasinski Hayward

Lush Hair Studio
44 Walnut St.
Rebecca Lussier

S & E Vending
103 Holiday Circle
Elias Gomes

Skylight Daycare
101 Angela Dr.
Velma Johnson

Slope Films
86 Madison St.
Leonard Yakir

Tru by Hilton
440 Memorial Dr.
Hershal Patel

DEERFIELD

Neal Leno Co.
45 Sawmill Plain Road
Neal Leno

Tranquil Transformations Massage Therapy
235 Greenfield Road
Gretchen Melnik

EAST LONGMEADOW

Albert Tranghese
61 Lomard Ave.
Albert Tranghese

Brush
44 Harkness Ave.
Tammy Chamberlain, Jaclyn Lopes

Burgess, Schultz & Robb
200 North Main St.
N. Andrew Robb

Crow River Farm, LLC
171 Porter Road
Kerisa Fitzgerald

Forty’s Carburetor & Auto Repair
345 Shaker Road
Gerald Ducharme

Gasperini & Sons Construction
45 Longview Dr.
Michael Gasperini

Material Management, LLC
100 Canterbury Circle
Karen Gamer

HADLEY

Aegis Chiropractic
241 Russell St.
Lisa Sanderson

Creative Space
226 Russell St.
Tim Markowski

Elements Massage
379 Russell St.
Marmich, LLC

Johnny’s Roadside Diner
458 Russell St.
Edison Yee

Longview Farm
14 Barstow Lane
Steven Barstow

Meadow Street Styles
31 Meadow St.
Heather Salvator

Starbucks Coffee #22118
344 Russell St.
Starbucks Corp.

Texas Roadhouse
280 Russell St.
Tonya Robinson

Valley Wine & Craft
103 Russell St.
Bottle & Brew Inc.

HOLYOKE

American Eagle Outfitters #0711
50 Holyoke St.
AE Outfitters Retail Co.

Holyoke Deli and Butcher Inc.
502 Westfield Road
Matthew Frazier

Pearl Bridal Boutique
1 Open Square Way
Ryan Mainville

Second Chance Farm
50 Mountain Road
Adam Mulcahy

Yucky Studios
2 Brightwood Ave.
Christopher Daniele

LUDLOW

Mainely Drafts Horse and Carriage
1361 Lyons St.
Keith Ouellette

Santos Family Hair Center
350 East St.
Joseph and Maria Santos

Tony’s Premier Painting Service
16 Watt Ave.
Anthony Egea

NORTHAMPTON

Beryl
40 Main St.
Maya MacLachlan

The Blush Center for Healing
6 Trumbull Road
Mark Summa

CAMP
202 State St.
Just Healthy, LLC

Cosmic Cab Co.
160 Main St., Suite 8
Jeffrey Miller

Elise G. Young Writing and Editorial Consultation
21 Western Ave.
Elise Young

Ernie’s Garage
72 King St.
Michael Woodard Jr., Brian DeJordy

FutureWorks
16 Massasoit St.
John Hoops

phpBB Services
20 Bridge Road, Unit 4
Mark Hamill

Sledge
106 Cardinal Way
Alex Sledzieski

Tim’s Used Books Inc.
183 Main St.
Timothy Barry

VBH Consulting
28 Park St.
Vicki Baum-Hommes

Viola Aesthetics and Day Spa
140 Main St.
Wioleta Guberow

SPRINGFIELD

A to Z Convenience Store
376 Boston Road
Samirkumar Patel

Before K Publishing
166 Bowdoin St.
Jennifer Kirby

Black Bougie & Vegan
47 Castle St.
Kedian Dixon

Black Rock Services
220 Russell St.
Maribel Acevedo

Blushtan
673 White St.
Maria Serra

GH Document Services
99 Gilman St.
Rosalie Garcia

Green Global Transporting
15 Chester St.
Tashawn Pettaway

Hair 2000
459 Main St.
Carol Qmarnelakis

Ideal Shoe Repair
923 Belmont Ave.
Joaquim Silva

Jim’s Cleaning Two
66 Cortland St.
Lakya Wyche

Just a Thought Boutique
529½ Main St.
Kathleen Howell

Kaiberri Soap
17 Thorndyke St.
Terri Wood-Tansil

L & W Construction
44 Clark St.
Luis DeJesus

Leena’s Bartending & Catering
660 Boston Road
Jessica Morehouse

Level 5 Restaurant
888 State St.
Rasan Jacobs

Likkle Jamaican Cuisine
664 Page Blvd.
Dawn Summervile-Simon

Little Eagle Cleaning Services
35 Upland St.
Carmen Tavayes

Los Bandoleros Barber Shop
616 Belmont Ave.
Leury Ortega

Nilsa’s Tax Services
906 Carew St.
Nilsa Enid Laboy

North Atlantic Trucking Inc.
100 Progress Ave.
James Craven

Old School Pizzeria
770 Boston Road
Asif Sikander

Pacific Residential Mortgage
933 East Columbus Ave.
Pacific Residential

Paparazzi of Springfield
19 Florida St.
Kevin Creswell

Safeway Transportation
54 Fairfield St.
Charlie Lee

Shane Suban Studio Inc.
163 Middlesex St.
Shane Suban

Sixteen Acres Healthcare
215 Bicentennial Highway
John Wynne Jr. 

