March 17, 2020 - BusinessWest

Baystate Is Constructing COVID-19 Triage Facility

By BusinessWest Staff March 17, 2020

Coronavirus

Getting Ready

The Emergency Department was rather quiet at Baystate Medical Center on Monday morning.

And Dr. Niels Rathlev, chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine, attributed this to the fact that the public is listening to the governor and other elected officials and staying away from the ER unless they really need to be there.

But that relative quiet in the ER — one spokesperson for the hospital described it as “almost eerie” — is almost certain to be short-lived as the spread of COVID-19 continues in this region. And that eventuality was the inspiration for the construction of a rapid-response triage facility just outside the entrance to the ER.

Crews began work on the facility last Friday, and it is due to be completed by the beginning of next week, Rathlev told a group of reporters struggling to hear him over the sounds of the construction going on behind him. It is expected to hold roughly 35 to 40 chairs — each of them six feet apart — for individuals entering the ER.

“There’s community transmission of the virus at this point,” said Rathlev. “And we really are preparing for more patients showing up for screening. This is not to expand testing; the real issue is to try to keep patients that don’t require admission to the hospital — acute emergency care — and screen them rapidly out here.

“The next step is to really to develop protocols and figure out how we’re actually going to move patients through, as opposed to bringing them in through the building,” he went on. “Right now, this [triage] is happening inside the building; if we have numbers of patients coming in that require screening, we need to do this somewhere else, and this is where that’s going to happen.”

Construction of the triage center is a step that mirrors what is happening in other parts of the country, Rathlev noted, adding that some areas, such as the state of Washington, established such facilities days or weeks ago in anticipation of a surge in visits to the ER and the critical need to triage those coming in. Those communities are sharing best practices, and Baystate will learn from them as they put this facility in operation, he added.

“If you look at trauma centers in Boston and Worcester, we’re all preparing for this,” he said. “Washington State and California are ahead of us for obvious reasons — they’ve had multiple, multiple cases — so they’re sharing protocols with us, and we’re sharing as well.”

Critical Business Issues to Consider During Pandemic

By Contributor March 17, 2020

Coronavirus Features

Taking Action

If your business, or one or more of your major customers’ or suppliers’ businesses, have been or could be adversely impacted by the effects of the coronavirus outbreak, Bulkley Richardson recommends considering the following proactive actions:

1. Review Insurance Coverage. Most standard business insurance packages include ‘business-interruption’ coverage. Business-interruption insurance is designed to replace income lost in the event that a business is halted for some reason, such as a fire or a natural disaster. It can also cover government lockdowns or mandatory curfews or closings such as those becoming more widespread as a result of the coronavirus. In addition to lost income, such coverage may also include items such as operating expenses, a move to a temporary location if necessary, payroll, taxes, and rent or loan payments. Since the language that addresses the terms of business-interruption coverage and exclusions can be lengthy and complex, it can be helpful to have your policy reviewed by a qualified expert.

2. Review Critical Contracts. It is quite common for certain types of contracts, such as supply contracts that require future performance on the part of one or both parties, to include a contract provision that allows a party to suspend or terminate the performance of its obligations when certain circumstances beyond their control arise, making performance inadvisable, commercially impracticable, illegal, or impossible. Such provisions are most often referred to and appear under a ‘force majeure’ clause of a contract. If disaster strikes or the unanticipated occurs beyond the control of a party, such in the case of coronavirus, a force majeure clause may excuse one or both parties from performance of their contractual obligations without liability to the other party.

Determining which types of circumstances will be covered by the force majeure clause is obviously essential. Standard provisions often cover natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and weather disturbances sometimes referred to as ‘acts of God.’ Other covered events can include war, terrorism or threats of terrorism, civil disorder, labor strikes or disruptions, fire, disease, or medical epidemics, pandemics, or other outbreaks. Such provisions can also place certain obligations on a party seeking to take advantage of excused performance such as undertaking reasonable actions to minimize potential damages to the other party. As with insurance coverage, it can be very helpful to have the assistance of a qualified expert in reviewing contracts critical to the survival of your business.

3. Communications. Once you have reviewed the terms of your business-insurance coverage and critical contracts, you will be in a much better position to effectively communicate with your insurers, suppliers, customers, vendors, creditors, and other parties with whom your business has relationships concerning the uncertainties facing your business and the businesses of those with whom you have significant ongoing relationships.

Actions like placing an insurance carrier on notice of or making a business-interruption insurance claim, advising another party of your intention to exercise your rights under a force majeure clause of a contract or being prepared for another party with whom you have an important relationship to do so, or effectively communicating with a lender, landlord, or other creditor to productively address disruptions to such relationships are all critical to minimizing losses and ensuring the survival of your business. As with the interpretation of insurance policies and other contracts, input from experts can be very helpful in developing effective communications and providing advice concerning the parties to whom such communications should be directed.

Bulkley Richardson launched a COVID-19 Response Team to address issues critical to businesses and their employees. Call (413) 272-6200 to reach the team.

Massachusetts Unemployment Remains Unchanged in January

By BusinessWest Staff March 17, 2020

Daily News

BOSTON — The state’s January total unemployment remained unchanged at 2.8% for the sixth consecutive month, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced Friday.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) preliminary job estimates indicate Massachusetts added 11,800 jobs in January. Over the month, the private sector added 11,100 jobs as gains occurred in trade, transportation, and utilities; education and health services; professional, scientific, and business services; financial activities; leisure and hospitality; other services; information; construction; and manufacturing.

From January 2019 to January 2020, BLS estimates Massachusetts added 33,400 jobs.

The January unemployment rate was eight-tenths of a percentage point lower than the national rate of 3.6% reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“Following year-end revisions, BLS now estimates Massachusetts added 33,400 jobs over the year. In addition to those job gains, the labor force increased by 27,000 from last year’s level, with 39,400 more residents employed and 12,300 fewer residents unemployed,” Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta said.

The labor force increased by 1,900 from 3,834,300 in December, as 2,300 more residents were employed and 400 fewer residents were unemployed over the month.

Over the year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped three-tenths of a percentage point.

The state’s labor-force participation rate — the total number of residents 16 or older who worked or were unemployed and actively sought work in the last four weeks – remained unchanged at 67.9%. Compared to January 2019, the labor-force participation rate is up two-tenths of a percentage point.

The largest private-sector percentage job gains over the year were in information; education and health services; professional, scientific, and business services; and construction.

State Grant to Support Springfield WORKS Financial-wellness Strategies

By BusinessWest Staff March 17, 2020

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield WORKS leads local employers, educators, community leaders, and job seekers in developing innovative solutions to meet the economic needs of area residents and local businesses. A founding member in the Springfield WORKS collaboration, Springfield Partners for Community Action, recently received a second $50,000 award from the Baker-Polito Community Services Block Grant Special Projects Fund to support Springfield WORKS financial-wellness strategies.

“We are grateful to Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, and Undersecretary Jennifer Maddox for this award, which will provide financial training and one-on-one coaching to low-income working families who are impacted by the cliff effect,” said Springfield Partners for Community Action Executive Director Paul Bailey. Cliff effects occur when wages do not make up for a family’s loss of public benefits, putting the family in a worse financial situation.

This award comes on the heels of a recent $100,000 Baker-Polito Urban Agenda Grant to Springfield WORKS and the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts. The funds will enable families to achieve economic stability as they navigate workforce-development training into a career pathway.

Springfield WORKS project partners include HCS Head Start, Dress for Success of Western Massachusetts, Springfield Partners for Community Action, EforAll, Educare Springfield, Springfield Public Schools, Holyoke Community College, Springfielf Technical Community College, Springfield College, Martin Luther King Jr. Center, and United Way of Pioneer Valley.

3 Elements of Your Brand That Can Shine Through in These Harrowing Times

By BusinessWest Staff March 17, 2020

Marketing Tips

Courtesy of AdWeek.com

Do tough times reveal the true character of a brand? Facing the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and subsequent disruption in nearly all industry sectors, how might a brand’s choices reveal its nature or true personality, strengthen or damage or perhaps transform its relationship with stakeholders?

Carol Leary Reflects on 25 Years at Bay Path and What’s Ahead for Higher Education

By George O'Brien March 17, 2020

Education

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

Carol Leary

Since arriving at the campus of Bay Path College in 1994, Carol Leary has always had her focus on what the future of higher education would — or should — look like, and positioning the institution for that day. As she prepares to retire in late June, she still has her eye on the future. She predicts that careers — and college programs to prepare people for them — will look much different years down the road, and institutions must be open to changing how they do business.

Carol Leary says she found the photo as she commenced the still-ongoing task of essentially packing up after a remarkable 26-year career as the president of Bay Path University — only it wasn’t a university when she arrived, as we all know.

It’s a shot of herself with former Secretary of Labor and Secretary of Transportation Elizabeth Dole — one of the first keynoters at the school’s Women’s Leadership Conference — and Caron Hobin, an administrator at Bay Path who back then had the title of dean of Continuing Education, and is now vice president of Strategic Alliances, a role we’ll hear more about later.

Since finding it on a shelf not far from her first edition of Bay Path Crossroads, the school’s admissions magazine (which also features Dole on the cover), Leary has been showing this photo to pretty much everyone who ventures into her office.

“It brings back so many memories — and it was the beginning,” she said, adding that it has become her favorite photo, not just because she and others can marvel at how much younger she and Hobin were back when it was taken, but because of the way it makes her pause and think about everything that has happened since it was snapped.

It is quite a list — from that aforementioned progression to a university to its dramatic growth; from the addition of baccalaureate, then master’s, and finally doctoral degrees to the creation of the American Women’s College, the first all-women, all-online baccalaureate program in the nation; from the opening of a new science center to national recognition is such fields as cybersecurity. And it is certainly worth dwelling on all those accomplishments.

Leary has certainly been doing some of that over the past several weeks as she winds down her tenure and anticipates the beginning of retirement in late June, especially as she finds more artifacts as she starts to pack up her belongings. But not too much, as her time has been consumed with everything from welcoming her successor — Sandra Doran was introduced to the campus community in late February — to dealing with the many effects of coronavirus, which has hit the higher-education sector extremely hard.

And while the latter is now dominating the final weeks of her tenure, with decisions to be made about events, classes, and more, Leary spent much of her time this winter not looking back, but looking ahead to the future of higher education and how schools like Bay Path can prepare for, and be on the cutting edge of, what should be profound change.

In most respects, this is merely a continuation of what she’s been doing since arrived at the Longmeadow campus in the fall of 1994.

“Colleges are facing some incredible headwinds,” she said. “And beginning a year ago, at each executive committee meeting of the board, I started sharing some of those challenges and opportunities facing not only Bay Path but all colleges and universities.”

When asked to elaborate on these headwinds, she started with demographics, especially those concerning the size of high-school graduating classes. “The number of 18-year-olds is dropping dramatically in this country, and that won’t turn around unless immigration is opened up and you get a flood of immigrants,” she explained. “All colleges are facing it, so what do you do?”

Many schools are shifting their focus to graduate degrees and adult students, and Bay Path was somewhat ahead of this curve when it started added such programs 20 years ago, Leary said, adding quickly that, while such steps have worked, schools can’t depend on them moving forward.

Carol Leary, seen here introducing poet Maya Angelou at one of Bay Path’s Women’s Leadership Conferences, has led the school through a period of unprecedented growth and expansion.

“There are now many more competitors — everyone is adding new programs,” she went on, noting that this is true of both adult (non-traditional) programs and online education, another arena where Bay Path was a pioneer. “As more schools enter the marketplace, that increases your competition, and then pricing gets driven down.”

There are many other headwinds, especially the soaring cost of higher education and the ways in which students will learn, she said, adding that it is incumbent upon all schools to try to get ahead of these issues and respond proactively, rather than react when it is perhaps too late.

This is the mindset she took to Bay Path back in 1994, and it’s the one she’s leaving with the board and her staff as she packs up those photos and other memory-triggering artifacts from a career with a number of milestones.

For this issue and its focus on education, training, and employment, BusinessWest talked at length with Leary. It was supposed to be to flip through a figurative photo album assembled over a quarter-century, but, in keeping with her character, she was much more focused on the future than the past.

Developing Story

As noted, that photo of Leary with Dole and Hobin triggers a number of memories — and stories, which lead to even more stories.

One that Leary likes to tell involves how Dole’s presence at the conference helped lead to another keynoter of note — Margaret Thatcher.

“People ask how we accomplished what we did, and I always said the number-one reason was that I hired very committed, very passionate, and very smart people. And that is the secret sauce — who you hire. I give them all the credit.”

“She [Dole] had an advance person, a young man maybe 25 years old, and I’m in the wings with him listening to her speak, and he said, ‘who else would you like to have?’” she recalled. “I said, ‘we don’t have the first woman president of the United States yet, so I’d love the first woman prime minister of Great Britain.’ And he said, ‘my mother is her advance person.’”

Fast-forwarding a little, she said arrangements were made for Leary and Hobin to fly to Washington and deliver the invitation to Thatcher personally. She eventually came to downtown Springfield in the spring of 1998, thus adding her name to a lengthy list of keynoters that also includes Maya Angelou, Jane Fonda, Madeleine Albright, Rita Moreno, Queen Latifah, and many others.

There are stories — and photos — involving all those individuals, said Leary, who got to spend some time with each one of them.

But while she loves to tell those stories, an even more pleasant assignment is talking about the women, many of them first-generation college students, who have come to the Bay Path campus over the past quarter-century. Creating opportunities for them has been the most significant accomplishment of her career, she said, adding that her tenure has in many ways been defined by the small framed copy of that quote attributed to Steve Jobs — “The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world usually do” — she keeps near her desk.

“I don’t even know if he actually said that, but they say he said it,” she noted with a laugh. “Anyway, I always tell people that’s how we have to look at every issue.”

And that mindset has led to a stunning transformation of the 123-year-old school, which was a secretarial school decades ago and a sleepy two-year school when she and her husband, Noel, first visited it after she was recruited to apply to be its fifth president.

By now, most know the story. While many of their friends and family were dubious about this small school as her next career stop after working for several years at Simmons College (another women’s school), the Learys didn’t have any doubts.

But nothing about the turnaround effort — and it has to be called that — was quick or easy. And all the efforts were the result of teamwork, said Leary, who, over the years, has said repeatedly that the success of the institution is not due to one person, but rather a large and talented team.

“People ask how we accomplished what we did, and I always said the number-one reason was that I hired very committed, very passionate, and very smart people,” she said. “And that is the secret sauce — who you hire. I give them all the credit.”

While finding old photographs and items like that issue of Crossroads, Leary has also come across some of the letters (yes, she kept them) from institutions trying to recruit her and headhunters asking to apply for positions. More than the letters themselves, she remembers how she replied to them.

This copy of Bay Path College Crossroads, with Elizabeth Dole on the cover, is one of many poignant pieces of memorabilia Carol Leary has come across while packing up after her remarkable career at the school.

“I always said, ‘my work here isn’t done — I’m in the middle of this vision or that vision,’” she recalled. “I never had the yearning to go anywhere.”

The work was never done because the school was seemingly always in a state of transition — first from a two-year school to the baccalaureate level, then to the master’s level, and then online and the introduction of new healthcare programs, and then doctorate programs.

And because it needs to, the school is still transitioning.

School of Thought

As she talked with BusinessWest a few weeks ago, Leary was splitting her time a number of different ways — although coronavirus had certainly seized most of it as this article was being written, including the postponement of the annual Women’s Leadership Conference, which had been set for March 27 at the MassMutual Center. Meanwhile, there are several retirement parties scheduled, as well as the annual President’s Gala, a huge fundraiser for the university and, specifically, the President’s Scholarships established by Leary to assist first-generation students. Those are still proceeding as scheduled, although the virus and the response to it is a story that changes quickly.

What won’t be changing quickly — in speed or direction — are those headwinds facing seemingly all the most prestigious colleges and universities.

And the most pressing issue, she told BusinessWest, is doing something about the high cost of a college education.

“As higher-education professionals, we have to figure out how to deliver our model in an affordable way so that families can send their children and adults can attend as well and not have high debt,” she explained. “That’s why the American Women’s College was created in 2013, but it is not going to be unique anymore because, as the number of 18-year-olds goes down, colleges have to think about other sources of revenue.”

With this in mind, Leary said Bay Path long ago started looking at new strategies for growth and creating learning opportunities. And it has created a new division, the Office of Strategic Alliances — Hobin now leads it — which is focused on non-credit work and professional development.

“We’re thinking not necessarily about a student coming to us, graduating in four years, and maybe getting a graduate degree, but more in terms of ‘what do we need to do to educate that student through her life cycle,” Leary explained, pointing, with emphasis, to a report she’s seen indicating that a child born today has the potential to live to 150 years.

“If you think about that, they may have an 80-year work life,” she went on. “And so, the college degree they earn at age 22 may not be relevant at age 60, 70, or even 80; a child today will have a longer work life, and it will be a much different work life than what people are experiencing today.

“I can’t even predict what it will be like, but colleges have to stay relevant,” she said, adding that Bay Path’s new division will handle professional development for businesses that want to retool and retrain their workforces. “That’s probably the future; that’s where we need to be — not just offering degrees but also offering lifelong learning opportunities.”

In that future, which is probably not far down the road, Leary projects that higher education will be “unbundled,” as she put it, into degrees but also short- and long-term programs, and with students not necessarily spending four years at one institution, but rather moving in and out of a school.

“This is going to shake up my colleagues in the field, but if I had a crystal ball … I don’t think students are going to come to one college and stay there for 120 credits,” she explained, summoning the acronym CLEP, or college-level examination program, which enables individuals with prior knowledge in a college course subject to earn college credits by passing an exam, thus possibly earning a degree more efficiently and inexpensively.

“I always said, ‘my work here isn’t done — I’m in the middle of this vision or that vision.’ I never had the yearning to go anywhere.”

“We already see students coming and going, bringing in community college and other college credits, CLEP, advanced placement, and more,” she went on. Meanwhile, adults don’t some in expecting to take 120 credits because somewhere in their life they may have taken a year somewhere and then life happened and they dropped out.

“Overall, colleges are going to have to reflect on what is learning, how does learning place, where does it take place, and how does it fit it into a credential like a degree; I don’t believe that degrees are going to be place-bound,” she said in conclusion, adding that such reflection must lead to often-profound change in how things are done.

And higher education is not exactly noted for its willingness to change, she said, adding that this sentiment must shift if the smaller institutions want to not only survive but thrive.

Future Course

As noted, Leary will be staying on until late June, and between now and then she has to move out of her home on campus and pack up everything in her office, including a number of awards she’s received from organizations ranging from the Girl Scouts to BusinessWest; she’s actually won two honors from this magazine — its Difference Makers award and its Women of Impact award.

She’s also planned out the first several months of retirement, with several trips scheduled — to England in July and Italy in August, if coronavirus doesn’t get in the way — and work on two boards in Ogunquit, Maine, where she will spend roughly half the year, with the other half in Fort Lauderdale. She even has a T-shirt that reads, “Yes, I have a plan for retirement.”

As for the school she’s leaving … it’s a much different, much better, and much more resilient institution than the one she found a quarter-century ago. She insists that people shouldn’t credit her for that. Instead, they should maybe credit Steve Jobs and that quote attributed to him.

Leary didn’t set out to change the world, necessarily, just that small bit of it off Longmeadow Street. To say she did so would be a huge understatement, and in the course of doing so, she changed countless lives in the process.

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

Businesses Deal with Growing Impact of Coronavirus

By Joseph Bednar March 17, 2020

Coronavirus Cover Story Features Special Coverage

Life in Limbo

It was becoming clear weeks ago that the novel coronavirus would have some sort of economic impact once it washed ashore in the U.S. — but it’s still not clear, and perhaps won’t be for some time, how severe and wide-ranging the damage could be, as people cancel travel plans, curtail business operations, shut down college campuses, and take any number of other actions to stay safe. It’s a fast-moving story, and one that’s only beginning.

The first confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus had barely shown up in the U.S. when some of Bob Nakosteen’s students in an online graduate economics course started dropping the course because they were dealing with a more immediate issue: supply-chain interruptions in their own companies.

“These companies have supply chains that stretch into China, and, well … the word ‘disruptive’ doesn’t even capture it,” Nakosteen said. “Those chains have been completely severed. These people are absolutely in crisis mode.

“A situation like this interacts with the ethic of lean production,” he went on. “People keep limited inventories — and that’s great as long as there’s a supply chain that’s frictionless and reliable. As soon as you get a disruption in the supply chain, which could happen because of a strike, because of a virus, for any number of reasons, there’s no inventory buffer. It doesn’t cause delayed difficulty to the firm; it causes an immediate one. And that’s what you’ve got now.”

Editor’s Note:

The coronavirus pandemic is impacting this region and its business community in ways that are far-reaching and unprecedented. Visit COVID-19 News & Updates and opt into BusinessWest Daily News to stay informed with daily updates.