Small Repair PC Buy-Sell
24 Meredith St.
Fred Maskowitz

Stinger Style Productions
75 Greene St.
James Earl Andrews

U Break It We Fix It
143 Main St.
Jouseph Rodriguez

Up & Coming Artist Network
63 Atwater Road
Devin O’Connor

Venus Rock & Panel Installation
22 Central St.
Roy Miller

Walgreens #17787
381 Cooley St.
Walgreen Eastern Co.

Western Mass Home Health
155 Maple St.
James Ngugi

X & W Cleaning Services
13 Ruskin St.
Xavier Cuadra

WESTFIELD

Ben’s and Viktor’s Tile Work
124 Bayberry Lane
Jacob Shokov

Kat Kattler Photography
48 Elm St., Suite 2
Katherine Kattler Miklasiewicz

Lee’s Paper Heart Studio
44 Beckwith Ave.
Katrina Webber

New England EDM Service
22 Mainline Dr.
Theodore Macutkiewicz

Valison Construction
12 Bush St.
Dmitriy Ivanov

Whip City Fiber
100 Elm St.
Westfield Gas & Electric Light

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Agri-Mark Inc.
958 Riverdale St.
David Graham

Bradley Auto Wash
1039 Memorial Ave.
Paul Eusebio

DA Services
207 Morgan Road
Brynn Demas

Ezee Mart
83 River St.
Sawkat Wally

Hampden Gas Mart Inc.
562 Westfield St.
Nipun Salvja

Jimbob Aviation
122 Doty Circle
James Balise Jr.

Katerina’s Beauty Salon
446 Main St.
Katerina Belyshev

WILBRAHAM

Frankie Bakes
43 Monson Road
Francesca Dias

Gomes, DaCruz & Tracy, P.C.
2442 Boston Road, Unit 5
Mark Germain

Inner Glow Skin Studio
8 Fernwood Dr.
Mary Matthews

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies

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

Archambault, Hannah Rebecca
205 South St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/30/19

Bertera, Judith A.
29 Paul Revere Dr., Apt C
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/20/19

Bissonnette, Tabitha
75 Ashgrove St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 12/23/19

Blair, Craig C.
13 Pomeroy St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/31/19

Bombard, Shawn M.
Bombard, Tiffany Paige
a/k/a Cote, Tiffany
570 Granby Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/30/19

Bush, Joey J.
Bush, Lisa A.
85 Mount Hitchock Road
Wales, MA 01081
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/19/19

Cabana, Ashley R.
45 Oakland St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 12/30/19

Cabrera-Rivas, Rosa V.
1596 Memorial Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/21/19

Ciollaro, Jennifer Lee
101 Maynard St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/31/19

Collazo, Rodolfo
419 Montcalm St., Apt 107
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/20/19

Correa, Lina M.
a/k/a Pereira, Lina Correa
1546 Bay St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 12/18/19

Covell, Mary L.
53 Klondike Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/23/19

Crosby-Garcia, Margaret Helen
66 Littleville Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/30/19

Farm Girl Farm
Meister, Laura I.
22 Manville St.
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/20/19

Gagne, Andre L.
25 Venture Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/20/19

Gauthier, Lindsay Marie
56 Arthur St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/19/19

Gray, Shain E.
255 Main St., Apt. L2
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/20/19

Grochmal, James Robert
345 Clubhouse Road
Tolland, MA 01034
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 12/26/19

Halpy, Wilfred A.
8 Wynnfield Circle
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/26/19

Hansen, Ellen M.
72 Granville Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 12/23/19

Joseph Burke Carpentry
Burke, Joseph D.
P.O. Box 341
Lenox Dale, MA 01242
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/31/19

Lysak, Joy-Marie S.
1440 Riverdale St., C1
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/17/19

Maheux, Richard W.
14 Babb Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/24/19

Miramar Quick Service
22 Sorrento St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/19/19

Naseman, David Milford
PO Box 35
Lenox, MA 01240
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/23/19

Nieves, Janet
12 Chester St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/27/19

Nieves, Miguel A.
Nieves, Luz M.
a/k/a Nieves, Luz-Indy
1040 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/23/19

Paronto, Karie Jean
617 Benedict Road
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/23/19

Percey, Christopher J.
Percey, Kristina M.
a/k/a Turner, Kristina M.
Duda, Kristina M.
367 Elm St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/31/19

Piedra, Alycia C.
44 Lorenzo St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/27/19

Rivera, Miguel
33 Laurel St., Apt. 2
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/18/19

Roe, Deborah A.
108 Woodbridge Road
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/31/19

Rogers, Marissa J.
808 Pendleton Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/27/19

Rouillard, Normand M.
Rouillard, Joanne M.
13 Searles St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/20/19

Santos, Kiara Renee R.
61 Lawe St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/30/19

Sawyer, Joylene V.
a/k/a Subklew, Joylene V.
P.O. Box 314
Otis, MA 01253
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/31/19

Silon Corporation
22 Sorrento St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/19/19

Sweet, Norman Arthur
Sweet, Margaret Eileen
113 Bondsville Road
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/30/19