More than a week has passed since we spoke with Nakosteen — a professor and chair of the Department of Operations and Information Management at Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst — for this story, meaning another week for the supply-chain situation for manufacturers and other companies to deteriorate.

In fact, when it comes to the economic impact of the virus that causes the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, now officially a pandemic, virtually everything has only gotten worse.

“We have to assume everything will be affected. Airlines are experiencing reduced demand, cancelling hundreds and thousands of flights,” he said, noting that reduced tourism will hit numerous sectors, from hotels and restaurants to ground transportation and convention halls, that rely on travelers.

“How many firms are curtailing business travel? The NCAA now plans to play playing games with empty stands,” he went on, a decision that became official soon after — not to mention the NBA suspending its season outright. “What happens to the people who provide parking and concessions? Now multiply that over hundreds or thousands of events that are scheduled to take place over the next couple of months. It’s going to have an economic effect.”

UMass Amherst is one of several area colleges and universities that are sending students home and will conduct remote classes only for the time being.

Nakosteen’s own campus is certainly feeling that impact. The day before BusinessWest went to press, the five campuses in the UMass system suspended in-person instruction and will transition to online course delivery, at least through early April and perhaps beyond. That followed a similar move by Amherst College, whose president, Carolyn Martin, told students the college was taking to heart the announcement by Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, that the U.S. is past the point of totally containing COVID-19. Other area colleges have since followed suit, or are considering their options.

“While there continue to be no reported cases of the virus on our campus, we need to focus on mitigating its possible effects,” she said, using language that will no doubt be similar to the statements other colleges, in Massachusetts and across the U.S., are currently preparing. “We know that many people will travel widely during spring break, no matter how hard we try to discourage it. The risk of having hundreds of people return from their travels to the campus is too great. The best time to act in ways that slow the spread of the virus is now.”

While all travel is slowing — for example, the governors of Massachusetts and Connecticut have both curtailed out-of-state business travel by government employees, and President Trump issued a European travel ban — Don Anderson, owner of the Cruise Store in East Longmeadow, has seen vacation travel take a major hit.

“We’re a society where, when you’re growing up, you eat your meal, and then you get your dessert. Now we have a situation where people are not having their dessert — their vacation,” he told BusinessWest. “Imagine kids not going to the islands or not going to a park, to the annual parade, not going anywhere. We are a society that works our butts off, we put in overtime, so we can have our time off. To have a year with no time off, that’s not who we are. As Americans, we want our vacation, we want our escape, so we can recharge and come back and work our butts off again.”

But they’re increasingly calling off those vacations, even though Fauci told reporters last week that cruise ships, with all the precautions they’re taking (more on that later), are safe for healthy young people.

“These companies have supply chains that stretch into China, and, well … the word ‘disruptive’ doesn’t even capture it. Those chains have been completely severed. These people are absolutely in crisis mode.”

“The bottom line is, we are unintentionally punishing ourselves by not having an escape. A good portion of our customers are going on trips, but many are not,” Anderson said, adding that he expects the industry to recover after the crisis is over. “That’s what we’re all hoping. Otherwise, it’s a dire situation for the industry and even more so for the economies that travel impacts directly and indirectly, including the United States.”

For now, though, businesses of all kinds are in a sort of limbo, bearing the initial brunt of an economic storm spreading as quickly as coronavirus itself — no one really sure how severe it will get, and when it will turn around.

Sobering Education

Many companies, from small outfits with a few employees to regional giants, are grappling with similar questions about what to do if the virus threatens their workforce. On that upper end, size-wise, is MassMutual in Springfield, which has certainly talked strategy in recent days.

“MassMutual is taking appropriate action to protect the health of our employees, their families, and our community and assure the continuity of our business operations,” Laura Crisco, head of Media Relations and Strategic Communications, told BusinessWest. “This includes limiting non-essential domestic and international business travel and ensuring employees are prepared to work remotely, including proactively testing work-from-home capabilities.”

In the meantime, MassMutual is limiting non-essential guests at its offices, enhancing cleaning protocols at its facilities, and limiting large-scale meetings, she added. “We are continuously monitoring this evolving situation, reassessing our approach, and staying in close communication with our employees.”

Most importantly, Crisco said, anyone who is sick is encouraged to stay home, and the company is also communicating basic guidance on how to prevent the spread of germs, such as thorough hand washing, using hand sanitizer, covering coughs and sneezes, avoiding close contact with people who are sick, avoiding touching faces with unwashed hands, and frequently cleaning and disinfecting touched objects and surfaces.

Kevin Day, president of Florence Bank, told BusinessWest the institution has disaster plans in place for a host of circumstances, from epidemics to natural disasters, and has developed strategies for meeting basic customer needs in case staffing is reduced.

Bob Nakosteen

“As soon as you get a disruption in the supply chain, which could happen because of a strike, because of a virus, for any number of reasons, there’s no inventory buffer. It doesn’t cause delayed difficulty to the firm; it causes an immediate one.”

“We just checked with all our managers and asked, ‘are we comfortable that everyone is cross-trained enough, so that, if your area was out, we could function?’ Pretty much everyone said, ‘yes, we have the plans right here, we know exactly what we’d do.’

He understands, however, that no one can anticipate the extent of the crisis quite yet.

“It’s not like we haven’t seen challenges in the past. Whatever challenge is presented, we’ve just got to get the right people in the building together and think about how to continue to do what we do, which is open the door and serve the customers. We have those things in place,” Day said. “As it ramps up, and all of a sudden your employees start coming down with it, the escalation would get much greater, and you might have to take more draconian steps.”

‘Draconian’ might be a word some people used when they first heard about the college shutdowns, but there’s a logic behind that move.

“While at this time there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on our campus or in the surrounding community, we are taking these steps as a precautionary measure to protect the health and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff,” Kumble Subbaswamy, chancellor of UMass Amherst, said in a statement to students. “By reducing population density on campus, we will enable the social distancing that will mitigate the spread of the virus. There is presently no evidence that our campus is unsafe, but our transition to remote learning is intended to create a safer environment for all — for the students who return home and the faculty and staff who remain.”

He conceded that the move is a massive disruption for students and families, but said the university is committed to helping those with the greatest needs on an individual basis. Meanwhile, the Provost’s office is working with the deans to identify laboratory, studio, and capstone courses where face-to-face instruction is essential, and students in these courses will be notified whether they can return to campus after spring break.

At the same time, Martin said Amherst College will consider making exceptions for students who say it’s impossible to find another place to stay.

“It saddens us to be taking these measures,” she added. “It will be hard to give up, even temporarily, the close colloquy and individual attention that defines Amherst College, but our faculty and staff will make this change rewarding in its own way, and we will have acted in one another’s best interests.”

Elementary-, middle- and high schools may close as well, after Gov. Charlie Baker, as part of his emergency declaration last week, freed school districts from mandatory-days rules, so that they have the flexibility to make decisions on temporary closures due to coronavirus.

Specifically, the longest any school district will be required to go is its already-scheduled 185th day. No schools will be required to be in session after June 30. Schools may also disregard all attendance data for the remainder of the school year.

Reaction or Overreaction?

While some economic impacts may be inevitable, Anderson questioned whether some businesses are being hurt more than others based on, in his case, media spin that has focused on a couple of recent outbreaks on cruise ships.

“Honestly, I’m more concerned walking into the supermarket — that tomato I’m grabbing or fresh produce I’m purchasing, I don’t know how many people before me have touched it. I don’t know who’s touching the elevator button. I don’t know who entered their pin number on the debit/credit-card reader. Even when we voted, everyone who used the polling booth shared the same pens,” he said, adding quickly that election officials in East Longmeadow, where he is a Town Council member, did occasionally wipe down the voting surfaces and pens, as did other communities.

“What we do know is there’s been well over 20,000 deaths of American citizens from the flu this season alone, but I’m not seeing large, front-page stories about that,” Anderson noted. “Why aren’t there long lines out of the local CVS or Walgreens to get the flu vaccine?”

Dr. Robert Roose

“We are regularly in touch with the state Department of Health as well as monitoring guidance from the Centers for Disease Control. That’s important to ensure all of our activities are aligned with the latest data and resources.”

The key, he said, is a balanced and measured response — and for people to use healthy practices all the time. As one example, he noted the hand-washing stations at the entrance of all restaurants on cruise ships. While at least two cruise lines have temporarily suspended voyages, those still operating strictly follow those protocols.

“You have dedicated crew reminding everyone and watching so you wash your hands before going in,” he said. “It’s not something you see in stateside restaurants. But on cruise ships, you have to wash your hands. These washing stations were a consequence years ago of the norovirus impacting a small number of cruise-ship passengers. As a result, the incidences onboard ships has lowered.”

Meanwhile, U.S. Travel Assoc. President and CEO Roger Dow worried about bold moves like barring European travel. “Temporarily shutting off travel from Europe is going to exacerbate the already-heavy impact of coronavirus on the travel industry and the 15.7 million Americans whose jobs depend on travel,” Dow said in a statement.

While many businesses struggle with the economic impact of the novel coronavirus and the anxiety it’s causing among Americans, others see it as a chance to expand their services.

For example, the Springfield-based law firm Bulkley Richardson launched a COVID-19 response team last week comprised of attorneys in the areas of business, finance, employment, schools, healthcare, and cybersecurity. Understanding that each business will be affected differently, the firm noted that taking proactive measures may help minimize the risk of business interruptions, and the COVID-19 response team has developed — and posted on its website — a catalog of issues to be considered by each business owner or manager.

Meanwhile, Associated Industries of Massachusetts published an expansive guide to employment-law issues that might arise due to the virus, dealing with everything from quarantines and temporary shutdowns to remote work and employee privacy issues. That guide is available at aimnet.org/blog/the-employers-guide-to-covid-19. John Gannon, a partner with Skoler, Abbott & Presser, also answers some relevant questions in this issue.

Righting the ship if COVID-19 sparks an actual recession could be difficult, for a number of reasons, writes Annie Lowrey, who covers economic policy for the Atlantic. She notes several reasons why a coronavirus recession could be difficult to reverse in the short term, including its uncertainty, demand and supply shocks at the same time (that supply-chain issue again), political polarization in the U.S., the global nature of COVID-19, and the fact that monetary policy is near exhaustion, as the Federal Reserve has already cut rates to near-historic lows, leaving little room to maneuver in the coming months

“They really don’t have much space to cut,” Nakosteen added. “Normally when the economy runs into trouble, the Federal Reserve runs in to the rescue. The problem now is we don’t have much room to rescue.”

He also cited the psychological factor that can quickly turn economic anxiety into something worse. “People say, ‘oh my God,’ they start drawing in their tentacles, and that’s when you have a recession.”

Lives in the Balance

None of this is to suggest that the economic impacts of COVID-19 outweigh the human ones. This is, foremost, a health crisis, one the healthcare community, particularly hospitals, are bracing for.

“We have an emergency preparedness committee, but those policies are sort of general,” said Dr. Joanne Levin, medical director of Infection Prevention at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. “We’ve had a lot of incidents in the past decade — we’ve prepared for Ebola, measles, H1N1, a lot of things. But each epidemic is different in how it’s transmitted and what to watch for. With each epidemic, we have to go through the emergency preparation plan and figure things out.”

Dr. Robert Roose, chief medical officer at Mercy Medical Center, echoed that idea. “We have a standard infection-control committee and a plan that we would activate whenever we have a surge of infectious-disease patients,” he told BusinessWest. “This particular situation is rapidly evolving. We are regularly in touch with the state Department of Health as well as monitoring guidance from the Centers for Disease Control. That’s important to ensure all of our activities are aligned with the latest data and resources.”

Meanwhile, the state Department of Public Health (DPH) continues to offer guidance to the public at www.mass.gov/2019coronavirus. It’s also urging older adults and those with health issues to avoid large crowds and events, while individuals who live in households with vulnerable people, like elderly parents, should also consider avoiding crowds. The DPH is also issuing guidance to long-term-care facilities, where sick visitors could endanger dozens of people very quickly.

Still, coronavirus is also an economic story, one with a plot that’s only beginning to take shape. It also may be a long story, with no end in sight.

“We’re in a position where we don’t know exactly what’s going to happen, but we can speculate on what parts of the economy are going to be affected,” Nakosteen said. “We’re all watching it play out without a whole lot of idea how it will play out.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Kevin Day Begins a New Phase as President of Florence Bank

By Joseph Bednar March 17, 2020

Banking and Financial Services

Natural Transition

Kevin Day

In some ways, Kevin Day is no stranger to running Florence Bank — he was already overseeing about 90% of its departments as executive vice president, a series of responsibilities he gradually took on after coming aboard as CFO in 2008. So he was a natural choice to succeed John Heaps Jr., who recently stepped down after 25 years as president. Day’s mandate is simple — keep a bank known for its steady, organic growth moving forward, and keep cultivating the culture of teamwork that allows such growth to occur.

When Kevin Day joined Florence Bank as chief financial officer in 2008, he was responsible for finance, facilities, and risk management. He must have been doing something right, because his role later expanded to include compliance in 2013, residential lending in 2014, and retail banking in 2016, at which time he earned the title of executive vice president.

“Gradually, my role expanded to where, all of a sudden, I looked back one day and said, ‘wow, 90% of the bank reports to me. How did that happen?’” he said.

That broad oversight made him a natural choice to replace John Heaps Jr., who stepped down as president of Florence Bank in January after 25 years in that role. On May 1, he’ll retire as CEO as well, and Day will take on that title, too.

“Gradually, my role expanded to where, all of a sudden, I looked back one day and said, ‘wow, 90% of the bank reports to me. How did that happen?”

“In my CFO role, I tended to have fingers in a lot of different places anyway — rate setting, strategy in many areas, facilities. We had started to expand into Hampden County. I had full responsibility for that transition, along with retail responsibility,” Day explained. “Then, a few years back, when John said, ‘hey, retirement’s coming up for me. Would you be interested in stepping in after me as president?’ I said I’d be happy to.

“You know, honestly, that wasn’t a role that I came here for,” he added. “My philosophy in life in general, but certainly in business, has been ‘just do the best you can.’ It’s the key tenet I spoke to our employees about at our meeting when I was promoted. I said, ‘the number-one thing you can do is just do your best in whatever role you have.’ And that’s all I’ve ever tried to do. I would have been happy to sit here as CFO the rest of my career, but when John decided to move on, I said, ‘yeah.’”

The job is the culmination of not only more than 11 years at Florence Bank, but a lengthy career spent in the financial world, including roles at more than a half-dozen other banks. This change, at least culturally, promises to be a smooth one, he noted.

“Every job transition I’ve ever had, it takes a year to figure out, ‘what have I gotten into?’ — whether it’s good or bad,” he explained. “After a year, you can look back and say, ‘wow, this is what this place is all about.’ I don’t have any of that here. I know many of our customers, I know our staff, and they all know me. It has been extremely smooth.”

Much of the credit for that has to do with the culture fostered by Heaps over the past quarter-century, Day said — one that emphasizes teamwork in all dealings.

John Heaps Jr., who served as president of Florence Bank for 25 years, grew its assets and reach steadily over that time, including a successful and ongoing push into Hampden County.

“That’s the key. It’s one of two key principles I live by. The other is simplicity. I don’t like things complex. When you make decisions when you can’t understand things, you get it wrong more often than you get it right,” he went on. “John always explained things and discussed things. And with all the moves we’ve made, everyone’s been on board.”

Those moves have been many in recent years, including that aforementioned Hampden County expansion (more on that later). And Day is excited to see how the bank continues to evolve from his chair in the office he never thought he’d occupy.

Part of the Team

Immediately after earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration at UMass Amherst, Day worked for five years as a CPA for the accounting firm Arthur Young & Co. in Worcester. When he looked for a career change, he got into banking “totally by accident.”

Well, not exactly — he had been rubbing shoulders with bank controllers, treasurers, and presidents as part of his CPA work, and always found their work interesting. When a position became available as a controller for Consumers Bank, also in Worcester, “it hit all my criteria,” he recalled, and he jumped into a new role.

After three years, the bank was sold, and he jumped off for a position in New Hampshire, where he lived for 25 years and raised a family, working for a number of institutions. “I learned a lot in each job, some from really good experiences and some from really tough experiences, but all of that shapes who you are. Several things I went through in the banking world were really awesome experiences, and some I would never want to repeat again.”

“I learned a lot in each job, some from really good experiences and some from really tough experiences, but all of that shapes who you are. Several things I went through in the banking world were really awesome experiences, and some I would never want to repeat again.”

His next stop was Unibank in Central Mass., where he worked for 15 years, and figured he would remain there as CFO for the rest of his career. But he was intrigued by a job description from Florence Bank, also for a CFO — and by the interview process itself.

“The way we do interviews here, particularly for senior people, is the president and all the senior officers individually interview you. I spent the whole day here, basically every hour talking to a different person, and that really impressed me,” Day recalled. “Number one, it gave me insight into all the different people who were here running the various areas of the bank. And what struck me was, ‘wow, these people are really nice.’ They were very genuine, and the bank’s a good bank — I could tell that from the financials.”

In 2008, at the height of a global financial crisis, it may have been a dicey time to switch banks, he said, but because of Florence’s financial health — Heaps had been steadily growing assets and services since his arrival — and the impression the senior staff had made during those interviews, Day accepted the job.

Job one was moving forward from a time of great difficulty in the industry, he added. “Things started moving in a decent direction. We had low capital ratio at the time, so we put a plan in place to improve that. The economy became better, and the plan worked; our capital levels rose, and we started making decent money, and things just came together.”

SEE: List of Financial Services/ Brokerage Firms

That sense of teamwork and collaboration helped, he told BusinessWest. “Every organization likes to think of themselves, ‘oh, we’re a team.’ But very few actually are. We really have a great team. We’re careful to bring people in who buy in and agree with the culture we have. That sense of teamwork is important, which makes my transition to president really easy, honestly.

“There’s no jealousy, no backstabbing,” he added. “That’s one of the things that drew me in the first place. These people aren’t climbing over each other, they’re working together.”

Heading South

Lately, they’ve been working on a multi-phase expansion into Hampden County. Florence Bank, headquartered in its namesake town, has long been a Hampshire County institution, with branches in Amherst, Belchertown, Easthampton, Granby, Hadley, Northampton, and Williamsburg.

But in the past three years, it opened up branches in West Springfield and Springfield, with a site in Chicopee to follow in 2020, and then perhaps two to four more in the next five years.

“I’ve been intimately involved in site selection, branch design, branch staffing, setting up everything related to that,” Day said. “It’s been a great deal of my day-to-day responsibilities over the past several years.”

When he announced the first move a few years ago, Heaps said a recent spate of mergers of community banks in Hampden County created an uncommon opportunity for a mutually held bank that makes decisions about what’s best for customers and the community without input from stockholders.

And a geographic presence needs to be a part of that strategy, Day said — even in the mobile age.

“Branching is changing,” he noted. “Banking in general has gone electronic. Customers can do so much more away from the branch. But they still need to know who they’re banking with, and we feel you’ve got to have a footprint, and people have to be able to see you. If we’re not physically in the communities, it doesn’t feel like we’re there.”

“I feel bad for people who get up in the morning and sort of dread coming to work. I’ve enjoyed coming to work most of my career. But coming here is the best of anything I’ve done. I’m glad I’m ending my career in a place like this.”

Although online and mobile banking are now omnipresent, he went on, customers still want a place they can go to get questions answered and problems solved. “No one wants to wait on the phone — talking face to face is still important, even with all our convenience and technology. Our electronic channels are expanding, but if you have a problem, you want to go to a branch.”

That presence is a form of marketing, but traditional media messaging is important, too. The bank’s marketing emphasizes the tagline ‘always,’ reflecting its mutual form of ownership, which assures, among other things, that it can’t be forced into a sale or merger with another bank.

“We’re always going to be here,” Day said. “You never have to worry that next year we’ll be owned by someone else, and the decision makers will be in Connecticut or Boston or New York or California. The decision makers work here and live here.”

That mutual model is important to many people in the Pioneer Valley who grew up in a community-bank culture, he added. “Our mutual model is what allows us to be local and stay local. When you’re owned by shareholders, those shareholders are from who knows where, and their goals and objectives can be vastly different from what ours are.”

He added that he knows customers who have been with the bank 40 years or more, through all phases of their lives — and all the financial challenges life brings, from buying a home to paying college tuition to saving for retirement.

“I don’t know anybody who really loves change, but it’s a fact of life. You’ve got to deal with it,” he said. “It’s good to know that your banking situation is something that won’t change. Florence will be here.”

In a Good Place

During Heaps’ 25-year tenure as president, Florence Bank’s capital has grown from $24 million to $161 million, and assets have grown from $283 million to $1.4 billion, and from four branches to 11 — soon to be 12. Meanwhile, the staff has doubled from 112 full-time employees to 221 now.

While the future will see at least a couple more branches, Day said the focus will continue to be on steady, organic growth, as opposed to the merger-happy way some local banks have grown over the past two decades.

The coming years will also bring a continued emphasis on community giving, as evidenced by the 18th annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program, celebrated at Look Park on March 10, where 57 nonprofits received $100,000 in awards based on voting by bank customers. The program has given more than $1.2 million since its inception.

“Our customers love it, the community loves it — it’s just a heartwarming event,” Day said. “We give a lot outside that program, but this is a step above. It just cements our core mission to help as many people as we can, as best we can.”

Active in the community in other ways, Day is currently a member of the board of directors and the finance committee for United Way of Hampshire County, a board member for the Springfield Rescue Mission, a member of the finance committee for Westfield Evangelical Free Church, and board president for the Northeast Center for Youth and Families.

But serving people through his job gratifies him just as much.

“I think it’s the people I work with,” he told BusinessWest. “Yes, they’re all extremely competent in their disciplines, but I’ve worked in places with really smart people who are not fun to work with. Here, they’re smart and good at what they do and nice to be around.

“I feel bad for people who get up in the morning and sort of dread coming to work,” he added. “I’ve enjoyed coming to work most of my career. But coming here is the best of anything I’ve done. I’m glad I’m ending my career in a place like this.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Ashley Sullivan Emphasizes Culture, Mentorship as OTO’s New President

By Joseph Bednar March 17, 2020

Women in Businesss

Engineering Change

Ashley Sullivan

As recently as last year, Ashley Sullivan didn’t expect to one day sit in the president’s chair at O’Reilly, Talbot & Okun — but that was OK, since she enjoyed her job so much. Now, as the firm’s leader, she gets to emphasize and expand on what she likes, including a culture of mentorship and growth that encourages employees to continually learn and pursue more responsibility, all in service to clients with ever-changing needs.

There was a time last year, Ashley Sullivan said, when the principals at O’Reilly, Talbot & Okun (OTO) weren’t sure how the company’s succession plan would proceed, or who would be its next leader. But they knew they had to talk about it.

“So many other companies are at the same age, where the leaders are getting ready to retire, so what now?” said Sullivan, who was named president of the 26-year-old geoenvironmental engineering firm in January. “I kept hearing maybe they’d look for an outside buyer, and I think it was just put off, put off, put off, because they were having fun doing what they were doing.”

But the conversation had to proceed, she went on. Of the three founders, Jim Okun works part-time, Kevin O’Reilly plans to cut back as well. While Mike Talbot plans to be around full-time for awhile, the firm needed direction for the future.

“They didn’t want to close the doors. We have a great company and a great staff,” Sullivan told BusinessWest. “So I think people at different stages, so it was maybe people wanted different things, and it was just put off.”

When the conversation got serious, the solution, they found, was right in front of them.

“I’ve learned through this process, and talking to other companies going through it, that it’s not an easy thing to transition from the founders to a generational company. Once you get past that, it gets a little easier.”

“I’ve learned through this process, and talking to other companies going through it, that it’s not an easy thing to transition from the founders to a generational company,” she said. “Once you get past that, it gets a little easier. So it was just something we had to work through and negotiate through. The choice ended up being, can we transition internally? Can we make this work? Do we have the people to make this work? And we just fought like hell to make that work.”

The transition has been well-received, said Sullivan, who came on board at OTO 20 years ago. Since then, she has been instrumental in growing and developing business in the geotechnical and construction services of the company. She has also been a key mentor to junior staff and an advisor to upper management, as well as an influencer on the firm’s marketing, work culture, and business development (more on all of that later).

Ashley Sullivan discusses the One Ferry Street project in Easthampton with OTO field engineer Dustin Humphrey and client Mike Michon.

“The energy here is fantastic. Last year was tough — when you’re working on any sort of change, it’s hard because everybody’s a little nervous: ‘what does this mean for me?’ And sometimes you lose focus on the overall goal,” she explained. “We have the clients, we have the work. We just had to figure out how to keep it going. So last year there was a little uncertainty and fear, for lack of a better word. This year, once the paperwork was done, the energy is through the roof.”

Culture Matters

It was during a time when she was working fewer hours that Sullivan came to understand and appreciate her workplace and its culture.

“They allowed me to have a flexible schedule when I had children, and it was something you didn’t see a lot at that time,” she said, noting that she cut back to 24 hours in 2005, sometimes more if she was needed, and was still working 32 hours not too long ago. Not surprisingly, she’s a strong advocate of work-life balance.

“I was still allowed to progress and advance my career in that way, and now I can say that it works. You can let people have a balance of where they want to be home. I wanted to get my kids on and off the bus, but I wanted to have a meaningful career too, and I found that difficult at 40 hours. So it’s something that I strongly feel works, and I want to continue to develop that culture here.”

Sullivan also instructs the civil engineering capstone design course at Western New England University. In this role, she guides graduating students through a mock building project where many of her peers join her in presenting practical technical knowledge, writing skills, and soft-skills training.

“I like to make a difference with the younger engineers, especially women,” she said. “We don’t see a lot of women in this field, and if girls don’t see women in those roles, they don’t even know it’s possible. But my children think nothing of women engineers. They just know it’s possible.”

Teaching also requires her to constantly learn more, she added. “Plus I was doing something I loved, working with students. The energy in a classroom … it just re-energizes me. Mike Talbot is now teaching a class because we see the benefit to being in community. I’ve hired a couple of my students — I have an intern from there now. It’s a great feed to get great engineers. It’s been so helpful in ways I never thought it would be.”

Sullivan enjoys being a mentor in other ways as well, including for young engineers at work.

“I love to build confidence in people,” she said. “I was a very shy kid, and I think engineering, amazingly, somehow gave me confidence in school, and that’s what I like to do for other people. I like to encourage them or say, ‘you can do more than this,’ or ‘here are some habits that will help you,’ and you see them just soar.

“There are so many amazing people here,” she said, and she strives to encourage them. “‘You got this.’ ‘You can do this.’ ‘Go to that meeting; you’re going to kill it.’ What can we do to help you?’ That’s what really gets me excited in the morning, helping people and seeing them achieve — and seeing how it builds on itself and builds on itself.”

But encouragement comes not just in words, but in opportunities. She cited the example of Christine Arruda, who started with the company in an administrative role, then took classes in drafting and computer-aided design, and now manages much of the firm’s industrial-hygiene work as a technical specialist.

Ashley Sullivan observes soil-investigation and foundation work at the One Ferry Street project.

“It’s not uncommon here for people to come in and try different things. We have a culture of, ‘do you want to try to do that? Let’s do it.’ It’s a growth mindset, and I want that to continue and explode,” she said. “What do people want to do? What are some of their goals? Let’s get people into the roles they enjoy and then support them in whatever ways they can be supported. You get people doing the things they really enjoy.”

Much of the company’s evolution over the year has been tied to industry trends and the shifting needs of clients, and this focus on continuing learning serves that growth well, she said, again citing Arruda’s interest in radon, which is something schools have been concerned about in their buildings.

“Our big thing is, how can we provide value for a project?” she said. “There are only so many clients in this area. To be successful, we have to continually adapt to what clients’ needs are. So we’re always adapting and growing, and I think people who work here like that.”

Changing with the Times

Change — and taking advantage of opportunities — have been constant since the early days of O’Reilly, Talbot & Okun. Before the three founders launched their venture in 1994, they were working together at an environmental-services firm in Connecticut.

The Bay State had just developed the Massachusetts Contingency Plan, a law that tells people how to go about cleaning up spills of hazardous materials. As that program rolled out, the three saw an emerging need for people with their skills. So they started a company.

“I like to make a difference with the younger engineers, especially women. We don’t see a lot of women in this field, and if girls don’t see women in those roles, they don’t even know it’s possible. But my children think nothing of women engineers. They just know it’s possible.”

Over the years, OTO’s services have included testing commercial properties for hazardous materials and overseeing cleanup, asbestos management in schools and offices, brownfield redevelopment, indoor air-quality assessments, and geotechnical engineering, which may involve helping developers assess how much force and weight the ground under a proposed structure can stand, or determining the strength of an existing building’s foundation and surrounding topography.

Sullivan said Massachusetts has done a good job cleaning up its largest contaminated sites, so the firm now focuses more on-site redevelopment.

“The big cleanups mostly are done, but you still have things that were left in the ground because they said it’s OK to leave them in the ground, but if you’re going to redig or redevelop that site, you need to manage it,” she explained, noting that it’s tougher these days to find untouched land to develop in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, so geotech services on redevelopment projects are becoming more important. “We shift to what our clients need.”

The end result is often satisfying, especially when a vacant eyesore, like the old mills in Holyoke and Easthampton, come to live.

“Those are some of our favorite projects, because whenever we see a property get redeveloped and reused and come back to life, that just benefits the neighborhood, the community, and us. Those are great projects.”

Suffice to say, Sullivan loves her job on a number of levels, and wants her employees to feel the same way, which is why she keeps raising the bar when it comes to culture, mentorship, and growth.

“We’re not afraid to ask for help,” she told BusinessWest, explaining that she brought in a leadership group — the Boulder Co., based in Connecticut — to cultivate soft skills and leadership training.

“We had a retreat, and it was absolutely amazing. It’s really giving people skills like emotional intelligence and how to get over fears of speaking in public and how to work together better. It’s led to a big energy change here, and you’re seeing people step out of their shells and believe they can do more,” she explained. “We always know we need to be technically proficient and get that training, but sometimes, as engineers and scientists, we forget about the other half — that all our work is based on relationships, and if we continually work on that, we’ll do well.”

It’s a message Sullivan doesn’t mind sharing far and wide.

“My goal right now is to be one of the best places in Springfield to work because I think that’s how you attract the best people,” she said. “One of the reasons I stayed here was because I was able to do these things.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Conditions Are Creating Challenges for Law Firms Trying to Recruit, Retain Talent

By George O'Brien March 17, 2020

Law

Time to Make a Strong Case

Ken Albano, managing partner at Bacon Wilson.

For years now, it’s been the common refrain among those charged with hiring at companies across a number of industry sectors: good help is hard — or at least harder — to find and retain.

Increasingly, words to that effect are being heard in a sector where they’ve traditionally not been heard as much — the legal community.

Indeed, representatives of several area firms told BusinessWest that, while they can still recruit and hire talent — for the most part — it’s a more challenging assignment in many cases and often takes longer.

“It’s certainly more challenging now than it has been in the past,” said John Gannon, a partner and employment-law specialist at Springfield-based Skoler, Abbott & Presser, who penned an article for this issue on the many questions employers have about dealing with coronavirus. “But this is not unique to law firms — this is economy-wide, nationwide; it’s just hard to find people because everyone’s working.”

Indeed, this is, by and large, a buyer’s, or job seeker’s, market. Given these conditions, where law firms — like other employers in virtually every sector — are upping the ante with wages and benefits, it becomes more difficult for Springfield-area firms to compete. It’s a completely different playing field than the one that existed during and just after the Great Recession, he went on, when jobs were scarce and law firms saturated with lawyers were very much in the driver’s seat.

Ken Albano, managing partner at Bacon Wilson, which is based in Springfield and also has offices in Northampton and Westfield, agreed.

“It’s certainly more challenging now than it has been in the past. But this is not unique to law firms — this is economy-wide, nationwide; it’s just hard to find people because everyone’s working.”

“It’s challenging, but then it’s always been somewhat challenging in this market,” he told BusinessWest, adding that many factors are contributing to the current environment, including everything from the smaller classes at many law schools, which resulted from that depressed job market after the Great Recession, among other factors, to the lower pay scales in the 413 compared to markets like Boston, New York, and even Hartford (more on that later), to what appears to be fewer people moving into certain areas of the law.

To emphasize that last point, he reached for the Feb. 24 issue of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, specifically the ‘Employment’ page. Using a blue sharpie, he had circled the ads seeking litigators with varying levels of experience — and there were quite a few of them.

John Gannon says recruiting lawyers to this market has always been somewhat challenging, and with the current job climate, it is even more so.

‘Associate — Civil Litigation’ read one ad, while another was headlined ‘Senior Litigation Associate,’ and several read simply ‘Litigation Associate.’ One, for a firm in Charlestown, was more specific: ‘Trusts & Estates & Probate Litigation Associate — Must Love Dogs.’

Albano’s interest in those ads was understandable.

“Our firm’s biggest frustration has been in that one particular practice area, litigation,” he said, noting that the firm lost two of its best litigators, Bob Murphy and Kevin Maltby, to the bench in recent years, and has struggled to fill the void. “And I’m not sure why that is; maybe it’s the anxiety, maybe people don’t like to speak in public. It’s not just us — people are struggling to find people who want to go to court.”

Putting aside the need for litigators, and even litigators who love dogs, hiring has, overall, become more challenging for law firms in Greater Springfield, and this is prompting a response similar to that given by those in other sectors. Specifically, it’s one focused on being imaginative and resourceful, and employing tactics designed to familiarize law-school students with opportunities in this area and also sell this region both to those just starting their careers and those looking at a lateral move.

“We made a decision at a partners’ retreat to put a very targeted and strategic approach to hiring in place,” said Betsey Quick, executive director at Bulkley Richardson, which has offices in Springfield and Hadley, adding that part of this strategy is to focus primarily on area law schools, bring in summer associates and interns, and make them familiar with the firm and the region. And it’s a strategy that’s working.

“These are people who have a connection to the area, and our client community is out our windows,” she explained. “It’s a challenge to find someone who wants to be in the area, but there are so many law schools within 50 miles, and these students have a connection to the community, and if you have a connection to the community, you’re going to know people who need legal services.”

For this issue and its focus on law, BusinessWest takes a look at the job market and the challenges facing firms seeking to hire. As in the courtroom itself, this assignment requires making a very strong case in order to prevail in the end.

Hire Power

As this issue went to press, those managing area law firms certainly had a lot more on their minds than finding new associates.

Indeed, as the number of coronavirus cases climbed steadily upward through last week, every firm in the region was developing contingency plans, making preparations for employees to work at home if necessary, checking corporate insurance policies to see if they’re covered (probably not) in the event that the virus seriously disrupts business, and monitoring the situation at the various law schools — some, including Western New England University, were weighing whether to shut things down for the rest of the spring, and some had already decided to do so.

“Our firm’s biggest frustration has been in that one particular practice area, litigation. And I’m not sure why that is; maybe it’s the anxiety, maybe people don’t like to speak in public. It’s not just us — people are struggling to find people who want to go to court.”

But the matter of hiring is an all-important one in this sector, and it is an issue for the long term as firms look to do everything from filling specific vacancies in departments to ensuring a healthy mix of young and mid-career lawyers to ensure sustainability and inevitable transition to a younger generation, said Quick, adding that Bulkey Richardson recognized a need for such a mix and is aggressively pursuing one.

“We have a commitment to hire, or attempt to hire, at least three young people per year,” she said, adding that this number could go higher if the firm sees good talent and doesn’t want to pass it up. “And that’s part of our strategy; if we don’t keep a targeted and strategic approach to hiring young lawyers, we’re going to be top-heavy.

“Every firm faces succession issues,” she went on. “It’s a difficult, challenging problem to face, and part of it is just bringing up young lawyers behind them, especially while they’re here to talk to them and train them and take them to meet clients; it’s important to tap that wealth of knowledge.”

But when it comes to hiring lawyers, the Springfield market has always been somewhat unique — and challenging, said those we spoke with.

Betsey Quick says Bulkley Richardson’s hiring strategy has focused on seeking out law-school students who can make local connections and, overall, a commitment to this market.

In some ways, it competes with firms in New York, Boston, Hartford, Providence, and Worcester for talent, but its wage scale has always been significantly below New York and Boston and also well below those in those other cities. So, in some respects, this region doesn’t compete against those markets.

“What comes with practicing in this market is a lower salary — it’s a fact of life,” said Albano. “And a lot of times, when we do make offers to potential new associates, we can’t compete with the Boston and Hartford markets because, on average, a new associate can make a lot more money working in those arenas than they can in Springfield or Amherst or wherever.

“We’ve lost associates in the commercial practice group to Hartford,” he went on, estimating that salaries there are perhaps 20% higher than in Springfield. “And we don’t chase people — we say, ‘this is the offer, and it’s the same offer we’ve made to people that have been in your shoes, and they’re working here now.’ That’s one of the reasons why it’s hard to compete with those markets.”

Overall, the strategy has been to sell this market as a great place to live — and practice law — and to target (and in some respects recruit) candidates who want to be in this market and can commit to being here.

“We’re always looking for people who want to put down roots in Springfield,” said Gannon. “That’s a very important characteristic in all of the applicants we look at.”

Albano agreed.

“It’s tough to have someone from the Boston area come here knowing that the salary is going to be less,” he said, referring in this case to lateral hires. “But you try to impress upon these people that the cost of living is much less here. And we’ve seen both sides of the fence; we’ve had people that have worked in Boston come here and say, ‘I’d love to have a place where my dog can walk on real grass, have a fence around my yard, and not have to go to a skyscraper to go to work.’”

Quick, who handled aspects of recruiting for firms in Boston and Washington, D.C. before coming to Bulkley Richardson, acknowledged that the Springfield market is somewhat unique because of the lower salary ranges, underscoring the need, when it comes to entry-level hiring, to focus on law students who have or can create local connections.

“Anyone can look at the GPA [grade point average] and see how these students are doing on paper,” she told BusinessWest. “But are they going to fit culturally? Are they going to stay in the area? Do they have a tie to the area? Do they have a reason to want to be here? These are the things we look for.”

As for those already in the profession, in this tight job market, the task of recruiting and hiring becomes more difficult because most people are working, said Gannon, and also because the companies they’re working for want to keep them. And it’s the same in the legal profession.

“Most of the people who want to be working are working, and because unemployment rates are so low, what employers have been doing for the past couple of years is doing whatever they can to retain good people,” he said, adding that this means law-firm managers as well. “This means higher compensation, trying to pay more of the lion’s share of employee benefits, offering more generous PTO [paid time off] policies, and letting people work at home, which is a big one for many people. People are happy where they’re working — most of them, anyway.”

As for those coming right out of law school, they certainly want to be happy where they work, and, given the current climate, they have a good chance of succeeding with that mission. One strategy for Western Mass. firms — again, one that businesses in other sectors employ as well — is to familiarize young people with the region and create a familiarity and comfort level that may help sway decisions when it comes time to find a job.

“We’ve been fortunate in that we’ve been able to hire bright, qualified individuals in law school, both at Western New England and UConn, to become law clerks at Bacon Wilson,” he said. “They work for us for a couple of years, and we can see the progress and the value, and quite often they’ll say, ‘I like this place, it’s like family; is there a job opening for us?’ And more often than not, we make one for them because we want to keep that type of talent on our page.”

Final Arguments

Looking down the road is always difficult — especially when there is an unprecedented wildcard like the coronavirus. Indeed, law firms might soon be in less of a growth mode than they currently are.

But for now, and for the foreseeable future, the outlook is promising for business — if not for recruiting lawyers to the 413, necessarily. Whether the task is filling a vacancy in the estate planning or real estate department or finding a litigator — one who loves dogs or not — the assignment is becoming increasingly challenging.

And, like employers across the broad spectrum of business, law firms must respond proactively to this changing environment.

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

Holyoke Is Growing, and Not Just Cannabis

By George O'Brien March 17, 2020

Community Spotlight

Tessa Murphy-Romboletti says the addition of a Spanish-speaking accelerator program will enable EforAll Holyoke to become an even more impactful component of the region’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

It’s been more than three years now since Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse told a TV reporter, tongue in cheek (or not), that he wanted to rename Holyoke ‘Rolling Paper City,’ in a nod to its past — and its potential future as home to businesses in the cannabis industry spawned by a ballot initiative in the fall of 2016.

Things have moved slowly as the city has looked to take full advantage of both its red-carpet treatment for the cannabis industry and vast supply of old mill space — ideal for cultivation as well as other types of businesses in this sector — more slowly than most would have anticipated.

But by most accounts, 2020 should be the year this sector begins to, well, light things up in Holyoke.

Indeed, while Green Thumb Industries, better known to most as GTI, is the only cannabis-related business operating in Holyoke at the moment, that is certain to change soon. True Leaf is ready to commence cultivation operations in the large building on Canal Street that was formerly home to Conklin Office, said Morse, and there are other businesses moving ever closer to the starting line.

“Unfortunately, the length of the process at the state level has slowed things a bit, but 2020 seems poised to be the year we see some concrete results from our embrace of and leadership in the cannabis industry,” said Morse, who, while filling his role as CEO of the city, is also running for Congress this fall. “We’re looking at hundreds of jobs between cultivation and dispensing, and we’re seeing the growth in commercial property values as a result of these investments.”