The American Inn
GKS Corporation
The American Inn for Retirement
The American Inn at Sawmill Park
1 Sawmill Park
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 11
Filing Date: 12/26/19

Trow, Mary Lou
497 East Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/30/19

Real Estate Transactions

By
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

COLRAIN

295 Main Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $199,900
Buyer: Neil D. Stetson
Seller: Herzig 2015 IRT
Date: 01/13/20

GREENFIELD

18 Green St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Christopher Charmack
Seller: Doreen M. Tilley
Date: 01/03/20

64 Grove St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $119,000
Buyer: Wendy Robinson
Seller: Lorusso INT
Date: 01/08/20

Maple St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: Kurt W. Schellenberg
Seller: John V. Bellenoit
Date: 01/02/20

73 Maple St.
Greenfield, MA 01376
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: Kurt W. Schellenberg
Seller: John V. Bellenoit
Date: 01/02/20

12 Mountain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: William L. Gussin
Seller: Cassid Buchanan-Gauthier
Date: 01/06/20

91 School St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Chapman Street Properties
Seller: William Yenner
Date: 01/10/20

220 Silver St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: Taryn B. Valdez
Seller: Wedgewood Gardens Inc.
Date: 01/06/20

13 Wisdom Place
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Michael C. Stempel
Seller: Christopher A. Therien
Date: 01/10/20

MONTAGUE

342 Federal St.
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Justin D. Killeen
Seller: Cody-Joy Tringali
Date: 01/06/20

15 Norman Circle
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Kevin Randall
Seller: Gillian B. Wilson
Date: 01/03/20

146-148 Old Sunderland Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $562,500
Buyer: Anthony Somers
Seller: Tetty Gorfine
Date: 01/13/20

ORANGE

49 Meadow Lane
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $224,000
Buyer: Nathan J. Rennick
Seller: Julie A. Pistorino
Date: 01/09/20

11 Memorial Dr.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Kenneth J. Rogers
Seller: Angela G. Green
Date: 01/03/20

SHELBURNE

163 Smead Hill Road
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Joseph S. Rae
Seller: Coreen M. Young
Date: 01/03/20

SHUTESBURY

250 West Pelham Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Paul Roud
Seller: MTGLQ Investors LP
Date: 01/03/20

SUNDERLAND

238 North Main St.
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Cynthia M. McGuire
Seller: Ellen G. Kelleher
Date: 01/07/20

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

75 Florida Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Stephen Smith
Seller: Heather Carr
Date: 01/03/20

11 Herbert P. Almgren Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: SA Hldg. 1 LLC
Seller: Agawam Silver Street RE
Date: 01/03/20

51-53 Hope Farms Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Daniel O’Connor
Seller: Andrew J. Fox
Date: 01/08/20

60 Katherine Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Joshua A. Dupuis
Seller: Kevin W. Whitehead
Date: 01/03/20

313 Leonard St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $249,900
Buyer: Tenille Carr
Seller: Carolyn Groux
Date: 01/03/20

28 Melrose Place
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $238,500
Buyer: Hamid Satraouy
Seller: Daniel Fruwirth
Date: 01/06/20

283 Rowley St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Ahmet Kupuc
Seller: Steven W. Sosnowich
Date: 01/13/20

466 South Westfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $866,562
Buyer: Pine Crossing Development
Seller: Thomas F. Reidy
Date: 01/09/20

201 Southwick St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $146,997
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Raymond F. Pleva
Date: 01/08/20

BLANDFORD

7-R Birch Hill Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $186,000
Buyer: Jonathan A. Thompson
Seller: Marie C. Ackley
Date: 01/14/20

BRIMFIELD

19 Lyman Barnes Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Jason M. Bedard
Seller: Roger A. Parker
Date: 01/08/20

34 Lyman Barnes Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $278,000
Buyer: Beth A. Goven
Seller: Jason Bedard
Date: 01/08/20

CHICOPEE

37 Albert St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $125,500
Buyer: Danielle A. Langevin
Seller: Dana L. Garton
Date: 01/02/20

69 Ashgrove St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Steven J. Drapeau
Seller: Roy, Denise, (Estate)
Date: 01/13/20

597 Broadway St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Sarah E. Mueller
Seller: Matthew M. Balut
Date: 01/09/20

54 Cambridge St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $231,000
Buyer: Brianna Cooley
Seller: Ivan Litvac
Date: 01/10/20

118 Clairmont Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Mark S. Woodbury
Date: 01/10/20

21 Dale St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: 21 Dale LLC
Seller: Christina M. Moreau
Date: 01/10/20

12 Ellen St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $176,000
Buyer: Sheila Bailey
Seller: Carmen Santos
Date: 01/02/20

40 Emmett St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Sherryl J. Sparks
Seller: Frank Royland
Date: 01/13/20

90 Fernhill St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $153,750
Buyer: Bank Of New York Mellon
Seller: Alfred W. Kendall
Date: 01/06/20

36 Fuller St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $259,900
Buyer: Sergeo V. Arbuzov
Seller: Namik Mamedov
Date: 01/07/20

47 Lester St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $259,400
Buyer: Luis A. Ortiz-Diaz
Seller: Craig Cwalina
Date: 01/10/20

4 Pembroke Place
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Karen McCollaum
Seller: Edward R. Paul
Date: 01/10/20