Meanwhile, there are large tracts of real estate either sold to or under option to a number of other cannabis-related businesses, said Marcos Marrero, the city’s director of Planning and Economic Development.

“We have about 20 companies that have approached us for a host-community agreement; a few of those are no longer proceeding, but we have probably close to a dozen that are still in some part of the process, and we expect a couple to open at some point this year,” said Marrero, who noted that, for decades, Holyoke’s problem was that it had far too much unused or underutilized old mill space. It’s certainly not there yet, but some are starting to think about the possibility of actually running out of that commodity.

But cannabis is certainly not the only promising story in Holyoke at the moment. Indeed, progress is evident on a number of fronts, from the development of several co-working spaces in the city to a thriving cultural economy; from the prospects for a new retail plaza in the vicinity of the Holyoke Mall to Holyoke Community College’s culinary-arts center in the heart of downtown; from Amazon’s new distribution center just off I-91, which has brought more than 100 jobs to the city, to Holyoke Medical Center’s recently announced proposal to build a new, standalone inpatient behavioral-health facility on its campus.

“Unfortunately, the length of the process at the state level has slowed things a bit, but 2020 seems poised to be the year we see some concrete results from our embrace of and leadership in the cannabis industry.”

Then there are the city’s efforts to foster entrepreneurship, especially through the agency known as EforAll Holyoke, which last year cut the ceremonial ribbon at its facilities on High Street.

The agency, originally known as SPARK, will graduate its third accelerator class on March 26, said Executive Director Tessa Murphy-Romboletti, adding that EforAll will soon be expanding with a Spanish-language accelerator, something that’s definitely needed in this diverse community.

“Many people can understand English, but to learn in the language you’re comfortable with … that makes such a difference,” she noted, adding that other EforAll locations have offered programs in Spanish. “There is a need for this here.”

For this, the latest installment of its Community Spotlight series, BusinessWest puts the focus on what is still known as the Paper City, a community that has greatly diversified its economy is looking to continue that pattern in the coming years.

In Good Company

Murphy-Romboletti says she won’t be leading the Spanish-speaking accelerator — she’ll be hiring someone to assume that responsibility — but she is taking steps to be better able communicate in that language.

“I’m using Rosetta Stone, and I’m basically telling the people in my life who speak Spanish that they should only speak Spanish to me so I can learn,” she said. “Just growing up in Holyoke, I feel like I understand it fairly well, but I’m still struggling to communicate.”

These language lessons are just one of many items on her plate, including final preparations for the March 26 graduation ceremony, at which accelerator participants will showcase their businesses and many will receive what Murphy-Romboletti refers to affectionately as “those big giant checks” — facsimiles in amounts that will range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, as well as some seed money.

Those awards may not sound significant, but to small-business owner, they can provide a huge boost, she went on, adding that they can cover the cost of forming a limited liability corporation (LLC), buy a new copier, or perhaps purchase some insurance.

“Those are the little things that a startup often has a hard time attaining,” she said. “That money is very important to them.”

As for the seed money, provided by an array of sources, it is awarded based on how well businesses meet stated goals for growth and development.

“We have them set goals for each quarter, and the entrepreneurs keep meeting monthly with their mentors,” she explained. “We survey them before we meet, and there’s a peer-ranking process based on the progress they’ve made toward the goals they set at the beginning of the quarter. It’s a combination of mentor feedback and peer feedback, and it’s a good way to keep the momentum going.”

Summarizing the breakdown of the first several cohorts, Murphy-Romboletti said there has been a good mix of businesses, including several food-related ventures, some professional services, a few nonprofits, and some construction-related endeavors. None are large in size or scope, but most all of them have promise, and many are already contributing to vibrancy in Holyoke by leasing real estate, buying goods and services, and providing them as well.

“When an entrepreneur is getting started, it can be a very lonely process, and we want people to know they don’t have to go through this whole thing alone,” she said. “And I think we’re starting to see the impact this has on the local economy, when there’s new businesses registering and they’re getting bank accounts for their business, and they’re doing things the right way so they can be legitimate businesses that will contribute to the economy.”

Marrero agreed, noting that the companies fostered by these efforts to promote entrepreneurship have created more than 100 jobs, most of them in Holyoke.

“Not everything is a home run — there are a lot of singles, but that’s another way of getting into the Hall of Fame,” he said. “We’re continuing our efforts to create a culture of entrepreneurship, and we’re starting to see some results.”

Thus, promoting entrepreneurship is an economic-development strategy in Holyoke, said Morse, adding that, while it’s good to attract large corporations like Amazon, growing organically by fostering small businesses is usually a more reliable path to growth.

But there are several other growth strategies being executed, and the cannabis industry, and the city’s pursuit of it, could certainly be considered one of them.

Indeed, while some communities were somewhat cautious in their approach to this sector and others (West Springfield, for example) decided they didn’t want such businesses within their boundaries at all, Holyoke has, seemingly since the day the ballot initiative was passed, been quite aggressive in pursuit of cannabis businesses — and jobs.

Ned Barowsky

“I’m working with a development group that wants to put in more retail — perhaps a few drive-thrus, a coffee shop, and maybe some fast food, with some traditional retail in back. The plans are still coming together.”

And, as the mayor noted earlier, 2020 is shaping up as a year when many of the businesses that have been putting down roots, to use an industry phrase, will start to see their efforts bear fruit.

True Leaf has been aggressively building out its massive space, said Marrero, and it is expected to employ more than 100 people when it that cultivation and processing operation opens later this year. Other similar businesses are also in the process of readying spaces, including Boston Bud Co., Solierge, and Canna Provisions, which will soon be opening a dispensary in downtown Holyoke.

“Once they open, that will create a lot more economic activity, including hiring, and as soon as they have sales, that will also generate income for the city,” he went on, adding that there will be a ramp-up period for the cultivators as the first crops grow. But when these companies are fully operational, he expects that more than 200 jobs will be added.

Meanwhile, mill space continues to be absorbed by this sector, he said, adding that 5 Appleton St. was recently acquired for cannabis-related uses, bringing the total amount of real estate sold or under option to roughly 500,000 square feet, by his estimates, thus creating speculation, and even concern, that no one could have imagined even a decade ago.

“Eight years ago, the concern was that there was too much empty space,” said Marrero. “The long-term proposition and concern for someone in my position is that we might be running out of inventory, which is funny to think, but it could happen.”

What’s in Store

Meanwhile, retail is also an economic-development strategy, or at least a key contributor to the city’s tax base and overall vibrancy. It remains so, but that sector is changing, primarily because of the city’s new corporate citizen, Amazon, and others like it. The landscape is changing — figuratively, but also quite literally.

Evidence of this change is evident at Holyoke Mall Crossing, a retail center just off I-91 at the intersection of Holyoke Street and Lower Westfield Road. Actually, it’s more a former retail center, said owner Ned Barowsky, who acquired the property in 1996. Indeed, a number of former retail spaces now have different uses, as homes to professionals, healthcare facilities, and service providers, as evidenced by the current tenant list.

It includes Baystate Dental, Rehab Solutions, Ross Webber & Grinnell Insurance, ServiceNet, Vonnahme Eye, Great Clips, and H&R Block. It doesn’t include Kaoud Oriental Rugs and Pier 1, two long-time tenants that became the latest retail outlets to leave that location, leaving 13,000 square feet of contiguous space on the ground floor that Barowsky is now working aggressively to lease with ads touting this as “the best location in Western Mass.” And he expects that there will be more healthcare and professionals in this space instead of traditional retailers.

“Slowly but surely, I’ve been converting my building, which was once 100% retail, into office and medical uses,” he said, adding that he expects this trend, which started roughly a decade ago, to continue. “The only true retail left is Hunt’s Photo and Video, which is doing very well.”

Because of the location at the junction of the turnpike and I-91, he said, the site would be ideal for medical practices and other healthcare-related businesses, and he’s already talked with several interested parties.

While spending most of his time and energy working to fill Holyoke Mall Crossing, Barowsky is in early-stage work on a new retail development on a five-acre parcel adjacent to that property that he acquired from the mall. His primary motivation was to create more parking for the healthcare and service-oriented businesses now populating the Crossing, and he will keep one acre for that purpose. As for the rest, a vision is coming into focus.

“I’m working with a development group that wants to put in more retail — perhaps a few drive-thrus, a coffee shop, and maybe some fast food, with some traditional retail in back,” he told BusinessWest. “The plans are still coming together.”

Meanwhile, at the Holyoke Mall, which recently marked 40 years of dominating the local retail landscape, the landscape is shifting there as well, from traditional retail — although there is still plenty of that — to family entertainment and recreation.

“They’re been very savvy about remaining relevant, not like other malls,” said Marrero, citing recent additions such as a Planet Fitness and bowling alleys, as well as new theaters now under construction in the site once occupied by Sears. “They’re integrating a lot more lifestyle entertainment.”

Barowsky, who, as noted, has been a neighbor of the mall for a quarter-century, said that facility is still thriving because of its ability to adjust and put emphasis on entertainment at a time when traditional retail is struggling.

“They’re doing a lot of entertainment-related things to get people in, and hopefully people will shop while they’re there,” he said. “They’re doing a great job of adjusting — the parking lot is still full all the time.”

While the mall is evolving, so too is the downtown area, said Marrero, adding that several new businesses have opened in recent months and more are in the planning stages, including a restaurant, Jud’s, along the Canal Walk; a high-end salon called the Plan, which describes itself as a “sustainable, mission-driven beauty company” and “a force for positive change”; and the Avalon Café, a lounge and game café expected to open soon on Dwight Street.

Most of the growth involves small businesses, said those we spoke with, noting that this organic growth will likely inspire additional vibrancy across many sectors.

“When a forest burns, the forest doesn’t grow back by planting a giant oak tree in the middle of it,” said Marrero. “You have to organically grow an economic ecosystem that feeds off of itself and allows bigger businesses to come in; it’s the small businesses that start putting together the foundation for a place where people want to work and live and enjoy the surroundings.”

Building Blocks

This is what Holyoke has been building toward, said all those we spoke with — building that economic ecosystem that feeds off itself.

There are, as noted, a number of moving parts, from cannabis-related ventures to the small businesses in the accelerator cohorts at EforAll, to the new entertainment options at the Holyoke Mall.

As with the cannabis sector itself, the pieces are coming together slowly but surely. And 2020 is shaping up as a year when it all comes together.

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

And Investors Should Expect the Roller-coaster Ride to Continue

By Contributor March 17, 2020

Banking and Financial Services

Volatility Is the Order of the Day

By Jean Deliso

Jean Deliso

The market has acted like a roller coaster in recent months, up one day, down another — but where will it end up?

Most investors tend to get unsettled and concerned by such market conditions, and if you are in that group, now is the time to speak to your financial professional to ensure that your investment allocation is consistent with your financial goals. Those investors with a near-term retirement timeline generally should be more focused on preservation of capital. Those with multiple years or even decades before retirement can take a longer perspective as they have more time to wait out market volatility.

All investors should remember to be calm. The worst mistake in this market, or any market, is to try to time the ups and downs. Granted, this volatility can be unnerving, but it’s the price we pay for the potentially greater returns from investing in equities.

In the past 20 years (2000 to 2020), there have been at least two major bear markets with short-term losses in value around 50%, yet it’s also true that, from Dec. 31, 2002 to Dec. 31, 2018, the S&P 500 stock index tripled in value.*

Zacks Investment Management, one of the portfolio managers I work with, produced a white paper listing four reasons to expect more volatility in 2020. I think it’s worthwhile to share some of these highlights:

Reason 1: We cannot ignore history. Over the past 38 years, the S&P 500 has had corrections; they are frequent, and they are the norm.

Reason 2: Low volatility generally gives way to high volatility. From October 2019 to January 2020, the S&P index experienced an unusually low level of volatility. From a historical perspective, such periods of low volatility tend to give way to periods of high volatility. We saw examples of this type of market behavior prior to January 2018 and October 2018.

Reason 3: Stock buybacks are on the decline. Stock buybacks are a corporation’s main tool for reducing outstanding supply of shares, and thereby boosting shareholder value. Stock buybacks were down in 2019, with more declines expected in 2020. Fewer buybacks could mean a tougher road for corporations exceeding their earnings per their share targets. This could make investors jittery.

“The bottom line is that volatility can be a good thing for equity markets, sometimes unsettling but it is normal and to be expected.”

Reason 4: It’s not a straightforward election year. This does not necessarily refer to a political outcome, but more concerning is alleged foreign interference, and potential contested results, civil unrest, and other extraneous factors that might lead to a period of political instability.

The bottom line is that volatility can be a good thing for equity markets. Though sometimes unsettling, it is normal and to be expected. I tend to agree with Zacks that the S&P 500 index is due for a correction this year on par with the historical averages after several years of increases. We could experience a correction in the 10% to 15% range.

Let’s remember that dollar-cost averaging can be a great tool in managing short-term volatility as well. While no one can predict the future, and the past is no guarantee of future results, historical performance has shown that market downturns can offer attractive investment opportunities, and dollar-cost averaging can help in this regard.

Remember, though, that dollar-cost averaging does not ensure a profit and does not protect against loss in declining markets. It involves continuous investing during a period of fluctuating price levels. To maintain such a strategy, investors should consider their ability to continue investing through differing market conditions.

This article would not be complete without mentioning continuing concerns about COVID-19. As a society, we don’t know enough about it yet to understand how pervasive it will become and how long it will impact the markets. It’s too early to assess the ultimate impact of the virus. Headlines continue to focus on the spread of the virus and those who become ill; however, one should keep in mind that most people who have contracted the virus have gone on to make a full recovery.

Weaker global growth does not often mean recession in the U.S., and the consumer remains a strong factor against a U.S. recession. Lower rates may further boost the housing market, and both manufacturing and wholesaling inventories are at high levels in the U.S., which could mitigate supply-chain disruptions from Asia. More accommodative monetary policy could serve to calm the financial markets and minimize the economic and psychological impacts.

From a financial perspective, it’s important to maintain a diversified portfolio for times like this, and in panicked environments, it’s imperative to keep a level head rather than simply react. Those investors with longer time horizons should try and remain calm and patient when volatility takes hold.

A well-designed financial allocation consistent with your risk tolerance and investment goals is the key. Investors tend to make short-term decisions with long-term assets, but it is important to keep a long-range approach with your money and stick to your investing goals.

For the shorter-term investors, now is a good time to connect and review your plans with your financial professional. Double-check to make sure that your goals and objectives are still in line with your investments. Also, it is important not to stay passive on the sidelines, as investors we need to be engaged in the process and be a full participant in the process.

Jean M. Deliso, CFP is a financial advisor offering investment advisory services through Eagle Strategies LLC, a registered investment adviser, and is a registered representative of and offers securities products and services through NYLIFE Securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC, a licensed insurance agency. Eagle Strategies and NYLIFE Securities are New York Life companies. Deliso Financial & Insurance Services is not owned or operated by NYLIFE Securities LLC or its affiliates. Neither Deliso Financial & Insurance Services nor Eagle Strategies LLC or its subsidiaries and affiliates provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. Please consult your own tax, legal or accounting professional regarding your particular situation.

*Source: Standard & Poor’s 500 index, 12/31/18. Average annual returns are based on the S&P 500 Index from 12/31/02 to 12/31/18. Large-capitalization stock performance is measured by the S&P 500 index, an unmanaged index considered to be representative of the U.S. stock market. Prices of common stocks will fluctuate with market conditions and may involve loss of principal when sold. Results assume reinvestment of all distributions, including dividends, earnings, and expenses, and are not indicative of any past or future returns of any investment. It is not possible to invest directly into an index. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

The Benefits of Sealing and Expunging Cannabis Records

By Contributor March 17, 2020

Law

Fresh Start

By John Greaney and Sarah Morgan

John Greaney

Sarah Morgan

Cannabis is a controlled substance under federal law. Massachusetts, however, has shifted from total prohibition to limited legalization. Despite this change, for many individuals, prior convictions for possession of marijuana may still cause major consequences. This raises the question: what can now be done about prior convictions for minor marijuana offenses that are no longer considered crimes under Massachusetts law?

Cannabis (marijuana) is made criminal as a Schedule I narcotic under the federal Controlled Substances Act. Notwithstanding the federal prohibition, Massachusetts and several other states have passed laws loosening the restrictions on small amounts of marijuana for personal use. In 2008, voters in Massachusetts approved a ballot question decriminalizing marijuana possession of up to one ounce per person. Massachusetts enacted an additional measure in 2012, allowing the purchase and use of marijuana for therapeutic uses from registered marijuana dispensaries.

Moving further away from prohibition, in 2016 Massachusetts enacted a law permitting individuals over the age of 21 to possess up to one ounce on their person and up to 10 ounces in their homes. The Cannabis Control Commission, the state agency which now regulates the recreational and medical marijuana industry, is considering social consumption of marijuana at sites designated as licensed marijuana establishments, such as cannabis cafés.

Despite the significant progress made, convictions for marijuana possession under the former criminalization scheme may continue to have lasting effects on individuals. Even minor convictions for possession appear on a person’s criminal offender record information (CORI) report and may disqualify him or her from employment or housing opportunities or possibly lead to other adverse consequences.

The impact of prior criminal convictions for possession also may disproportionately affect people of color. A study conducted by the Cannabis Control Commission found that African-American and Hispanic people — in particular, men — had been disproportionately convicted for cannabis possession between 2000 and 2013 as compared to white people during the same period.

“Despite the significant progress made, convictions for marijuana possession under the former criminalization scheme may continue to have lasting effects on individuals.”

Although the 2016 legalization bill permitted individuals to possess up to one ounce of marijuana, it did nothing to erase past convictions and their lasting impacts.

In 2018, our Legislature addressed the retroactivity problem when it enacted the Massachusetts Criminal Justice Reform Law, comprehensive legislation that allows individuals to seal or expunge their criminal records for offenses that are no longer a crime. This permits individuals who have been convicted for possession of one ounce or less of cannabis to seal or expunge their record. The law does not allow for sealing or expungement of more significant marijuana offenses.

The Criminal Justice Reform bill reflects the Commonwealth’s new views on marijuana use and a progressive intent to address the effects and disparate impacts of marijuana criminalization.

Under our revised laws, sealing and expungement are the two mechanisms available to limit, or remove, minor marijuana convictions from criminal records. Sealing records restricts who can access them and involves a relatively simple process — a petitioner must complete a petition to seal and mail it to the Office of the Commissioner of Probation in Boston. Once sealed, a person may answer, “I have no record,” when asked about criminal records concerning possession of marijuana by an employment or housing screener. However, state law-enforcement agencies and offices responsible for administering foster care, adoption, and childcare programs may still access sealed records.

Expungement permanently destroys a criminal record and allows a person to claim, without limitation, “I have no record,” when asked about their criminal history for any purpose. Expunging records requires a petitioner to file a petition for expungement in court and may require a hearing if either the petitioner or the district attorney, who must be notified of the petition, requests one. A judge hearing a petition for expungement has discretion to approve or deny it. Importantly, individuals who are not citizens, or whose immigration status may be impacted by the process, should not seal, or attempt to expunge, their records without consulting an immigration attorney.

Once a criminal conviction has been sealed or expunged, an individual is no longer obligated to report these convictions on an application for employment or housing. The Massachusetts Ban the Box Law prohibits employers from asking applicants in an initial employment application about their criminal records except in limited circumstances. The changes to the law also require employers to include specific informative language related to criminal-record disclosures in any requests provided to applicants. Applicants whose records have been expunged may answer ‘no record’ on an application for employment or housing.

Once a criminal conviction has been sealed or expunged, an individual is no longer obligated to report these convictions on an application for employment or housing.

At all stages of the hiring process, employers are absolutely prohibited from inquiring about criminal records — or anything related to criminal records — that have been sealed or expunged. In other words, once an employer learns that the applicant either has no record or that the records have been sealed or expunged, the employer cannot inquire further. In view of these changes, employers should review their hiring practices and applications and adjust them, and the interview process, accordingly.

Sealing and expunging prior convictions opens many new doors of opportunity for those impacted by the decades-long criminalization of marijuana in Massachusetts.

Anyone interested in exploring their options for addressing their qualifying Massachusetts cannabis convictions should contact the Hampden County Bar Assoc. regarding “Off the Record: A Clinic on Removing Past Marijuana Convictions from Your Record,” a free event to review individual circumstances and receive assistance on preparing the necessary documents. The clinic is co-sponsored by the Hampden County Bar Assoc., INSA, Sigma Pi Phi, and the Western New England University School of Law Center for Social Justice.

Justice John Greaney is a former justice of the Supreme Judicial Court and senior counsel at Bulkley Richardson. Sarah Morgan is an associate in the litigation and cannabis practices at Bulkley Richardson.

LLCs Can Be a Creative and Effective Way to Hold Property

By Contributor March 17, 2020

Law

LLCs in the Bay State

By Benjamin M. Coyle, Esq.

Benjamin M. Coyle

Many families have homes or other real estate that parents hope to pass along to the next generation. In the world of estate planning, there are a variety of ways to achieve the movement of a family home from parents to children — sometimes through a trust, sometimes through a will after death, or even sometimes by outright gift.

While all these methods have their place, another option that should be considered is the formation of a limited-liability company (LLC) to hold title to real estate.

In Massachusetts, a limited-liability company is a business entity, formed with the secretary of the Commonwealth, and offering great flexibility in its management. This flexibility is very appealing, particularly when a home or other real estate is to be owned, used, and managed by a group.

For example, parents may want their four children to inherit a property equally. By using an LLC, rather than deeding each child a 25% interest in the property outright, parents would be able to transfer shares in the LLC to their children. Doing things this way is beneficial for several reasons.

One of the most important advantages of an LLC is the ability to work under an operating agreement — a formal, written document that clearly states the owners/members of the LLC, their respective interests, and the manner in which the LLC is operated and governed. The operating agreement can also allocate profits and losses to various members (which can be different than their ownership interest). Most importantly, the operating agreement also clearly states rules for use of the property by the members, and allocation of expenses.

“One of the most important advantages of an LLC is the ability to work under an operating agreement — a formal, written document that clearly states the owners/members of the LLC, their respective interests, and the manner in which the LLC is operated and governed.”

This gives everyone involved a crystal-clear understanding of their privileges and responsibilities relative to the property.

Once an LLC is formed and an operating agreement established, the real estate in question would be transferred into the LLC by deed, and the LLC would then be the owner of the property. By transferring the property to the LLC, the grantor has essentially converted real estate into tangible personal property, thereby avoiding many of the probate complexities of real estate.

Additionally, an LLC offers continuity in the property’s title, while still providing for the flexibility of changing ownership interests and membership shares (in contrast to multiple deeds divvying up the property, which could cause significant title confusion).

In the event the property is rented, the LLC provides limited-liability protection for its members, either short term or long term. Further, LLCs often offer tax advantages (over outright ownership) with respect to rental income, repair costs, renovations, and other expenses associated with the property. Additionally, since the LLC is a recognized business entity, it may often be easier for the LLC to obtain insurance or borrow money from a bank, in contrast with the banking difficulties that can be experienced by individuals with a shared interest via deed, or if the property were held in a trust.

Although there are significant advantages to the LLC, there are also startup costs and recurring annual expenses associated with the formation and continued maintenance of the LLC. Initial formation costs include a filing fee of $500 with the secretary of the Commonwealth, and any legal fees associated with the completion of articles of organization and the operating agreement.

Massachusetts requires that LLCs file an annual report with the secretary of the Commonwealth. For LLCs formed outside of Massachusetts, the Commonwealth requires a foreign LLC to register in Massachusetts and comply with the state’s annual filing requirements.

It is good practice (and may even be required by the operating agreement) for the members of an LLC to hold regular meetings, at least annually, where they discuss the business of the prior year and the upcoming year as it pertains to the LLC and the operation of the property. The LLC should maintain a corporate book that includes the minutes of each membership meeting, as well as minutes for any special meetings that may occur throughout the year. Since the LLC is a business entity, it will require its own tax-identification number and annual tax return. Depending upon the tax election chosen by the LLC, if there is any associated tax liability, those costs can potentially be passed on to each member to be addressed on their individual tax returns, and the expenses associated with annual fees and costs can be deducted from any LLC income.

An LLC is an excellent option to consider when determining the best way to address transferring real estate from one generation to the next. The transfer can occur during the lifetime of the current owners with relative ease and can be added to many existing estate plans, thereby providing families with effective ownership transitions and limited liability for the members of the LLC.

Benjamin M. Coyle is a shareholder with Bacon Wilson, P.C. He specializes in matters of estate planning and administration, and also has extensive experience with real estate, business, corporate, and municipal law; (413) 781-0560; [email protected]

Janine Fondon Honors the Voices of History-making Women

By BusinessWest Staff March 17, 2020

Women in Businesss

Bringing the Past to Life

By Laura Grant

Janine Fondon is seen here next to a portrait of her grandmother Miriam Kirkaldy.

In 1917, Miriam Kirkaldy landed on the shores of Ellis Island seeking to create a new life for herself. Despite the discrimination she faced as a woman of color, she found work in New York City and eventually became a homeowner before starting a family.

More than 100 years later, her granddaughter, Janine Fondon, stood beside her portrait at the Springfield Museums exhibit “Voices of Resilience: The Intersection of Women on the Move.” Fondon curated “Voices of Resilience” to honor the accomplishments of women who changed the world — and the exhibit does this in a number of ways.

It highlights ‘hidden figures’ with a particular focus on women of color, including African-Americans, Latinas, Caribbeans, and Native Americans, among others. The walls of the exhibit are covered with panels, all of which have photos and descriptions of these women. Examples include Jenny Slew and Elizabeth Freeman, or MumBet, who fought the legal system for their freedom in the 1700s, as well as LuJuana Hood, who founded Springfield’s Pan African Historical Museum in 1995. The exhibit stretches over hundreds of years, chronologically, beginning with female pharaohs and queens — “the first female CEOs,” Fondon said.

The exhibit provides ample evidence showing just how dedicated Fondon is to uplifting the communities around her.

She explained that she splits her focus into three main areas. The first is teaching. Having received a graduate degree in Communications and Business, she has held multiple editorial and managerial positions for companies such as ABC-TV, BankBoston, CBS-TV, and Digital Equipment Corp. She began teaching in 2012 and is currently an assistant professor and the chair of the Communications Department at Bay Path University, as well as an adjunct faculty member at Cambridge College and Westfield State University. She teaches undergraduate communication classes with subjects ranging from marketing principles to social media, and absolutely loves the work.

“It has been a joy because we have walked into the new era of communication,” she told BusinessWest.

One of Fondon’s clearest goals is to push for diverse and inclusive communities, and to that end, she launched her own company with her husband, Tom Fondon, in 1996. UnityFirst has seen many forms over the years, but at its core, the intent is the same: the website strives to share stories of people of color.

And through e-mails, newsletters, and social networking, it connects people from all across the country. News updates and profile pieces are distributed to a network of more than 2 million members. It also hosts the African American Newswire, which users can utilize to send information directly to more than 4,000 press groups and publications.

While UnityFirst has a focus throughout the U.S., Fondon also strove for upliftment specifically within the Pioneer Valley with “Voices of Resilience,” which is open through April 26 and features the stories of activists and businesswomen spanning hundreds of years who have history within Massachusetts.

Making Connections

When curating the exhibit, Fondon aimed to not only provide information but to give visitors a chance to truly learn about these women and connect with them. This also meant encouraging attendees to consider their own lives or to give gratitude toward the people who had inspired them. Part of “Voices of Resilience” features a board where visitors can write their own stories and pin them up.

Many people used the chance to thank the women dear to them — mothers, sisters, teachers, and friends. Some highlighted historical women, such as mathematician Katherine Johnson. One guest said Fondon herself is an inspiration.

“On the day of the opening, we already knew it was going to be a powerful exhibit, and we were honored to have it here at the Museums. … There was so much positive energy and so many happy people, proud people. That felt incredible.”

Fondon said she felt it was crucial to give visitors an opportunity to share their history. As such, she worked with poet María Luisa Arroyo, who wrote a piece specifically for the exhibit. The poem insists that all stories belong in this space. In the final line, she writes: “Sit here. I will listen.”

This idea of connection — hearing stories and telling them in turn — is reflected in the exhibit’s events. Springfield Museums staged a ceremony on the date the exhibit opened, and the event brought in the voices of some of the featured women, such as the family of Carole Fredericks, a blues and rock artist. Her relatives were able to talk about Fredericks’ life and the legacy she left on music. In Fondon’s words, it “opened up the storytelling.”

“On the day of the opening, we already knew it was going to be a powerful exhibit, and we were honored to have it here at the Museums,” said Karen Fisk, the museum’s director of Marketing and Communication Strategy. “We were overwhelmed by how many people showed up. Our Blake Court was absolutely full, and people were lined up all along the balconies looking down, which was a beautiful sight. There was so much positive energy and so many happy people, proud people. That felt incredible.”

“Voices of Resilience” was also home to the fourth On the Move forum on March 8, which is International Women’s Day. Beginning in 2017, Fondon organized this annual event to encourage conversation and networking among women in the community. This year’s forum featured keynote speaker Kamilah A’Vant as well as a group of business owners and professors as panelists ready to answer questions from the audience. Much like the opening ceremony, it provided a chance for genuine connection between the speakers and the visitors.

Fisk remarked on this event as well, saying she and Fondon wanted at least 50% of the gathering to consist of adolescents and young adults. To their delight, they far surpassed this goal. Groups from multiple schools came to the event to engage with the panelists and ask questions about employment and voting.

“The On the Move forum had young people and older people speaking to the power that women have, especially when they work together,” Fisk explained. “Janine unites people to work together.”

The exhibit’s closing ceremony will be on April 26 and will serve as a direct collaboration piece between Fondon and several spoken-word poets, as well as with Marlene Yu, a Chinese-American artist whose acrylic paintings are currently on display in the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts at the Springfield Museums.

These works are massive, bright, and colorful, while also capturing the spirit of environmentalism and providing commentary on climate change. Her work will be featured during the event’s closing ceremony, and Fondon was glad to have a chance to collaborate with her. Despite Yu’s age, she continues to paint nearly every day and has produced more than 4,000 pieces of work in her lifetime.

Fondon found that inspiring.

“There was a perfect melding between the ‘Voices of Resilience’ and [Yu’s work]. That is the heartbeat of the exhibit,” she remarked. “I said, ‘she’s a resilient woman’ without even knowing her — just from the power of those pieces.”

Of course, Fondon’s hard work does not go unnoticed. Her work at WTCC 90.7 FM, a diversity-focused radio program in Springfield, earned her an honorary degree at Springfield Technical Community College. She was recognized as an outstanding professor by the African-American Female Professors Assoc. and has received countless other awards for her leadership abilities.

Still, what drives Fondon the most is not accolades; it’s rooted in her family. That is the reason why she is able to give so much to the community. Fondon said she works with her husband on everything, particularly regarding UnityFirst, which the two of them started together. The exhibit even features a quilt given to Fondon in order to honor their marriage. It represents not only the joining of two families but also the deep cultural history behind the heirloom. It is clearly a prized possession, and one that sits right in the center of the exhibit.

Her daughter is at the heart of what inspires her, too.

“I want my daughter to not only know the history, but make new history,” Fondon said. “We need to get our young generation in this city excited. We need to engage them in their future. Even my daughter was just so excited to learn about her grandmother.

“If we can help young people not only find their story here, but also give them the ability to make new stories, that’s what a community wants,” she added. “We need to make sure they know that we want them, and we want them to help drive the future of this city.”

This Is Uncharted Territory

By Editorial March 17, 2020

Opinion

Editorial

Those in this region who have been in business a long time — and even those who have had their name over the door since the start of this century — have seen and endured quite a bit.

Indeed, over just the past 20 years or so, there’s a been the bursting of the dotcom bubble and the resulting downturn in the economy, followed by 9/11, soon after which the phrase heard most often in businesses across every sector was ‘the phones just stopped ringing.’ Later, of course, there was the Great Recession, when the phones again stopped ringing, as well as — all within a few months — a tornado, a hurricane, that snowstorm on Halloween, and the resulting power outages. There’s also been a workforce crisis, a skills gap, the arrival of the Millennials (who get blamed for everything), family medical leave, and who knows what else.

Like we said, businesses have been through a lot.

But nothing quite like coronavirus. This is something new. This is, in most all ways, uncharted territory.

Look at what’s happening. Colleges are telling students not to come back from spring break while they figure out how to handle all classes remotely. Communities and organizations are canceling events like the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day parade and postponing others to future dates, hoping matters will improve. States are declaring emergencies, and people are being advised to avoid large gatherings. The stock market is in ‘bear’ territory.

Communities haven’t taken steps like this World War II, if they even took them then. Or since 1919, when the Spanish Influenza pandemic raced around the globe, killing millions.

The worst thing about all this, as we said, is that people can’t rely on experience, because there is simply none to fall back on. This isn’t like a recession or a tornado or a terrorist attack in New York.

“… businesses have been through a lot. But nothing quite like coronavirus. This is something new. This is, in most all ways, uncharted territory.”

They still ran the St. Patrick’s Day Parade during the Great Recession. The region’s colleges stayed open after 9/11. No one cancelled meetings and conventions following the tornado in 2011.

This is different. Very, very different.

So what do we do when we can’t call on experience?

We rely on common sense, our strengths, and our ability to innovate. In short, this is what has seen us through all of those downturns and natural disasters mentioned above.

And by innovation, we mean our capacity to look at what we do and how we do it, and find new and perhaps better ways. And if we can do that, we’re not simply hunkering down, waiting things out, or trying to survive; we’re making ourselves stronger and more resilient.

Looking back on 2008 and 2009, as companies coped with the worst downturn in 80 years, many found ways to better maximize resources, and especially people, while also creating new avenues for revenue and growth. Those challenging days provided a stern test, and the businesses that passed it certainly reaped the benefits of their perseverance and resourcefulness by becoming more resilient overall.

In short, they learned something, and they benefited from what they learned.

Coronavirus will likely present another stern test, and it will require a similar response — creativity and innovation.

And it will require something else as well — a firm understanding that small businesses (and large ones as well) are being severely impacted by this and need any form of support you can give them. From pizza shops, coffee shops, restaurants, and taverns losing the business of college students who won’t be returning, to banquet facilities losing scores of events scheduled for the coming weeks; from Holyoke shops that won’t get that huge parade bounce to travel-related businesses seeing cruises and flights canceled — businesses are hurting. And they’ll need help to get through this.

That’s what we mean by uncharted territory.

Put Families Ahead of Health Insurers

By Contributor March 17, 2020

Opinion

By Paul Caron

If you Google ‘health insurance profits,’ it’s clear the industry is doing very well in the U.S. According to one article, the five largest insurers — Anthem, Cigna, CVS Health, Humana, and UnitedHealth Group — cumulatively expect to collect almost $787 billion in 2019.

A share of Anthem’s stock is more than double what it was just five years ago. Cigna’s stock price has not quite doubled in the last five years, but it is close. Humana stock has also doubled in five years, and UnitedHealth Group’s is worth about three times as much in that same time frame. Only poor CVS is down — but you get the picture: it’s good to be in the health-insurance industry.

The primary reason health insurers are doing so well is due to Obamacare, which mandated people in this country get health insurance. In some ways, the health insurers are no different than the gas or electric companies — they are monopolies, and you have to pay them. The federal government has been very good to that industry, and it’s about to happen again.

Legislation in Congress to end surprise billing, is going to put billions in the pockets of health insurers. Now, surprise billing is a terrible problem. In case you don’t know, you get a surprise bill when you go to a hospital that is in your network, but the doctors you see are not. This typically happens in emergency situations, because many hospital emergency rooms are separate entities from the hospital and are not covered by the same insurance plans. Surprise bills in the six figures aren’t uncommon.

In some ways, the health insurers are no different than the gas or electric companies — they are monopolies, and you have to pay them.

This legislation, sponsored by Republican U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander and essentially replicated in the Democrat-chaired House Energy and Commerce and Education committees, is problematic regardless of its good intentions. These bills purport to end the practice by putting the onus on ER doctors and other emergency services to either cut their prices or allow insurance companies to reimburse them at the local median cost. These bills require a negotiation between insurers and emergency-services providers, but it’s not a negotiation if one side knows a federal law will allow them to pay less if they can’t reach agreement.

Another wonderful gift for the health insurers from Uncle Sam.

The problem for the American people, and workers, is that many emergency services are going to suffer or be pared back, in order to ensure that health-insurance companies remain grossly profitable. If this legislation becomes law, services like air ambulances will be crushed. If you live in a rural area, it’s hard to see how emergency helicopters will continue to service remote areas if this legislation becomes law.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, one in six emergency-room visits in 2017 was out of network, which substantially increases the cost of care. This situation cannot persist.

But it just doesn’t seem fair that health insurers, again, get to walk away unscathed, while hospitals, emergency-services providers, patients, and the American taxpayer will be left paying more to ensure that healthcare is accessible.

Paul Caron served as a Massachusetts state representative from 1983 to 2003.

Picture This

By BusinessWest Staff March 17, 2020

Picture This

A photo essay of business happenings in Western Mass.

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

Elevating the Brand

Valley Vodka Inc., maker of V-One Vodka, announced a new partnership with Julious Grant and Ty Law. Grant brings 29 years of executive-level experience in the spirits industry, having held senior leadership roles in sales and marketing in some of the most successful companies in the world. Law, an NFL Hall of Famer, won three Super Bowls as a cornerback with the New England Patriots. This partnership comes on the heels of Valley Vodka Inc. completing a multi-million-dollar purchase and renovation of its own ‘farm to glass’ distillery in Kamien, Poland. “With our new distillery, expanded production, and new packaging, this is the perfect time to introduce more people to our clean-drinking vodka,” V-One creator Paul Kozub said. “Julious and Ty are tremendous assets to help us expand distribution and increase brand awareness.” Pictured, from left, are Grant, Kozub, and Law.

Supporting the Community

Florence Bank recently pledged $50,000 to the YMCA of Greater Springfield to help fund the new wellness and childcare center that opened at Springfield’s Tower Square on Dec. 5. The new, state-of-the-art facility includes a 15,000-square-foot education center that serves infants through elementary-school students. Additionally, the facility includes a new, 12,000-square-foot wellness center with premium strength and conditioning equipment in a space that overlooks the city. Pictured, from left: Jeffrey Poindexter, YMCA of Greater Springfield board chair; Dexter Johnson, YMCA of Greater Springfield president and CEO; and Nicole Gleason, Springfield branch manager and vice president of Florence Bank.

Highest Honors

For the third consecutive year, the Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS) Chapter at Western New England University earned the “highest honors” designation for its campus engagement and programming for the 2018-19 academic year. One indicator of the chapter’s engagement is participation at the annual Global Leadership Summit (GLS), which chapter President Tessa Wood and Secretary Kathryn Wells attended last year. The GLS enables delegates to participate in professional-development workshops and share best practices with student leaders from other BGS chapters worldwide. Pictured, from left: chapter members Wood, Finance Chair Emily Sajdak, Service Chair Krystyna Germano, and Vice President Teddy Doyle.

Record Donation

Holyoke Community College (HCC) has received the largest donation in the college’s 74-year history — $7.5 million — from the Elaine Nicpon Marieb Foundation, established by the late Elaine Marieb, a longtime HCC faculty member, alumna, best-selling textbook author, and Northampton native. The donation includes $5 million outright and a $2.5 million matching gift that will go toward future renovations of HCC’s main science facility, the Marieb Building, as part of a multi-phase plan to expand the recently opened Center for Life Sciences to encompass the entire three-story structure. Pictured: HCC Biology Professor Emily Rabinsky (center) teaches a biotechnology lab in the Center for Life Sciences.

Advocating for Girls

Executives from Girls Inc. of the Valley recently joined executives from Girls Inc. of Lynn, Worcester, and Berkshires on the State House floor to highlight the Eureka! program — which prepares teenage girls to participate and excel in cutting-edge, dynamic STEM careers — and advocate for its inclusion in the state budget. Pictured, from left: Ruth Roy, campaign director, Girls Inc. of the Valley; Kelly Marion, CEO, Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center, home of Girls Inc. of the Berkshires; Victoria Waterman, CEO, Girls Inc. of Worcester; Agnes Nkansah, Girls Inc. of Worcester Eureka! alumna and student at Brandeis University; Suzanne Parker, executive director, Girls Inc. of the Valley; Deb Ansourlian, executive director, Girls Inc. of Lynn; Brenda Nikas-Hayes, director of Eureka!, Girls Inc. of Worcester; Sidney Hamilton, outreach and site coordinator, Girls Inc. of the Berkshires; Lena Crowley, director, Teen and Middle School Program, Girls Inc. of Lynn; and Alexandra DeFronzo, supervisor of STEM Programs, Girls Inc.

Read Across America Day

First American Insurance Agency recently took part in Read Across America Day by reading to students at Saint Stanislaus School as part of its Kids First campaign. The campaign is an ongoing effort to support children and teens in Western Mass. through education and play. The staff volunteers time and resources through several activities and fundraisers throughout the year. Pictured, from left: Theresa Kelly, Kristie Learned, Ginger Marszalek, and Meghan Harnois from First American Insurance Agency.