663 Pendleton Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Robert Schlefstein
Seller: Peggy Breault
Date: 01/10/20

11 Riverdale Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $174,000
Buyer: Marisol Mateo
Seller: Godek, Richard, (Estate)
Date: 01/10/20

211 Schoolhouse Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Douglas W. Dolbow
Seller: Dean F. Desmarais
Date: 01/07/20

143 Sesame Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Dee A. Civello
Seller: Alex B. Devivo
Date: 01/06/20

154 Skeele St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $179,000
Buyer: Brandon J. Clark
Seller: Richard Ring
Date: 01/03/20

32 York St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $192,000
Buyer: Richard P. Stolpinski
Seller: Andrew J. Pirog
Date: 01/13/20

EAST LONGMEADOW

14 Crescent Hill
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $200,700
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Allen F. Goodreau
Date: 01/02/20

61 Dwight Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01108
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: Leslie S. Rivera-Cruz
Seller: Shronda N. Payne
Date: 01/10/20

73 Gerrard Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $277,500
Buyer: Yevgeniy Deykin
Seller: Susan M. Granfield
Date: 01/13/20

64 Maple St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $1,100,000
Buyer: Depot NT
Seller: Coyote Realty LLC
Date: 01/13/20

48 Van Dyke Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $123,000
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: Kevin J. Trosky
Date: 01/07/20

HAMPDEN

17 Maple Grove Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Jacqueline C. Owens
Seller: Custom Homes Development Group
Date: 01/13/20

HOLYOKE

33-35 Brookline Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $157,511
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Alberto C. Rivera
Date: 01/14/20

19 Cherry St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $172,200
Buyer: Nationstar Mortgage LLC
Seller: Raymond R. Rivet
Date: 01/02/20

12 Corser St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Holyoke Medical Center
Seller: TNOP Inc.
Date: 01/02/20

14 Corser St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Holyoke Medical Center
Seller: TNOP Inc.
Date: 01/02/20

324 Elm St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Tyler W. Tardy
Seller: Anthony W. Soto
Date: 01/10/20

3 Jeane Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $219,000
Buyer: Justin Conlon
Seller: Carrie-Ann Gaynor
Date: 01/13/20

56 Longfellow Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Abigail E. Williamson
Seller: Kathryn S. Kraus
Date: 01/03/20

60 Lower Westfield Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $117,000
Buyer: Coakley Corp.
Seller: Daniel Chandler
Date: 01/10/20

1985 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $875,000
Buyer: Foley Property Management
Seller: Roman Catholic Bishop Of Springfield
Date: 01/08/20

179-181 Pearl St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $238,000
Buyer: Anthony Bermudez
Seller: Michael W. Lapalme
Date: 01/13/20

LONGMEADOW

35 Barrington Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $182,000
Buyer: Patrick Curry
Seller: Raymond G. Rowe
Date: 01/08/20

76 Longmeadow St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: Linda A. Hickling
Seller: Robert H. Marshall
Date: 01/10/20

577 Longmeadow St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $309,000
Buyer: Bay Path University
Seller: Frank N. Leichthammer
Date: 01/10/20

LUDLOW

193 Center St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $136,700
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Ronald J. Bonomo
Date: 01/14/20

42 Hampshire St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $121,000
Buyer: John Portelada
Seller: Henry J. Kelly
Date: 01/10/20

Parker Lane
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Stephanie P. Nascimento
Seller: Tuukakorp LLC
Date: 01/08/20

37 Paul Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Joshua Carpenter
Seller: Martin, Kathleen F., (Estate)
Date: 01/03/20

436 Poole St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Derek J. Gomes
Seller: Acacio M. Ferreira
Date: 01/13/20

128 Prospect Gardens
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $186,000
Buyer: Apex Bank
Seller: Gerald R. Witkowski
Date: 01/13/20

49 West Belmont St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Taylor Lukas
Seller: Creation Foam Homes LLC
Date: 01/10/20

17 Windwood Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Yongqiang Wang
Seller: Raymond J. Robbins
Date: 01/09/20

MONSON

109 Cote Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $148,781
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Kevin A. Quesnel
Date: 01/08/20

17 Elm St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $157,500
Buyer: Ashley C. Gendron
Seller: Pamela A. Bourgault
Date: 01/10/20

48 Main St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $263,000
Buyer: Nicholas E. Smart
Seller: Daniel J. Finnegan
Date: 01/02/20

MONTGOMERY

6 Pineridge Road
Montgomery, MA 01085
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Tyler Montgomery
Seller: CIG 4 LLC
Date: 01/10/20

7 Pineridge Dr.
Montgomery, MA 01085
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Daniel J. Nangle
Seller: Amal Al-Ryati
Date: 01/03/20

PALMER

10 Diane St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: David G. Douillard
Seller: Derek A. Swallow
Date: 01/07/20

77 Flynt St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Sean E. McCaughey
Seller: John T. Meehan
Date: 01/13/20

11 Winthrop St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Matthew Lyons
Seller: Charles J. Callahan
Date: 01/10/20

SOUTHWICK

13 Charles Johnson Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $319,900
Buyer: Taras Mikhalinchik
Seller: Jonathan M. Schantz
Date: 01/03/20