Court Dockets

By BusinessWest Staff March 17, 2020

Court Dockets

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

HAMPDEN DISTRICT COURT

American Builders & Contractors Supply Co. Inc. d/b/a ABC Supply Co. Inc. v. Cole Home Improvement, LLC; Stephen D. Cole a/k/a Stephen Cole a/k/a Steve Cole; and Lincoln Cole a/k/a Lincoln P. Cole

Allegation: Breach of contract for goods sold and delivered, breach of personal guaranty: $19,013.57

Filed: 1/30/20

Rhonda Skinner v. Family Dollar Stores of Massachusetts, LLC and Congregation Sons of Zion Inc. of Holyoke

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing injury: $24,000

Filed: 2/6/20

Luis Vazquez v. K & D Auto

Allegation: Sale of defective vehicle, unfair and deceptive business practices: $3,475.27

Filed: 2/6/20

Margarita Casillas v. Walmart Inc.

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing injury: $7,016.72

Filed: 2/12/20

Edward F. Corcoran Plumbing & Heating Co. Inc. v. 360 laundry, LLC

Allegation: Breach of contract for labor and materials: $15,446.12

Filed: 2/21/20

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Jason Codding v. Holyoke Mall Co., LP

Allegation: Negligence causing personal injury: $25,000

Filed: 1/17/20

Tammy Isaac-Brown v. Cumberland Farms of Massachusetts Inc.

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

Filed: 1/21/20

Gaetano “Guy” Santaniello v. Kane Scrap Iron & Metal Inc.

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing injury: $200,000

Filed: 1/21/20

Joseph S. Puc v. Stuart Hershman, M.D.; Shivam Narendra Upadhyaya, M.D.; Dana R. Sajed, M.D.; and the Massachusetts General Hospital Inc.

Allegation: Medical malpractice: $50,000+

Filed: 1/22/20

Kristen Fay v. Walmart Stores East, LP; WSE Management, LLC; and Walmart

Allegation: Employment discrimination

Filed: 1/23/20

Richard M. Green Jr. v. the Whiting-Turner Contracting Co.

Allegation: Negligence causing personal injury: $510,000

Filed: 1/30/20

Irene Kathuria v. Dental Dreams, LLC and Sameera Houssain

Allegation: Employment discrimination: $120,000+

Filed: 2/4/20

Commerce Insurance Co. a/s/o Janette Vega v. Pioneer Valley Transit Authority

Allegation: Motor-vehicle negligence: $6,592.36

Filed: 2/5/20

NMD Inc. d/b/a A & M Landscaping v. JGS Lifecare Corp. f/k/a Jewish Geriatric Services Inc.

Allegation: Breach of contract, unjust enrichment: 44,802.50+

Filed: 2/5/20

Zachary Charbonneau v. PM Auto Transport Inc. and Matthew S. Hoydilla

Allegation: Motor-vehicle negligence causing personal injury: $64,308.75

Filed: 2/5/20

Agenda

By BusinessWest Staff March 17, 2020

Agenda

Bowl for Kids’ Sake

March 27-28: Bowl for Kids’ Sake, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County’s biggest fundraiser of the year, will take place on March 27 at Shelburne Falls Bowling Alley and March 28 at French King Bowling Center in Erving. This year’s theme, “Slide Back to the 60’s,” will feature a life-size plinko game, 60’s dance instruction, a newlywed-themed photo booth, era-themed music, costume contests, bowling, and much more. There is no cost to attend the event, but fundraising is strongly encouraged. Big Brothers Big Sisters programs are provided at no cost to the children or children’s families, nor to the volunteer mentors. It is a 100% donor-supported nonprofit that has been serving the youth of Franklin County for 53 years. For more information about the event or to register to attend, visit www.bbbs-fc.org or call (413) 772-0915.

Women’s Leadership Luncheon Series

March 27, April 10, May 8, June 19: Women leaders of prominent area institutions will be the featured presenters at the spring 2020 Women’s Leadership Luncheon Series hosted by Holyoke Community College and the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute. During the four-part, monthly “Leadership in Your Future 2020” series, each of four presenters will sit at a different table each week and speak on a subject of their choosing. Over the course of the four-session series, they will rotate among the tables so guests have the opportunity to hear all the presentations. The four presenters are Theresa Cooper-Gordon, commissioner, Holyoke Housing Authority (“Self-Determination”); Priscilla Kane Hellweg, executive/artistic director, Enchanted Circle Theater (“In it for the Long Haul”); Jody Kasper, chief of Police, city of Northampton (“Rising to the Top”); and Christina Royal, president, Holyoke Community College (“Leading Through Change”). The luncheons run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, 164 Race St. Lunch will be prepared and served by students in the HCC Culinary Arts program. The series will provide an opportunity to learn from women leaders of area institutions and a chance for participants to network with their peers and gain insights on building their own careers. The cost is $150 for all four sessions. Seating is limited. For more information or to reserve a seat, contact Valentyna Semyrog at (413) 552-2123 or [email protected].

Unify Against Bullying Cut-a-Thon

April 4: Hair-salon owners and their teams are being asked to make a difference in the fight against bullying. Unify Against Bullying is looking for local and regional salons to participate in a one-day Cut-a-Thon, donating proceeds from haircuts, blowouts, and styling to the anti-bullying organization. Some salons will also offer temporary pink hair color — the signature color of Unify Against Bullying. In addition, each salon will add its own fun activities and promotions for the event. Although the main event is being held on April 4, some salon owners can choose the option to hold the fundraiser for the whole month to make it easier on their team. This year, Basia Belz, a Unify Against Bullying board member and owner of Vivid Hair Salon, located at 99 Elm St., Westfield, will chair the event. Salon owners who wish to participate can contact Belz at (413) 564-0062 or [email protected].

Disability Film Festival

April 5: Whole Children, a program of Pathlight, will partner with Five College Realtors to present the fifth annual Focus on Disability Film Festival at 4 p.m. at the Northampton Center for the Arts, 33 Hawley St., Northampton. The festival will feature seven films, including six short films from SproutFlix, which exclusively distributes films featuring people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and will conclude with the premiere of This Is Me, a Pathlight-made original documentary. All the films highlight the importance of the performing and visual arts in the lives of people with disabilities. This Is Me is about Whole Children’s performing-arts program, now in its ninth year, and was filmed during the creation of last year’s original production. It discusses the history of the program and what is means to the actors, who are local children and adults with disabilities, and their families. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Amherst author Cammie McGovern and featuring young adults with disabilities who express themselves through performing arts. A reception will follow the panel. All proceeds from the film festival support Whole Children’s inclusive programming for children and teens. Whole Children, a program of Pathlight, offers a wide range of after-school, weekend, and vacation enrichment programs for children of all ages and abilities, particularly those with special needs. Classes include gymnastics, art, martial arts, dance, music, social skills, yoga, sports, and theater.

Elms College Executive Leadership Breakfast

April 9: Elms College will host its third annual Executive Leadership Breakfast 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. 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.

Bay Path President’s Gala

April 18: Bay Path University’s fourth annual President’s Gala will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel. While the event will continue its tradition of raising funds for student scholarships, it will also celebrate the legacy of Carol Leary, who will retire in June after 25 years as Bay Path president. The gala will feature a tribute to Leary and her husband Noel, silent and live auctions, dinner, and dancing with live entertainment. Last year’s event netted more than $360,000 in support of student scholarships. The President’s Gala will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception and silent auction, followed by a seated dinner at 7:30 p.m. The tribute will start at 8:30 p.m., and at 9 p.m., guests will be invited to dance the night away. To learn more about the gala, including sponsorships, purchasing tickets, and donating to or participating in the auction, visit www.baypath.edu/gala or contact Meg Morrill at (413) 565-1396 or [email protected].

Knights of Columbus Golf Tournament

May 22: The Greenfield Knights of Columbus, Council #133, will host its seventh annual charity golf tournament at the Crumpin-Fox Club in Bernardston. This year, the Greenfield Council #133 recognizes the United Arc as its tournament partner. The event will be an 18-hole, four-person scramble with tee advantages for senior golfers. The entry fee of $125 per person includes greens fees, carts, lunch and dinner, and prizes for the winners. Those less inclined to tee off and who would rather enjoy the views of the 18th green while supporting a good cause can take in a meal at Zeke’s Grill. Dinner-only tickets are available for $30. Raffles and a silent auction will feature lottery tickets, gift cards, a three-day Cape Cod vacation, Crumpin-Fox and Hopyard golf certificates, a mystery box, and more. There will also be a hole-in-one contest for a chance to win a new car. In addition to the United Arc — which supports people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities in achieving the universal goals of inclusion, choice, and independence — proceeds from the event will be used to fund a number of Council #133’s worthy causes in Greenfield and Franklin County, including the Pan Mass Challenge, Baystate Hospital Wheeling for Healing, Farren Hospital Gift of Light, the Greenfield Homeless Shelter, monthly community meals, honoring veterans by placing flags on graves for Memorial Day and Wreaths Across America wreaths placed on graves at Christmas, several youth sports programs, and more. To sign up or to get more information, call Lou Grader at (413) 774-2848, Dan Arsenault at (413) 774-5258, Bob Wanczyk at (413) 774-2465, Paul Doran at (413) 774-2801, or Joe Ruscio at (413) 768-9876.

Hooplandia

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

Difference Makers

Sept. 10: Due to coronavirus concerns, BusinessWest has decided to postpone its 12th annual Difference Makers event that was scheduled to take place on Thursday, March 19. The event will now take place on Thursday, Sept. 10 at the Log Cabin. With the growing concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, and under the CDC’s recommendations, BusinessWest felt this was the most appropriate and responsible action to take. Event sponsors include Burkhart Pizzanelli, Mercy Medical Center/Trinity Health Of New England, Royal, P.C., and TommyCar Auto Group, while the Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Charity Golf Tournament, MHA, and United Way of Pioneer Valley are partners. For more info visit www.businesswest.com or call (413) 781-8600.

Chamber Corners: Upcoming Events

By BusinessWest Staff March 17, 2020

Chamber Corners

AMHERST AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.amherstarea.com
(413) 253-0700

• April 15: April After 5, 5-7 p.m., sponsored by Paciorek Electric at its DiamondBack Properties, LLC Building, 65D Elm St., Hatfield, with food and drink catered by Grill N’ Chill. Enjoy this night of networking with people from across the Valley. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members.

GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.explorenorthampton.com
(413) 584-1900

• May 6: May Arrive@5 netWORK, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Look Park, Florence. Sponsored by Greenfield Community College Foundation, Keiter Builders LLC, and Webber & Grinnell Insurance. Our netWORK Arrive@5 series will feature a nonprofit in the Greater Northampton community and invite Arrive@5 guests to participate in a project to benefit that organization. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. To register, visit northampton.chambermaster.com/events/details/2020-arrive-5-network-may-6-3809.

• June 3: June Arrive@5, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Greenfield Cooperative Bank, Florence. Networking event. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. To register, visit northampton.chambermaster.com/events/details/2020-arrive-5-june-3-3810.

GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.westfieldbiz.org
(413) 568-1618

• April 24: Legislative Luncheon – This event will be rescheduled – please stay tuned – hosted by Shortstop Bar & Grill, 99 Springfield St., Westfield. Mike Dobbs of Reminder Publications will moderate a panel of legislators at our annual Legislative Luncheon. This is an opportunity for your voice to be heard on issues or budget items that affect your business or employees. Confirmed panelists include state Reps. Natalie Blais, Aaron Vega, and John Velis; and Westfield Mayor Donald Humason. Invited panelists include state Sen. Adam Hinds and state Reps. Nicholas Boldyga, Smitty Pignatelli, and Lindsay Sabadosa. Cost: $35 for members, $50 for non-members. For more information and to register, visit westfieldbiz.org/events or call (413) 568-1618.

SPRINGFIELD REGIONAL CHAMBER

www.springfieldregionalchamber.com
(413) 787-1555

• May 6: Rise & Shine Breakfast, Networking Opportunity, and Educational Program, 7:15-9 a.m., hosted by the Log Cabin, 500 Easthampton Road, Holyoke. Sponsored by United Personnel and MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board. Cost: $25 for members in advance ($30 at the door), $35 general admission ($40 at the door).

• May 14: Stars & Strikes Celebrity Bowling Fundraising Competition, 5:30-8 p.m., hosted by MGM TAP Sports Bar, One MGM Way, Springfield. Cost: $20 for members and potential members in advance ($30 at the door). Includes heavy hors d’oeuvres, unlimited bowling, and games.

To register for any 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

• May 5: Job Fair 2020 – Local Jobs For Local People, 4-7 p.m., hosted by Storrowton Tavern/Carriage House, West Springfield. The West of the River Chamber will host a local job fair. West Springfield and Agawam businesses, along with other employment opportunities, will be showcased for the public. High-school students, college students, and adults will attend this event looking to begin or advance their careers. This event is free and open to the public. To be a participating vendor, register online at www.westoftheriverchamber.com.

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY OF GREATER SPRINGFIELD

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 BusinessWest Staff March 17, 2020

People on the Move

Patricia Covalli

Florence Bank has named Patricia Covalli its Community Support Award winner. Covalli, a collections officer, joined the bank in February 2015 and has 25 years of banking experience. The Community Support Award was established by Florence Bank in 1997 as a means of formally recognizing employees who are active participants in community events and donate their personal and professional time to local not-for-profit organizations. Each year, the award recipient has the opportunity to select a not-for-profit organization of his or her choice, and the bank makes a donation to that organization. At Covalli’s recommendation, Florence Bank will make a donation to Soldier On. The mission of Soldier On, based in Leeds, is to provide formerly homeless veterans with permanent, supportive, sustainable housing. Covalli serves her community as an active member of the United Way of Hampshire County. She also serves as a fundraising volunteer for Florence’s Look Park and volunteers at Northampton’s Interfaith Cot Shelter.

•••••

Dawn Bryant

Colleen Berndt

Edward Stambovsky

Nicholas LaPier CPA PC announced that three local CPAs have joined the firm. Dawn Bryant, CPA, recently joined Nicholas LaPier, CPA PC as an audit manager. She has worked in public accounting for more than 25 years, with her primary focus in auditing and specializing in not-for-profit organizations. Her experience also includes working with for-profit businesses in various industries including retail, distribution, and construction. Bryant earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting, financial track, graduating summa cum laude from the University of North Carolina at Asheville. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants (MSCPA). She serves as board president for a private foundation and teaches a nonprofit business functions course for the University of Connecticut. Colleen Berndt, CPA, recently joined the firm as a tax manager. She has worked in public accounting for more than 30 years, with a primary focus in business taxation and consulting. She earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from American International College in Springfield and is a member of AICPA and MSCPA. She serves on various local nonprofit boards. Edward Stambovsky, CPA, also recently joined the firm. He has worked in public accounting for more than 40 years, with a primary focus on business, individual, and trust taxation, and has consulted with businesses throughout his career. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from UMass Amherst and is a member of AICPA and MSCPA.

•••••

The Collins Companies, one of the largest industrial distributors of pipe, valves, and fittings and engineered specialties serving the Northeast, announced a change in executive management roles. Owner and President Brian Tuohey has assumed the role of CEO and has promoted Vice President of Sales Paul Andruszkiewicz to President. In addition, 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.

•••••

Laureen Borgatti

Way Finders Inc. named Laureen Borgatti its new chief operating officer. She has been employed by the organization for 27 years, serving in various administrative capacities, most recently as the organization’s chief of staff and chief administrative officer. Most recently, she served as internal project manager for the construction of Way Finders’ new Housing Center, to be completed in April. Borgatti chairs the board of directors of the Human Service Forum, a membership organization that assists members in better addressing the needs of the people they serve throughout the Pioneer Valley. She sits on the board of directors for the new Housing Navigator, an initiative led by the Kuehn Charitable Foundation to develop an online search tool that will give people with low and moderate incomes the ability to quickly find available, affordable rental units anywhere in Massachusetts. She also serves on the board of directors of the Dakin Humane Society.

•••••

Betsey Quick

Bulkley Richardson announced that Betsey Quick, executive director, was named the “Excellence in the Law” honoree for Firm Administration and Operations by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. Quick joined the firm in September 2017 and, during her short tenure in this role, has made a significant impact, including increasing the firm’s productivity, implementing policies, and advancing the overall mission of the firm. Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly honors individuals in the categories of Firm Administration and Operations, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Marketing, Paralegal Work, Pro Bono, and Up & Coming Lawyers. Quick will be recognized at a reception on Thursday, April 30 at the Marriott Long Wharf Hotel in Boston.

•••••

Thomas Robitaille

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) named Thomas Robitaille an instructor in Mechanical Engineering Technology. Robitaille is the third generation in his family to join this field after his father and grandfather. A STCC graduate with an associate degree in mechanical engineering technology, he has been working as a CNC machinist and programmer at MTG Inc. in Westfield since October 2016. While at STCC, he was a peer tutor for mechanical engineering technology. He also taught a fall 2017 lecture and lab course in the program, which prepared him for this teaching position. Prior to coming to STCC, Robitaille was a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Marine Corps Infantry from 2009 to 2014, stationed out of Camp Lejeune, N.C. While enlisted, he served two combat tours in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

•••••

Jasmine Rivera-Boucher

Jasmine Rivera-Boucher has been promoted to director of Adult Foster Care (AFC) and Shared Living (SL) services at BFAIR. The director is responsible for the day-to-day operations of both programs, the development and implementation of the AFC/SL, accreditation, policies, and procedures as well as the fiscal administration of the AFC department. The director ensures that all funders’ regulations are met, which includes oversight of the referral and intake process in collaboration with the Department of Developmental Services, the Department of Mental Health, and other funding and referral sources. Prior to her promotion from assistant director, Rivera-Boucher worked at the Key Program in Pittsfield and graduated from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts with a degree in psychology. She also holds a degree in gerontology from Maria College and certification as dementia friend trainer.

•••••

Meghan Lynch

Happier Valley Comedy, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing more laughter, joy, and ease to Western Mass. (and the world) through the tenets of improv comedy, named Meghan Lynch to its board of directors. Lynch is the CEO of Six-Point Creative in Springfield, a brand strategy agency serving second-stage businesses. Lynch co-founded Six-Point in 2007 and was named an Enterprising Woman of the Year in 2019 for her company’s growth and her commitment to supporting other women entrepreneurs. Lynch first became acquainted with Happier Valley Comedy when its president and founder, Pam Victor, facilitated a THROUGH LAUGHTER Professional Development workshop for the Women Presidents’ Organization, of which she’s a member. In 2017, Lynch invited Victor to Six-Point Creative to facilitate the first of many professional-development workshops for the staff and clients.

•••••

The Mass Cultural Council announced the 2020 Artist Fellowship awards in drawing and printmaking, poetry, and traditional arts. Among this year’s fellowship awardees is artist Kelly Popoff, faculty member in the Art Department at Greenfield Community College (GCC). The awards include 19 fellowships of $15,000 and 16 finalist awards of $1,500. Applications were open to all eligible Massachusetts artists. A total number of 632 applications were received: 363 in drawing and printmaking, 243 in poetry, and 26 in traditional arts.

Company Notebook

By BusinessWest Staff March 17, 2020

Company Notebook

Bacon Wilson to Donate $25,000 for Firm’s 125th Anniversary

SPRINGFIELD — Bacon Wilson announced that, in honor of its 125th anniversary year, the firm will donate $25,000 to various community organizations throughout the Pioneer Valley. Bacon Wilson will make five contributions of $1,250 for each quarter of 2020. After gathering suggestions from members of the firm, first-quarter contributions of $1,250 were awarded to:

• Michael J. Dias Foundation, which provides aid and education for individuals and families on substance abuse, and help for those battling the disease of addiction;

• All Out Adventures, which promotes health, community, and independence for people with disabilities, seniors, veterans, and their families and friends through outdoor recreation;

• Amherst Survival Center, which connects people to food, clothing, healthcare, wellness, and community, primarily through volunteer efforts;

• Our Community Table: Westfield Soup Kitchen, a 100% volunteer organization dependent upon donations to provide a clean and safe environment to serve those in need; and

• Treehouse Foundation, an intergenerational community neighborhood where adoptive families and their children, older youth, and elders invest in one another’s health, dreams, and futures.

Bacon Wilson will announce recipients for the firm’s remaining quarterly giving in June, September, and December.

Eversource Energy to Purchase Columbia Gas of Massachusetts

BOSTON — Eversource Energy announced it has reached an agreement to purchase the Massachusetts natural-gas assets of Columbia Gas for $1.1 billion from NiSource. The acquisition will bring Columbia Gas operations in Massachusetts under local ownership by the largest energy company in New England. Columbia Gas currently serves 330,000 natural-gas customers in more than 60 communities in Massachusetts. Eversource has 300,000 natural-gas customers and 1.5 million electric customers in 51 communities across the Commonwealth. Many communities that Columbia Gas serves with natural gas already receive electric service from Eversource. Under the asset-purchase agreement, liabilities related to the September 2018 gas distribution incidents in the Merrimack Valley will remain the responsibility of Columbia Gas’s current parent company, NiSource. Eversource plans to finance the transaction with a balance of new equity and debt that maintains its credit profile. The parties expect to close the transaction by the end of the third quarter 2020.