37 Deer Run
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $470,000
Buyer: David B. Stratos
Seller: Pramod Sarraf
Date: 01/03/20

44 Fernwood Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $180,400
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Theresa A. Burdick
Date: 01/08/20

124 Hillside Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Becket Academy Inc.
Seller: Paul H. Whalley
Date: 01/13/20

27-A Mort Vining Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Andrew M. Ouimette
Seller: Wendi L. Mello
Date: 01/09/20

110 South Longyard Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $344,000
Buyer: Steven Buzzell
Seller: William H. Baildon
Date: 01/14/20

Sawgrass Lane #5
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Doreen Dargon
Seller: Fiore Realty Holdings LLC
Date: 01/08/20

1 Wintergreen Circle
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Jonathan M. Schantz
Seller: Daniel W. Szenda
Date: 01/03/20

SPRINGFIELD

25 Algonquin Place
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $123,689
Buyer: Glenn R. Zuffelato
Seller: FNMA
Date: 01/08/20

48 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $173,400
Buyer: Muhammad Taqi
Seller: Amina Ali
Date: 01/10/20

331 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $680,000
Buyer: L&J Realty Group LLC
Seller: Basile Realty LLC
Date: 01/10/20

214 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $121,750
Buyer: Anthony N. Yeboah
Seller: Dolores P. Santinelli
Date: 01/06/20

245 Bolton St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $253,000
Buyer: Haydee L. Arce
Seller: Brenda M. Brenes
Date: 01/02/20

125 Carando Dr.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $960,000
Buyer: DDL Holdings LLC
Seller: Constance L. Goff
Date: 01/13/20

273-275 Centre St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $560,000
Buyer: Naylor Nation Real Estate
Seller: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Date: 01/09/20

89 Corona St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: Jonathen Neris
Seller: Juan Santana
Date: 01/14/20

192-194 Dickinson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $119,000
Buyer: Ruby Realty LLC
Seller: Nelson Reynoso
Date: 01/03/20

485 Dickinson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Suldan Mohamud
Seller: Flora Tung
Date: 01/06/20

143 Draper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $219,600
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Yves R. St.Dic
Date: 01/03/20

18-20 Dresden St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Floyd Cameron
Seller: Adeleke Thomas
Date: 01/14/20

70 Eddy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Victor W. Bouchard
Seller: Alliance Real Estate
Date: 01/13/20

154 Eddywood St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $149,000
Buyer: Scott M. Megazzini
Seller: Thomas F. Veto
Date: 01/06/20

84 Eleanor Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Anthony Santiago
Seller: Rogelio Marquez
Date: 01/10/20

33 Euclid Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $184,000
Buyer: Yvette Ortiz
Seller: Dong Phuong Group Inc.
Date: 01/10/20

299 Forest Hills Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: Lauren R. Pankiw
Seller: Edgardo A. Arroyo-Marcano
Date: 01/03/20

47 Glenmore St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Rachel L. Dion
Seller: No Place Like Home Properties
Date: 01/03/20

86 Gralia Dr.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $194,000
Buyer: Ashley M. Fisher
Seller: Brital 1987 LLC
Date: 01/03/20

54 Groton St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $143,000
Buyer: Gina Milambo
Seller: AJ Capital RT
Date: 01/08/20

46 Harkness Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $182,500
Buyer: Tiffany M. Jessup
Seller: Claire Thibodeau
Date: 01/13/20

82 Hillside Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Mickey L. Banks
Seller: Blueline Management LLC
Date: 01/08/20

12-14 Howes St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Aguasvivas Realty LLC
Seller: Daniel P. Croken
Date: 01/07/20

157 Kensington Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $133,760
Buyer: MTGLQ Investors LP
Seller: Bakhos Abou-Francis
Date: 01/14/20

101-103 Knollwood St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Misael Salas
Seller: Lynn M. Gauthier
Date: 01/07/20

62-64 Lester St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $281,500
Buyer: Erik White
Seller: Hampden Realty LLC
Date: 01/10/20

39 Leyfred Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $150,880
Buyer: Midfirst Bank
Seller: Shaunee St.Amand
Date: 01/02/20

92 Manhattan St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $294,000
Buyer: John E. Torres-Astacio
Seller: Irelisse Gomez
Date: 01/07/20

155 Marsden St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $191,000
Buyer: Nereida Laboy
Seller: Hurst & Crane Investments
Date: 01/14/20

122 Middlesex St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $179,000
Buyer: Krystal A. Corbin
Seller: Larisa Rudin
Date: 01/10/20

217 Oakland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Nathaniel T. Swift
Seller: Adeleke Thomas
Date: 01/07/20

356 Orange St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Jose A. Maldonado-Cruz
Seller: Ramon Sornoza
Date: 01/10/20

27-29 Palmyra St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $219,999
Buyer: Tyrone L. Lewis
Seller: Judith A. Hourihan
Date: 01/03/20

1521 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Binh T. Le
Seller: Steven P. Gaudette
Date: 01/14/20

81 Phoenix Ter.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: Linda J. Carney
Seller: Jason Libian
Date: 01/02/20

93 Pine Grove St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $169,900
Buyer: Candice L. Cipolla
Seller: CIG 4 LLC
Date: 01/09/20

35 Powell Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Yamilex Vega
Seller: James W. Fiore
Date: 01/10/20

143 Redlands St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Dilenes Ortiz
Seller: Remy, Irene J., (Estate)
Date: 01/06/20

16-18 Rosemont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $201,000
Buyer: Saha D. Biswa
Seller: Gary Delisle
Date: 01/07/20

23 Russell St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Reba A. Raudales
Seller: Juan A. Santana
Date: 01/08/20

136 Shawmut St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Maritsa Rivera-Diaz
Seller: Daniel P. Rosen
Date: 01/13/20

69 Sherman St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Joaquim Santos
Seller: Dan Beauregard
Date: 01/08/20

155 South Branch Pkwy.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Stratton Renovation LLC
Seller: Moreland, Robin K., (Estate)
Date: 01/07/20

85 South Tallyho Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Tyron Austin
Seller: William N. Clarke
Date: 01/06/20

46-48 Somerset St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $127,073
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Leon Marsh
Date: 01/02/20

62 Sorrento St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Dean Foster-Bryan
Seller: Kevin Nguyen
Date: 01/02/20

47 Spikenard Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $150,675
Buyer: Aguasvivas Realty LLC
Seller: Bank New York Mellon
Date: 01/06/20

133-135 Springfield St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Baystate Medical Center
Seller: Jael M. Williams
Date: 01/10/20

38 Walsh St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Erika Berrouard
Seller: ARJ Enterprises LLC
Date: 01/14/20

47 Wellington St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $115,206
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Jacqueline E. Turner
Date: 01/10/20

354-356 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Julio A. Ortiz
Seller: O’Brien, Kevin D., (Estate)
Date: 01/10/20

1110 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $2,300,000
Buyer: Pride LP
Seller: 3 Star Properties LLC
Date: 01/06/20

73 Woodrow St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $329,900
Buyer: Simmone Shortte
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 01/08/20

WALES

2 Debbie Lane
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $257,397
Buyer: Ronald White
Seller: Kevin B. Sheehan
Date: 01/07/20

Laurel Lane
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $466,000
Buyer: Susan A. Locke
Seller: Steven H. Greenberg
Date: 01/03/20

WESTFIELD

48 Grandview Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: James Rivera
Seller: Champiney, Donald R., (Estate)
Date: 01/10/20

124 Granville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $199,400
Buyer: Fifth Third Bank
Seller: Margaret M. Davis
Date: 01/10/20

3 Hanover St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $122,000
Buyer: Tighe R. Dudeck
Seller: US Bank
Date: 01/13/20

100 Honey Pot Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $289,900
Buyer: Andrew J. Pirog
Seller: William J. Brown
Date: 01/13/20

13 Mill St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $249,000
Buyer: Samantha L. Hoynoski
Seller: Christopher R. Smigel
Date: 01/10/20

40 Montgomery St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $507,000
Buyer: SLF Realty Corp.
Seller: Blythewood Property Management
Date: 01/07/20

68 Mountain View St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Daniel Szenda
Seller: Bannon, Barbara J., (Estate)
Date: 01/03/20

75 Orchard St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $251,000
Buyer: Sarah Hopson
Seller: Jason C. Pomeroy
Date: 01/10/20

316 Paper Mill Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Konrad Klein
Seller: Lawrence R. Gosselin
Date: 01/14/20

57 Pequot Point Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Henry Girardin
Seller: Michael R. Leveille
Date: 01/10/20

39 Rachael Ter.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Vinodkumar Patel
Seller: Kathy M. Meyer
Date: 01/14/20

51 Riverside Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $232,750
Buyer: Kevin C. Connors
Seller: Sandra Callahan
Date: 01/10/20

75 Russell Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $150,060
Buyer: Nationstar Mortgage LLC
Seller: Steven M. Roberts
Date: 01/02/20

90 South Maple St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $4,849,837
Buyer: Western MA EEN LLC
Seller: CH Realty 7&CG Mact Bird
Date: 01/06/20

14 Sterling St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: FHB Realty LLP
Seller: LP 4 LLC
Date: 01/10/20

47 Zephyr Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Jacquelyn L. Kazierad
Seller: Wilmington Savings
Date: 01/07/20

WILBRAHAM

10 Deepwood Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $456,800
Buyer: Scott L. Denne
Seller: Jonathan F. Hastings
Date: 01/06/20

5 Evergreen Circle
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $399,900
Buyer: BGRS Relocation Inc.
Seller: Robert D. Pomeroy
Date: 01/03/20

9 Inwood Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $269,750
Buyer: Jamie Shepard
Seller: Edward K. Gray
Date: 01/09/20

14 Overlook Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Pavel Siryk
Seller: Jan F. Wegrzynek
Date: 01/13/20

376 Springfield St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $279,987
Buyer: Kelsey O’Rourke
Seller: Erudite RT
Date: 01/03/20

11 Victoria Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $418,000
Buyer: Mark Edgar
Seller: Jeffrey F. Wolcott
Date: 01/08/20

WEST SPRINGFIELD

215 Baldwin St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $1,170,000
Buyer: Bear Den Holdings LLC
Seller: 215 Baldwin Street LLC
Date: 01/10/20

24 Cottage St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Robinson Urena
Seller: Regnier, John A., (Estate)
Date: 01/14/20