Isenberg Again Ranks First for MBA Online Education

AMHERST — For the fourth year in a row, the online MBA offered by the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst topped the rankings of U.S. programs — and came out number three in the world — in the Financial Times survey. Isenberg has offered an AACSB-accredited MBA degree program entirely online since 2001, making it one of the most well-established and robust online degrees in the country. Currently, more than 1,100 students are enrolled in the program. In addition to its overall position in the 2020 Financial Times ranking, the Isenberg online MBA also stood out in a number of data areas, based on information collected by the publication from members of the 2016 graduating class. It ranked first in the world for salary increase, with alumni reporting that they earn 46% more now than they did when they graduated from the Isenberg MBA program; second in the U.S. for average current salary ($168,046); and first in the U.S. for value.

American International College Named To Military Friendly Schools List

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) has again been named a Military Friendly School. VIQTORY, a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business that connects the military community to civilian employment and educational and entrepreneurial opportunities, has released the 2020-21 Military Friendly Schools list, providing a comprehensive guide for veterans and their families using data sources from federal agencies, veteran students, and proprietary survey information from participating organizations in order to help them select the best college, university, or trade school to receive the education and training needed to pursue a civilian career. Institutions earning the Military Friendly School designation are evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey completed by the school. This year, fewer than 800 schools nationwide earned this prestigious designation. Methodology and criteria were determined by VIQTORY with input from the Military Friendly Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher-education and military-recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the individual institution’s survey scores with the assessment of its ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer), and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.

Girls Inc. of the Valley Receives $500,000 Grant

HOLYOKE — Girls Inc. of the Valley announced plans for major expansion and the launch of its new campaign. The organization is in the early stages of an ambitious, comprehensive campaign, “Her Future, Our Future,” with three primary goals: to develop a permanent Girls Inc. home in downtown Holyoke; to expand school-based programming in Holyoke, Chicopee, and Springfield; and to extend the Eureka! STEM education program. To that end, it has received $500,000 in support from the Kendeda Fund, a private grantmaker based in Atlanta. This transformative gift will support the expansion of Girls Inc. of the Valley’s programs and create a stronger network that encourages girls to achieve. Girls Inc. of the Valley is launching this campaign to offer more girls fundamental support and research-based programming. These programs are designed to empower girls and present them with opportunities to navigate barriers they face in school and beyond.

Women’s Fund to Award $45,000 to Groups Addressing Sexual Violence

SPRINGFIELD — The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts (WFWM) announced a spring grant cycle to fund organizations that are working to fight sexual violence in the Western Mass. region. Funding for this grant cycle is made possible by a grant the WFWM received from the Fund for the Me Too Movement and Allies (the Me Too Fund), housed at the New York Women’s Foundation. Joining the Washington Area Women’s Foundation, the Women’s Foundation of California, and the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota in this work, WFWM will carry out the Me Too Fund’s goal of ensuring ongoing philanthropic investments toward transforming the oppressive systems that produce structural inequalities of power that result in harassment and violence by making grants from this fund in and for the local community. Applications will be accepted from women- and girl-serving organizations in all four counties of Western Mass. through March 31. Projects funded by this grant from WFWM must focus on prevention and/or intervention of sexual violence and harassment. Visit mywomensfund.org for additional information or to apply.

GCAi Launches Videos for Peter Pan’s App Marketing and Perks Rewards Program

SPRINGFIELD — Riders on any Peter Pan bus right now will not only view a new app-marketing video but also a new Perks Rewards program video. In between the two marketing videos is a brief welcome message by company Chairman and CEO Peter Picknelly. Garvey Communication Associates Inc. (GCAi) produced the three videos, which are already being shown on all routes in the Northeast Corridor. Each of them was produced by award-winning video producer Darcy Young, one of the only female video producers in the market. The concepts and scripts were developed by GCAi founder John Garvey. The app and rewards videos will be disseminated through digital marketing campaigns in specific markets on the East Coast in the near future. These videos are the third in a series of passenger videos produced by GCAi that began when Peter Pan Bus Lines separated from Greyhound Bus Lines in 2017. The videos can be viewed at gcaionline.com/video.

Webber & Grinnell Acquires Roger Menard Insurance Agency

NORTHAMPTON — Webber & Grinnell Insurance announced the acquisition of Roger Menard Insurance Agency at 241 King St., Northampton. “Roger and I have been talking about this for a long time, and we are fortunate to be able to continue his legacy of great customer service to his clients,” said Webber and Grinnell President Bill Grinnell. “Our office is only a quarter-mile down the street, so it will be an easy adjustment for his clients. We also represent the same insurance carriers as Roger Menard Insurance, which will make the transition go very smoothly. Menard added that “Webber and Grinnell is the premier insurance agency in Northampton, and I know my clients will be treated very well. I’ve truly enjoyed this business and the relationships I have developed along the way. But after 36 years, it’s time to do something different. I will still be available to answer any questions during the transition.”

DAISA Enterprises to Facilitate Healthy Children and Families Event

SOUTH HADLEY — DAISA Enterprises, a food-systems and community health strategy firm based in South Hadley, was selected by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to design and facilitate a convening of Healthy Children and Families grantees for 2020. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), based in Princeton, N.J., is the largest philanthropic foundation in the U.S. focused solely on health, striving to advance policy, system, and environmental changes that create the conditions to foster families’ opportunities to promote healthy child development. The Healthy Children and Families convening will be a forum for sharing lessons and leveraging insights among grantees, partners, stakeholders, and RWJF staff around strategies to achieve this goal and prioritize health equity. More than 100 health leaders are expected to attend this event this spring or summer.

Health New England a Finalist in Healthiest Employers Program

SPRINGFIELD — Health New England has been recognized as one of the 2019 finalists of the Healthiest Employers of Massachusetts, a nationally recognized awards program powered by the Springbuk Health Intelligence Platform. Applicants to the Healthiest Employers awards program were evaluated across six key categories, representing a holistic view of employee well-being: culture and leadership commitment, foundational components, strategic planning, communication and marketing, programming and interventions, and reporting and analytics. All companies that applied to the awards program were ranked according to the proprietary Healthiest Employers Index, a 1-100 rubric for employee well-being programming. Ranked second in the 100- to 499-employee size category in Massachusetts, Health New England was honored for its commitment to employee health and corporate health programming. As an award finalist, Health New England has demonstrated a strong commitment to the health and well-being of its team members.

Bay Path Earns ‘A’ Grade for Early Reading Courses

LONGMEADOW — The National Council on Teacher Quality released its scores for the 2020 Teacher Prep Review, ranking Bay Path University’s Early Reading course content in undergraduate, traditional, elementary-education programs with an ‘A’ designation. Reading ability is a key predictor of future educational gains and life success, and more than one-third of American children are not able to read by the fourth grade, with black and Hispanic children being disproportionately affected. Successful reading instruction is essential to achieving educational equity, yet only seven programs in Massachusetts received an ‘A’ ranking. After reviewing course syllabi and required textbooks, programs were ranked based on the following criteria: the availability of explicit instruction on each of the five components of reading instruction — phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension strategies; support for instruction with high-quality textbooks that accurately detail established principles of scientifically based reading practices; and evidence that teacher candidates must demonstrate mastery through in-class assignments, tests, and field work.

Scout Curated Wears Supports Dress for Success

SPRINGFIELD — Scout Curated Wears started out as a local business and quickly turned into a nationwide sensation with its signature item, which converts from a wrap bracelet to a necklace. But the company is equally proud of its commitment to give back 10% of its net proceeds to support women’s organizations. Dress for Success Western Massachusetts is one of the nonprofits that benefits from the generosity of Scout Curated Wears and owner Lora Fischer-DeWitt. Women in the Greater Springfield community benefit from both a network of support and programs developed by Dress for Success. These programs, which are designed to be responsive to both women and employers, include the Foot in the Door workforce-readiness program; the Boutique, which provides women with professional attire for interviews and employment; the Margaret Fitzgerald One-on-One mentor program; and the Professional Women’s Group, designed to promote employment retention and career advancement. Fischer-DeWitt changes the lives of women who come through these programs by providing an annual contribution and by sponsoring Common Threads, an annual event celebrating of the accomplishments of women who have come through Dress for Success Western Massachusetts programs. This year’s event is scheduled for Thursday, April 16 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Springfield Sheraton.

Elms School of Nursing Ranks in Top 10 in State

CHICOPEE — The School of Nursing at Elms College ranks in the top 10 of “Best Nursing Schools in Massachusetts,” according to a recent ranking by registerednursing.org. To determine this year’s rankings, registerednursing.org researched the 40 nursing programs across the state and analyzed their students’ performance on the NCLEX-RN exam over the past five years. In 2019, Elms College nurses achieved a 97% pass rate on the exam, while the national pass rate was 91%. This is the third top-10 ranking for Elms College’s School of Nursing over the past year. It has been ranked in the top 10 of nursing schools in Massachusetts according to both nurse.org and niche.com.

Incorporations

By BusinessWest Staff March 17, 2020

Incorporations

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

DALTON

Wilkinson Building & Remodeling, Inc., 85 Central Ave., Dalton, MA 01226. John Wilkinson, same. Construction, remodeling, restoration.

GREAT BARRINGTON

Alston Method Inc., 446 Monterey Road, Great Barrington, MA 01230. Joseph Antoine Alston, PO Box 625, Housatonic, MA 01236. Wellness training.

HOLYOKE

The Western New England Music Alliance Inc., 115 Ridgewood Ave., 115 Ridgewood Ave., Holyoke, MA 01040. Mark Sherry, same. Assist and advance the careers of talented creative local musicians who write original music and to promote western New England as a destination for original music writing and production.

LENOX

86 The Weeds Inc., 115 New Lenox Road, Lenox, MA 01240. Laura Shack, same. Lawn care and landscaping services.

MONSON

A & H Transport Inc., 19 Woodridge Road, Monson, MA 01057. John R. Withers, same. Transportation of goods, equipment, and natural resources.

NORTH ADAMS

The Green Inc., 5 Main St., Suite 105, North Adams, MA 01247. Paul Gordo, 19 Elder Ave., North Adams, MA 01247. To support and promote artistic, religious, community building, anti-poverty and health initiatives and provide an accessible meeting space for same in northern Berkshire.

NORTHAMPTON

The Treaty Awareness Campaign Inc., 59 Gleason Road, Northampton, MA 01060. Andrew Blinn Larkin, 53 Clark Ave. #1, Northampton, MA 01060. Educating the general public about the risks and consequences of nuclear war, the possibility and consequences of accidental or intentional detonation of a nuclear weapon and the radiological effects of uranium mining, enrichment, production, testing and waste disposal associated with such weapons.

PALMER

Altitude Organic Corporation of Massachusetts, 1235 Thorndike St., Palmer, MA 01069. Aaron Bluse, 702 Zion Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80903. Cultivate, manufacture, market, promote, sell, distribute medicinal cannabis and related products.

PITTSFIELD

Veska Inc., 225 Lenox Ave., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Vickery Richard Allen, same. Web and software development.

Aircity Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Amir Banihashem, same. Develop software, provide consulting and services.

At Ease Massage for Veterans Inc., 476 Fenn St. #2, Pittsfield, MA 01201. John Strac same. Providing therapeutic massage to our veterans and their families.

SOUTH DEERFIELD

The Velodrome Project of Massachusetts Inc., 9 Crestview Dr., South Deerfield, MA 01373. James Fitzgerald, same. Sports and recreation.

SPRINGFIELD

The Arabia Felix Foundation Inc., 190 Longhill St., Springfield, MA 01108. Mark G. Hambley, same.

Thinkers & Dreamers Inc., 19 Hillcrest St., Springfield, MA 01109. Springfield, MA 01109. Le’ron D. McClain Fox Chase Dr., Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. Provides free mentoring and tutoring services to at-risk inner-city youth of color.

Doing Business as Certificates

By BusinessWest Staff March 17, 2020

DBA Certificates

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

AMHERST

Amherst Healing Arts
409 Main St.
Elya Manah Rowa

Amherst Welding Inc.
330 Harkness Road
Darrin Brown

The Laundry Club
6 University Dr.
Peter Colt

Mt. Pollux Music
1301 South East St.
Dan Kennedy

Nouria
399 Northampton St.
Tony El-Nemr

BELCHERTOWN

Marbl Chocolates
6 Hemlock Hollow
Elisabeth Patel

Ryan M. Padden Residential & Commercial Specialist
13 Sargent St.
Ryan Padden

Shady Glen Boarding Kennel
37 Amherst Road
Cynthia Meaux

SMA Consulting
210 Jensen St.
Salvatore Amato

Uncommon Cuts
7 Brandywine Dr.
Grete McGinnis

CHICOPEE

Chicopee Liquors
856 Memorial Dr.
Ankit Patel

Moon Magic
151 East Main St.
Dorenda Taft, Wanda Valentin

Woodcrafter 413
47 Arlington St.
Gary Ladue

DEERFIELD

Textur Beauty Bar
8B Elm St.
Carleigh Dlugosz

HOLYOKE

Freight Movers
43 Cherry St.
Irving Roman

Great Clips
98 Lower Westfield Road
Impachelvan Vithiananthan

Real Dry Waterproofing
137 Dupuis Road
Stephen Wall

Sweet Dogs Bakery
22H Maple Crest Circle
Sarah Kukla

EASTHAMPTON

Ain’t Your Average B….
21 Mineral St.
Raven Williams

Big Top Quilts
62 Briggs St.
Audrey Hyvonen

Confluence Mediation
123 Union St., Suite 201-5
Abdallah Ghalayini

Embark Industries
116 Pleasant St., Suite 245
Dmitry Gordievsky

Lev Networks
59 East St.
Samuel Lev

Moove In Self Storage
2 Industrial Parkway
Investment Real Estate Management, LLC

Moove In Self Storage
Main Street
Investment Real Estate Management, LLC

Nirvana Yoga, LLC
384 Main St.
Andy Stenson, Kate Stenson

Nouria
124 Northampton St.
Tony El-Nemr

EAST LONGMEADOW

Daniel Berard
P.O. Box 562
Daniel Berard

Dave Your Window Butler
64 Meadowbrook Road
Dave Morgan

JJK Productions
118 Lee St.
Josh Kelleher

Journey with Janet
82 Gates Ave.
Janet Weinberg

GREENFIELD

ARM Insurance
22 Laurel St.
Amy Morey

Boxlo Studio
55 Pierce St.
Gallagher Hannan, David Erickson

Flash Photo Booth
53 Cleveland St.
Staci Hickey

Greenfield Group Real Estate
29 Mill St., Suite 1
William Martin

Hawks and Reed
289 Main St.
Steven Goldsher

His and Hers Comics
40 Bank Row
Nishon Morgan

Knapp Construx
258 Hope St.
Steven Knapp

Nouria
63-69 Main St.
Tony El-Nemr

Rachael’s Closet
207 Main St.
Rachael Hurley

Savage Interiors
69 Riddell St.
Brooke Savage

The Spirit Shoppe
402 Federal St.
Deerfield Spirit Shoppe Inc.

Tech Clinic
324 Main St.
Jodi Thompson

Women’s Integrative Pelvic Rehabilitation
486 Main St.
Laura Manfield-Goodridge

Z’s Corner
4 Mill St.
Zain Naveed, Naveed Butt

LONGMEADOW

Aspen Lawn
56 Maplewood St.
Joel Wun, Antonina Ventino

Linda Lasorsa, Certified Color Consultant
44 Homestead Blvd.
Linda Lasorsa

Marblelife of Western Massachusetts
126 Belleclaire Ave.
Michael Barbieri

LUDLOW

Deanna Maziarz at From Hair On
733 Chapin St.
Deanna Maziarz

Discount Motor Sales Inc.
135 Carmelina Circle
Scott Shaw

Elaine at From Hair On
733 Chapin St.
Elaine McGrath

Hair Styles by Gina
733 Chapin St.
Gina Yelle

Hair West
322 West Ave.
Diane Bode

Nouria
425 Center St.
Tony El-Nemr

R & R Draft Service
398 Westerly Circle
Richard Lamotte

Smithland Supply
433 Center St.
Jim Wachner

NORTHAMPTON

Andy’s Spaceworks
142 Riverside Dr.
Ann Dolland

The Blue Marble
150 Main St.
Cathie Walz

Dead Again Vintage
69 Union St.
Vuk Whallon

Electric Eye Records
52 Main St., Suite 6
Andrew Crespo

Firebrand Events
221 Pine St., Suite 136
David Cowan Jr.

Funny 4 Funds – Pioneer Valley
139 Damon Road, Apt. E
Laurem Cahillane, Timothy Lovett

The Ken Frank Blues Band
9 Wilson Ave.
Kenneth Frank

Matthew Dibrindisi
42 Stone Ridge Dr.
Matthew Dibrindisi

Skibiski Real Estate
426 Hatfield St.
John Skibiski

Smithland Supply
142 North King St.
Jim Wachner

SPRINGFIELD

Cali
813 State St.
Tokiko Gomez

Capital Income Tax Corp.
1655 Main St.
Nathilda Ramirez

Carew Mini Market
158 Carew St.
Martin Severino

Cassi Cakes
122 Florence St.
Cassandra Gadson

Clean Crafts Remodeling
53A King St.
Manuel Colon

High Grace Boutique
39 Webster St.
Altagracia Barreras

Hiline Auto Detail
1469 State St.
Jaime Rodriguez

HNE
1 Monarch Place, Suite 1500
Health New England

HNE Advisory Services Inc.
1 Monarch Place, Suite 1500
HNE Advisory

HNE Insurance Co.
1 Monarch Place, Suite 1500
HNE Insurance Co.

Nestle Waters USA
150 Carando Dr.
Nestle Waters North

Nilsa’s Tax Services
906 Carew St.
Nilsa Laboy

Nouria
1313 Boston Road
Nouria Energy Retail

Nouria
487 East Columbus Ave.
Nouria Energy Retail

Nouria
833 East Columbus Ave.
Nouria Energy Retail

Nouria
720 Hall of Fame Ave.
Nouria Energy Retail

Nouria
730-744 Sumner Ave.
Nouria Energy Retail

Nouria
93 West Broad St.
Nouria Energy Retail

Nouria
1200 Wilbraham Road
Nouria Energy Retail

Subway of Downtown Springfield
1400 Main St.
Clifford Laraway

SVS Services
18 Noel St.
Ivan Grechka

Tavarez Real Estate
265 Belmont Ave.
Silverio Tavarez

Time Out
37 Waldorf St,
Clarence Reid

Torres Construction
752 Belmont Ave.
Reinerio Torres

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Hazen Enterprises Inc.
61 Winona Dr.
Lawrence Hazen

JG Site Services
78 Poplar Ave.
Jonathan Goddard

Little George’s
2648 Westfield St.
Costas Anamisis

Monica Monroe Entertainment
608 Westfield St.
Damonique Veighey

Monique Renee Studio
677 Westfield St.
Anna Gaudet

Raymour & Flanigan Furniture
1406 Elm St.
Neil Rube

Techniq
358 Park St.
Megan Gentile

USA Medical Supply
340 Memorial Ave.
Richard Spafford

Vlads Transportation
534 Union St.
Volodymyr Zhukovskyy

Walgreens #17540
99 Westfield St.
Todd Heckman

WILBRAHAM

Annie’s Candles 01095
10 Blueberry Hill Road
Anne Marie King

Executive Real Estate Group Inc.
2030 Boston Road, #1
Amy Rio, Tanya Vital-Basile, Angela Mancinone

IslandGrafics
393 Main St., Unit 2
Robert Landgraf

Retro Rental Services
499 Main St.
John Paterno

Successful-Learner
755G Glendale Road
Lorri Comeau

Bankruptcies

By BusinessWest Staff March 17, 2020

Bankruptcies

The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court (bankruptcy petitions omitted from our last are include hereunder). Readers should confirm all information with the court.