732 Elm St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Andrew Oedel
Seller: White Church Realty LLC
Date: 01/10/20

56 Fairview Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Ziya Lachinov
Seller: Lori Galda
Date: 01/10/20

116 Grandview Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Steven R. Nogas
Seller: John R. Spano
Date: 01/09/20

53 Hill St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $291,000
Buyer: Devi M. Sarki
Seller: Dennis Bazukin
Date: 01/03/20

30 Hillside Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Khalid Dhahir
Seller: Wayne M. Hansen
Date: 01/13/20

1146 Memorial Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: SS Fund LLC
Seller: Vincenzo RE
Date: 01/09/20

62 Ohio Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Adam I. Shalloo
Seller: Beaver, Carol B., (Estate)
Date: 01/02/20

102 Poplar Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $231,500
Buyer: Rachel M. Brochu
Seller: McCarthy, Joanne E., (Estate)
Date: 01/14/20

94 Riverdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $156,388
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Katherine M. Pires
Date: 01/03/20

33 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $670,000
Buyer: 33 Westfield LLC
Seller: Peoples United Bank
Date: 01/13/20

2385 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $356,000
Buyer: Sergey Tokarev
Seller: Charles A. Pignatare
Date: 01/02/20

2401 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $356,000
Buyer: Sergey Tokarev
Seller: Charles A. Pignatare
Date: 01/02/20

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

63 Cherry Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Elizabeth L. Hallstrom
Seller: Robert T. Zoeller
Date: 01/07/20

156 Columbia Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Roshna Shahi
Seller: Sonja Guddat
Date: 01/10/20

Leverett Road #C
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Glenn Warren
Seller: Amherst Real Properties
Date: 01/07/20

191-193 Middle St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Goldfinch Holdings LLC
Seller: Jean M. Laplante
Date: 01/06/20

1133 North Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $369,500
Buyer: Tom Svrcek
Seller: Ronald Fontanetta
Date: 01/10/20

181 Wildflower Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $575,000
Buyer: Shana L. Hansell
Seller: Elena Dupuis
Date: 01/03/20

BELCHERTOWN

121 Barton Ave.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Eric D. Aasheim
Seller: Peter Barnett-Dupret
Date: 01/07/20

161 Bay Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: UFP Real Estate LLC
Seller: John W. Phelon
Date: 01/03/20

216 Bay Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $125,999
Buyer: Robert J. Mitchell
Seller: Freedom Mortgage Corp.
Date: 01/09/20

746 Bay Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $1,400,000
Buyer: Snows Self Storage LLC
Seller: Kenneth H. Snow
Date: 01/02/20

61 Chadbourne Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $166,500
Buyer: Jonathan Grossman
Seller: Casey, Madeline J., (Estate)
Date: 01/07/20

20 Cloverhill Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Dhana Bhattrai
Seller: Edwin Diaz
Date: 01/06/20

510 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $381,035
Buyer: Joshua R. Wallace
Seller: M&G Land Development LLC
Date: 01/09/20

281 Mill Valley Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Jennifer L. Albury
Seller: Katherine S. Binder
Date: 01/10/20

3 Oakwood Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: David J. Manura
Seller: Devin Griffiths
Date: 01/13/20

140 Old Enfield Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Raymond J. Robbins
Seller: Joel Harder
Date: 01/09/20

52 Segur Lane
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Jonathan Bousquet
Seller: Mona Rock
Date: 01/03/20

130 Sheffield Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: Peter S. Galuszka
Date: 01/08/20

CUMMINGTON

194 Berkshire Trail
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Craig H. Garnett
Seller: John K. Heon
Date: 01/13/20

EASTHAMPTON

44 Ashley Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $469,000
Buyer: David Rosenthal
Seller: Peter Y. Hoag
Date: 01/06/20

30 Florence Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Wagging Tails Animal Services
Seller: David Raucher
Date: 01/07/20

34 Highland Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $234,900
Buyer: Heidi Chereski
Seller: Cynthia M. Lukowski
Date: 01/08/20

19-21 West St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Pats Lawnhurst-Mackinnon
Seller: Leonard Larock
Date: 01/10/20

GRANBY

115 South St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: B. Archambault-Jackson
Seller: Tyson R. Ence
Date: 01/08/20

184 Taylor St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: Phillip Braese
Seller: Wilmington Savings
Date: 01/03/20

HADLEY

103 North Maple St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Alan St.Hilaire
Seller: US Metal Roofing Distributor
Date: 01/10/20

131 Rocky Hill Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Farah Chamoun
Seller: Donna M. Carver RET
Date: 01/09/20

HUNTINGTON

3 Basket St.
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Jordan Blanchard
Seller: Russell J. Otten TR
Date: 01/03/20

14 Barr Hill Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $188,600
Buyer: Lakeview Loan Servicing
Seller: Lyndsay M. Suitts
Date: 01/08/20

14 East Main St.
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Roman Radkovets
Seller: Scott C. Andrews
Date: 01/14/20

18 Pond Brook Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $287,500
Buyer: Donald F. Voudren
Seller: Mary G. Rude NT
Date: 01/13/20

27 Russell Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Brittany Valentine
Seller: Lisa M. O’Brien
Date: 01/03/20

NORTHAMPTON

33 Conz St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $910,000
Buyer: Deerwater Realty LLC
Seller: Frank T. Sansom
Date: 01/09/20

12 Maple St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Katherine A. Kamins
Seller: V. Mortgage REO 2 LLC
Date: 01/06/20

53 Rick Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $281,000
Buyer: Melody A. Foti TR
Seller: Mark S. Bonde
Date: 01/13/20

288 Riverside Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $252,500
Buyer: Jason Rodriguez
Seller: Christopher E. Gobillot
Date: 01/10/20

89 Water St.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $407,500
Buyer: Peter Casey
Seller: Lawrence F. Bouley
Date: 01/10/20

9 Wright Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Justin Smith
Seller: Caroline E. Raisler
Date: 01/02/20

PELHAM

132 Harkness Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Julio X. Mallonga
Seller: Robert B. Price RET
Date: 01/03/20

SOUTH HADLEY

5 Greenwood Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $233,500
Buyer: Lynne A. Helems
Seller: Ronald W. McMahon
Date: 01/10/20

WARE

257 Greenwich Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $216,000
Buyer: Sarah E. Haney
Seller: Robidoux, Barbara A., (Estate)
Date: 01/06/20

9 Hillside Ter.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $241,000
Buyer: Nathan A. Park
Seller: David A. Park
Date: 01/13/20

15 Malboeuf Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $158,950
Buyer: Michael D. Bingle
Seller: Lawrence A. Lanier
Date: 01/08/20

14-20 Otis Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $1,035,000
Buyer: Park Otis LLC
Seller: Sengen Properties LLC
Date: 01/08/20

48-58 Park St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $1,035,000
Buyer: Park Otis LLC
Seller: Sengen Properties LLC
Date: 01/08/20

92 Pleasant St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $182,000
Buyer: Patricia Mendez-Lara
Seller: Leslie S. Rivera
Date: 01/10/20

Building Permits

By
Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of January 2020.

CHICOPEE

Grace Slavic Pentecostal Church
5 Meadow St.
$2,900 — Install new wet chemical kitchen fire-suppression system

Shawinigan Drive, LLC
645 Shawinigan Dr.
$20,000 — On existing tower, Verizon Wireless to swap three antennas, swap nine radio heads and remove three radio heads, and install three new diplexers

EAST LONGMEADOW

Cig4, LLC
45 Brookhaven Dr.
$30,000 — Kitchen and bath remodel

GREENFIELD

Baystate Franklin Medical Center
164 High St.
$223,395 — Reconfigure interior of Emergency Department to add two behavioral-health rooms and a nurse’s station

Greenfield Senior Center
35 Pleasant St.
Erect free-standing sign

HADLEY

303 Russell St., LLC
303 Russell St.
$650,000 — Exterior shell of new building for Rao’s Coffee

LENOX

Church Street Inn, LLC
16 Church St.
$12,000 — Selective demolition

CR Resorts, LLC
165 Kemble St.
$5,000 — Update appliances

MRG CRW Holdings, LLC
55 Lee Road
$12,500 — Rebuild failing chimney

LONGMEADOW

Pun Longmeadow Realty, LLC
925 Shaker Road
$25,000 — Construct new partition walls, sheetrock, and laminate flooring for Dream Nail & Spa Inc.

NORTHAMPTON

City of Northampton
80 Locust St.
$118,000 — Roofing at Smith School

City of Northampton
125 Locust St.
$38,743 — Repair masonry

The Community Builders
35 Village Hill Road
$3,500 — Construction fence sign

Kingdon, LLC
143 King St.
$1,300 — Illuminated marquee sign for Safelite Auto Glass

Kingdon, LLC
143 King St.
$1,000 — Illuminated wall sign for Safelite Auto Glass

Steven Samolewicz, Jennifer Samolewicz
8 Bridge St.
$1,100 — Non-illuminated wall sign for Full Circle Adoptions

Suher Properties, LLC
21 Center St.
$17,500 — Replace storefront window, entry doors, masonry repairs

PALMER

BJC Realty Trust, Bernie Croteau
2146 Palmer St.
$13,000 — Roofing

Neal Inc.
4400 High St.
$4,700 — Drywall, repair hole in block wall

Palmer Redevelopment
4 Springfield St.
$36,820 — Roofing

Pride, LP
1033-1059 Thorndike St.
$6,465 — Replace Rite Aid signs with Walgreens signs

SPRINGFIELD

Center for Human Development Inc.
622 State St.
$34,000 — Modify existing interior stairway enclosure, replace doors and windows

College Square Congregation Inc.
131 Clifton Ave.
$34,100 — Install two replacement entry doors at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses

Ernest Roy Jr., Jean Roy
1522 State St.
$80,000 — Roof repair, artistic floor covering

Mason Wright Senior Living Inc.
74 Walnut St.
$8,300 — Relocate bathroom door, add non-bearing interior wall with closet door

Springfield Science Museum
21 Edwards St.
$30,300 — Build two interior walls and renovate two existing bathrooms

WEST SPRINGFIELD

William Keavany
78 Interstate Dr.
$205,000 — Convert existing office space to warehouse space and product showroom

Town of West Springfield
Toccoa Lane
$20,000 — Verizon Wireless to swap six remote radio units and remove three remote radio units