Allen, Ernest
Allen, Lisa M.
53 Tilton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 01/27/20

Andre, Lenna
137 Vienna Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 01/22/20

Arroyo, Christopher
5 Deveau St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/01/20

Baker, Christopher R.
Hendrick, Michelle C.
35 Indian Hill
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/28/20

Barnard, Karen
12 Hanover St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/07/20

Barrena, Hope
1063 Main St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/24/20

Bayram, Haci I.
19 Munsing Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/22/20

Bazluke, Samuel R.
643 Suffield St., Apt. 3
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/24/20

Bedard, Hector F.
203 El Paso St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/30/20

Berkshire Frame to Finish
Pascucci, Donald F.
93 Bushey Road
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/23/20

Berube, Christine B.
40 Old Stockbridge Road, Apt. 5B
Lenox, MA 01240
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/11/20

Bogacz-Lazzara, Staci A.
a/k/a Lazzara, Staci A.
42 N Main St
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/15/20

Brantley, Evins Cephus
91 Dunmoreland St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 01/31/20

Briones, Paciencia
7676 Maple St., Unit 1005
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/15/20

Cabana, Ashley R.
45 Oakland St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/14/20

Cammock, Kareen J.
517 Dickinson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/04/20

Caputo, David Anthony
903 Dwight St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 01/27/20

Cerruti, Christopher E.
58 Brown St., Apt. 1
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/03/20

Chambers, Denise A.
a/k/a Smith, Denise A.
a/k/a Watson, Denise Annemarie
157 Navajo Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 01/20/20

Collins, John
88 Debra Place, Apt. 3A
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/21/20

Colon, Felix Casillas
13 Gould Road
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/31/20

Corbisiero, Sandra M.
405 Beacon Circle
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/07/20

Cortis, Thomas S.
21 Elm Ave., Unit 3
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/21/20

Cuadra, Adan Antonio
230 Athol Road
Phillipston, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/31/20

DaSilva, Vicky M.
38 Third St., 1st Fl.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/03/20

Dejesus, Frank E.
74 Newhall St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/31/20

Delvalle, Xavier
150 Old Lane Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/14/20

Diaz, Gloryvee
a/k/a Mulero, Gloryvee
Diaz, Glory D.
a/k/a Diaz Diaz, Gloryvee
41 Savoy Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/31/20

Diroma, Michael F.
Diroma, Allyson M.
13 Canal Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/31/20

Eady, Percy K.
116 Glen St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/07/20

Felton, Shirley M.
483 Bay St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/06/20

Garcia, Mariaelena
a/k/a Garcia, Maria Elena
74 N Whitney St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 01/16/20

Gardner, Angela M.
P.O. Box 845
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/06/20

Gaudet, Monique
a/k/a Wallace, Monique
5C Mansion Woods Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/28/20

Goldberg, Scott B.
490 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/21/20

Gonzalez, Diane
44 Boucher Circle
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/13/20

Grajales, Elizabeth
187 Longmeadow St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/05/20

Henry, Natalie A.
a/k/a Henry-Walker, Natalie A.
140 Buckingham St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 01/16/20

Hulk Delivery Services
Wills-Goldson, Shaymis C.
59 Alvin St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/03/20

Hunt, Christopher W.
131 Liberty St.
First Floor
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/14/20

Huremovic, Sabahudin
a/k/a Huremovic, Elvisa
19 Falvey St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 01/21/20

Iellamo, Christopher Joseph
27 Stewart Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 01/15/20

Ireland, John T.
Ireland, Valerie J.
a/k/a Boody, Valerie J.
50 Bellmore Dr.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/03/20

Jones, Niki M.
75 Springfield St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/24/20

Keefe, Colin
252 Wells St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 01/27/20

Kickery, Gerald T.
7 Elmvale Place
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/14/20

LaRouche, Shirley S.
37 Echo Lane
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/12/20

Leboeuf, Colleen Marie
1533 Elm St.
Room 215 Econo Lodge
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/30/20

Loncrini, Kimberly A.
27 Rondeau St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/31/20

Maloney, Michael P.
Maloney, Brittany K.
a/k/a Carlo, Brittany K.
581 Stafford Hill Road
Cheshire, MA 01225
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/11/20

Maureen’s Sweet Shoppe
Dempsey, Maureen M.
a/k/a Basile, Maureen M.
47 Cass Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 01/23/20

Mazeika, Robert C.
Mazeika, Erin B.
21 Princeton St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/16/20

McClelland, Vicki Lynn
65 Cheryl Circle
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/31/20

Menzie, Jermaine O.
87 Garfield St., 2nd Fl.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/10/20

Moran, Thomas J.
289 Converse St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/09/20

Morris, Joseph G.
1107 Memorial Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/06/20

Morrissey, Dayna Marie
97 Williamsville Rd
Barre, MA 01005
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/07/20

Ng, Jack
209 Woodcrest Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/03/20

Nichols, Patrick S.
Nichols, Beth E.
P.O. Box 1910
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/06/20

Nivar, Sharon T.
43 Vernon St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/10/20

Nunez, Maria D.
1583 Riverdale St., Apt 5
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/03/20

O’Connell, William F.
1368 Amostown Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/22/20

Oprecht-Kum, Patricia Sebena
35 Sunset Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/12/20

Pack, Karen B.
a/k/a Steinfeldt, Karen B.
4 Marie St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/12/20

Parent, Tina M.
39 South Maple St., 1st Fl.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/06/20

Parker, Ronald E.
322 Main St., Apt. E
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/15/20

Richardson, Gerald W.
121 Cedar St., Unit 1R
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/16/20

Robbins, Andrew C.
89 Judson St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/10/20

Roberts, Michael J.
Roberts, Melissa A.
44 Devens St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/10/20

Rogers, Homer L.
115 Covell Road
Granville, MA 01034
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/14/20

Ross, Cristy M.
52 Grattan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/29/20

Ryan, Seth W.
80 Damon Road
Unit 3204
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 01/27/20

Schleis, Leslie Dube
152 Pine Ave.
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/03/20

Schmidt, Gregory W.
72 Feeding Hills Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/12/20

Shevchuk, Svetlana K.
26 Hunters Slope
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/10/20

Silva-Wemette, Jessica L.
12 Margaret St.
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/10/20

Smith, Shelby C.
7E Mansion Woods Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/24/20

Spiegel-Savoie, Helen
a/k/a Spiegel-Lee, Helen
46 Cross St.
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/10/20

Steele, Taijhia C.
87 Edbert St., Apt. A
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/05/20

Stone, Jeremy S.
Stone, Cara S.
a/k/a Quinlan, Cara S.
111 Elm St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/28/20

Thibodeau, Gerard
375 Pequoig Ave.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/05/20

Valley, Audrey R.
PO BOX 1471
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/03/20

Wallace, Anthony
18 Saab Court, Apt. 505
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/28/20

White, Kenneth
27 Applewood Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/03/20

Wisnewski, Matthew M.
PO BOX 131
Oakham, MA 01068
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 01/15/20

Real Estate Transactions

By BusinessWest Staff March 17, 2020

Real Estate

The following real estate transactions (latest available) were compiled by Banker & Tradesman and are published as they were received. Only transactions exceeding $115,000 are listed. Buyer and seller fields contain only the first name listed on the deed.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

BERNARDSTON

186 Bald Mountain Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $209,000
Buyer: Jessica L. Norman
Seller: Troy Santerre
Date: 02/19/20

BUCKLAND

153 East Buckland Road
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $192,097
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Sheila A. Gammon
Date: 02/24/20

CHARLEMONT

7 Main St.
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Zoar Outdoor Adventure
Seller: Charlemont Land Preserve
Date: 02/18/20

920 Tea St.
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Zoar Outdoor Adventure
Seller: Charlemont Land Preserve
Date: 02/18/20

17 Tea St. Ext.
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Zoar Outdoor Adventure
Seller: Charlemont Land Preserve
Date: 02/18/20

Warfield Road
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Zoar Outdoor Adventure
Seller: Charlemont Land Preserve
Date: 02/18/20

DEERFIELD

35 Captain Lathrop Dr.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Holly T. Babcock
Seller: Dennis A. Seymour
Date: 02/14/20

23 Lee Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $196,500
Buyer: Anthony Martino
Seller: US Bank
Date: 02/21/20

104 Sunderland Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: 104 Sunderland Road LLC
Seller: David A. Rohrs RET
Date: 02/12/20

Wells Cross Road #D
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Pioneer Gardens Inc.
Seller: John G. Savage Realty Corp.
Date: 02/14/20

ERVING

163 North St.
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $253,700
Buyer: Luis F. Iturbe
Seller: Edward Hofmeister
Date: 02/21/20

63 State Road
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Cody S. Willor
Seller: Alan Cafarella
Date: 02/21/20

GREENFIELD

317 Davis St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $175,800
Buyer: Mac Newman
Seller: H. Peter Wood
Date: 02/21/20

163 Montague City Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: William A. Theis
Seller: Mark P. Wisnewski
Date: 02/14/20

MONTAGUE

80 2nd St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: 108 Properties LLC
Seller: Richard A. Baker
Date: 02/21/20

NORTHFIELD

57 Ashuelot Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Jeffery C. Tarr
Seller: Tina M. Smith
Date: 02/24/20

130 Main St.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Gail M. Doolittle
Seller: Northfield Mount Hermon
Date: 02/13/20

1158 Millers Falls Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Peter Sund
Seller: Laurence D. Stearns
Date: 02/21/20

164 Upper Farms Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Patricia M. Kinsella
Seller: Margaret G. Daniels
Date: 02/18/20

ORANGE

139 South Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Shane Barbato
Seller: Susan I. Barbato
Date: 02/25/20

340 Walnut Hill Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Robert E. Smith
Seller: Harold C. Matthews
Date: 02/14/20

SUNDERLAND

57 Plumtree Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Jodiann Thomas-Jackson
Seller: Michael Murray
Date: 02/14/20

WHATELY

101 Haydenville Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $334,000
Buyer: Robin S. Weiss
Seller: Marsha E. Martin
Date: 02/14/20

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

42 Alhambra Circle South
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $182,000
Buyer: Corrie Strunk-Ackerley
Seller: Alison K. Anderson
Date: 02/25/20

15 Belvidere Ave.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Alison Bonafini
Seller: Naples Property Group LLC
Date: 02/20/20

3 Centerwood Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Alice Krajewski
Seller: MTGLQ Investors LP
Date: 02/14/20

18 Cesan St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $270,400
Buyer: Eric Graziano
Seller: Barbara J. Nitri
Date: 02/14/20

15 Clematis Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $248,000
Buyer: David G. Bruneau
Seller: Patriot Living LLC
Date: 02/19/20

71 Columbia Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $132,750
Buyer: Petr Kiforishin
Seller: Deutsche Bank
Date: 02/14/20

29 Florida Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $224,000
Buyer: Donald T. Mercure
Seller: Casey E. Federico
Date: 02/12/20

48 Florida Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Todd Downie
Seller: CDM Properties LLC
Date: 02/13/20

190 Mill St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Miguel A. Ortiz
Seller: Lourdes Quinones
Date: 02/12/20

22 Mulberry St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Shawn M. Zaborowski
Seller: Peter Mozdzanowski
Date: 02/18/20

122 Southwick St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Kelly M. Gilmore
Seller: Tina M. Eggleston
Date: 02/14/20

662 Springfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: West Co. Investments LLC
Seller: Parlay Of MA LLC
Date: 02/12/20

BLANDFORD

30 Brookman Dr.
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $258,000
Buyer: Lois R. Quartararo
Seller: William Bunnell
Date: 02/18/20

CHESTER

192 Abbott Hill Road
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Adam S. Wade
Seller: USA VA
Date: 02/21/20

CHICOPEE

78 Arthur St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $189,600
Buyer: Adam G. Roy
Seller: James R. Guilbeau
Date: 02/13/20

14 Dresser Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Elizabeth Ramos
Seller: Kozik, Caroline M., (Estate)
Date: 02/21/20

10 Everett St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $117,800
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Elaine Ittner
Date: 02/24/20

159 Fletcher Circle
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $244,000
Buyer: Marina Polyakova
Seller: Judith A. Tracy
Date: 02/21/20

101 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: 101 Front Street NT
Seller: Audrey G. Mascaro
Date: 02/14/20

79 Lauzier Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Jose E. Martinez
Seller: Erek J. Machowski
Date: 02/21/20

860 Meadow St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $225,800
Buyer: Noelia Rivera
Seller: Maria M. Biskup
Date: 02/12/20

2012 Memorial Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $1,407,116
Buyer: Western MA EEN LLC
Seller: CH Realty 7 CG Mact Bird
Date: 02/13/20

94 Prospect St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Dulong Holdings LLC
Seller: Lavallee Group Inc.
Date: 02/24/20

23 Ralph St.
Chicopee, MA 01109
Amount: $331,500
Buyer: Rachel E. Lacourse
Seller: Sodi Inc.
Date: 02/13/20

EAST LONGMEADOW

239 Elm St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Shelby Gray
Seller: Penny L. Griswold
Date: 02/21/20

93 Parker St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: John C. Burney
Seller: Nu-Way Homes Inc.
Date: 02/21/20

Pease Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Emanuele Marino
Seller: Kane, Joseph R., (Estate)
Date: 02/13/20

HOLLAND

5 Brook Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Paul Gabriau
Seller: Lisa A. Lewis
Date: 02/21/20

12 Hamilton Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $155,500
Buyer: David L. Breor
Seller: Lawrence N. Bilodeau
Date: 02/24/20

48 Stafford Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: James J. Herrick
Seller: Jerome Lafrance
Date: 02/21/20

82 Stafford Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Meegan L. Bullock
Seller: AMTD LLC
Date: 02/14/20

76 Vinton Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Christie Salisbury
Seller: Holly L. Brodeur
Date: 02/21/20

HOLYOKE

179-185 Chestnut St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $349,000
Buyer: TKJM LLC
Seller: 179-185 Chestnut LLC
Date: 02/13/20

62 Clayton Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Zachary Bullough
Seller: Abbey, Leonard Guy, (Estate)
Date: 02/18/20

43 Eastern Promenade St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: Keila T. Medina-Mercado
Seller: Michael P. Volmer
Date: 02/19/20

28 Mackintosh Ter.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $157,500
Buyer: Felix J. Morales
Seller: Daniel C. Ross
Date: 02/13/20

1106 Main St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $195,933
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Andrew R. Shaddock
Date: 02/12/20

284 Maple St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $119,925
Buyer: HSBC Bank
Seller: Julia H. Durchanek
Date: 02/19/20

215 Mountain View Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $347,967
Buyer: Lakeview Loan Servicing LLC
Seller: Darrell M. Johnston
Date: 02/18/20

10 Summit Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Nina Olender
Seller: Edward Olender
Date: 02/14/20

6 Upland Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Megan Brunelle
Seller: James M. Brunelle
Date: 02/14/20

264-266 Walnut St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $194,250
Buyer: Frankie Sanchez
Seller: Joseph F. Schiappa
Date: 02/25/20

LONGMEADOW

83 Berwick Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Kimberly Smith
Seller: Dominick J. Dieni
Date: 02/13/20

547 Converse St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $297,000
Buyer: Joseph Ekmalian
Seller: Paul F. Kennedy
Date: 02/21/20

125 Field Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $321,000
Buyer: Gina M. Trapani
Seller: James Hendry
Date: 02/14/20

13 Glenwood Circle
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $199,000
Buyer: Jacqueline C. Soltz
Seller: Raymond Beattie
Date: 02/25/20

91 Knollwood Circle
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $635,000
Buyer: Benjamin J. Weiss
Seller: Eric C. Jan
Date: 02/21/20

737 Shaker Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Patrick Curry
Seller: Margo Whitt
Date: 02/14/20

39 Vanguard Lane
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $329,000
Buyer: Natalie L. Degruyl-Burns
Seller: Gary S. Sylvester
Date: 02/18/20

84 Wilkin Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $336,900
Buyer: Jasmin Hutchinson
Seller: Oleg E. Berdnikov
Date: 02/14/20

LUDLOW

98 Bridle Path Circle
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Luis A. Rego
Seller: Cheryl A. Hastings
Date: 02/21/20

530 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: HSBC Bank
Seller: Donna M. Leto
Date: 02/24/20

57 Grimard St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $209,400
Buyer: Tracey A. Ware
Seller: Michael T. Robar
Date: 02/14/20

44 Highland Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Chun J. Kim
Seller: Stephanie E. Salvador
Date: 02/24/20

MONSON

37 Bradway Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $322,000
Buyer: Marcus Edmonds
Seller: Michael C. Delong
Date: 02/14/20

15 Fenton Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: James A. Muckinhaupt
Seller: David G. Bruneau
Date: 02/19/20

22 Lower Hampden Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $120,900
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Timothy R. Coto
Date: 02/20/20

276 Stafford Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Amrap LLC
Seller: AJN Rentals LLC
Date: 02/20/20

PALMER

2009 East St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Timothy R. Coleman
Seller: Todd M. Nareau
Date: 02/14/20

3003 Oak St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $242,000
Buyer: Matthew D. Corsi
Seller: Shelly R. Brown
Date: 02/12/20

1257 South Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $242,500
Buyer: Weihua Zeng
Seller: Madeline D. Davidson
Date: 02/20/20

18 Wright St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Judy Bergdoll
Seller: US Bank
Date: 02/19/20

SOUTHWICK

111 Feeding Hills Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $214,500
Buyer: Lawrence V. Allen
Seller: Michael Abelin
Date: 02/21/20

SPRINGFIELD

140 Ambrose St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $265,500
Buyer: Jennifer Y. Perlera
Seller: Campagnari Construction
Date: 02/21/20

355 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $585,000
Buyer: Diplomat Enterprises LLC
Seller: Daniel J. Molta
Date: 02/19/20

40 Bissell St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $165,640
Buyer: Flagstar Bank FSB
Seller: Hannah A. Wachira
Date: 02/13/20

37 Border St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Luis D. Pumarejo
Seller: Xaver A. Sierra
Date: 02/14/20

22 Broad St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Bar South Holdings LLC
Seller: Grace Feghali-Ramah
Date: 02/18/20

86 Castle St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $194,000
Buyer: Hortense S. Miller
Seller: Hanh D. Troung
Date: 02/21/20

38 Colorado St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Brittany Gage
Seller: Robert H. Claremont
Date: 02/12/20

11-15 Dawes St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $191,000
Buyer: Eric Henson
Seller: TM Properties Inc.
Date: 02/21/20

Delaware Ave. #366
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Bretta Construction LLC
Seller: Sherry A. Marchessault
Date: 02/14/20

Delaware Ave. #367
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Bretta Construction LLC
Seller: Sherry A. Marchessault
Date: 02/14/20

6 Drumlin Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $162,750
Buyer: Ryan Carabine
Seller: Michael Stewart
Date: 02/24/20

159 East St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $151,000
Buyer: Carmen J. Santos
Seller: Lourdes J. Mercado
Date: 02/14/20

159 Fair Oak Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Xin Li-Smigiel
Seller: Denise M. Dowd
Date: 02/21/20

16 Fenimore Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Jeffrey Klotz
Seller: John P. Wysk
Date: 02/24/20

264 Fountain St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $261,000
Buyer: Christopher Iennaco
Seller: William Raleigh
Date: 02/19/20

17 Frank St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Adam Hajdamowicz
Seller: Ronald R. Napolitan
Date: 02/14/20

17 Gary Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Thomas M. Rickson
Seller: Clayton J. Goodrow
Date: 02/20/20

64-66 Glenwood St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Kelvyn Batia
Seller: Blythewood Property Mgmt.
Date: 02/20/20

25-27 Humbert St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Joan Wellington
Seller: MBC Properties LLC
Date: 02/25/20

41 Hyde Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Willy J. Cardona
Seller: Omar Almodovar
Date: 02/24/20

15 Juniper Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Nicole S. Nixon
Seller: Nicole A. Mason
Date: 02/12/20

37 Kathleen St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Bradley Rolland
Seller: Ashley Rolland
Date: 02/18/20

279-281 Lexington St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Irma Rivera-Matos
Seller: Ana Lopez
Date: 02/24/20

34 Lorimer St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $272,000
Buyer: Xaver A. Sierra
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 02/14/20

82 Malden St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Binh T. Nguyen
Seller: Michael J. Molinari
Date: 02/12/20

26 Mandalay Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Ashiah B. Richeme
Seller: Zandra Engel
Date: 02/12/20

198-200 Marion St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $1,055,000
Buyer: Maribay Apartments LLC
Seller: CNI Corp.
Date: 02/18/20

206 Marsden St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Nathan J. Cortez
Seller: Angel O. Alban
Date: 02/13/20

28-30 Maryland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: JR Real Estate LLC
Seller: 28-30 Maryland Street LLC
Date: 02/14/20

22 Mayfield St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Jill A. Raschi
Seller: Anthony J. Spear
Date: 02/12/20

113 Mill St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Michael J. Dias Foundation
Seller: Orange Park Mgmt. LLC
Date: 02/13/20

164-166 Northampton Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Tamara N. Barnett
Seller: Domingos Enterprises LLC
Date: 02/18/20

1915 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $148,000
Buyer: Javelin Parra
Seller: Kemuel Perez
Date: 02/24/20

37 Parkside St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $181,500
Buyer: Theresa Thomas
Seller: Nitsy J. Torres
Date: 02/19/20

125 Pine Acre Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Rebekah E. Morin
Seller: Isabel Bettencourt
Date: 02/25/20

93 Pocantico Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Spencer O’Quinn
Seller: Kevin D. Blake
Date: 02/14/20

16 Powell Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Joyce Bunn
Seller: Angelo Deguglielmo
Date: 02/14/20

52 Price St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Yegor Stefantsev
Seller: Juana Howard
Date: 02/21/20

54 Price St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Yegor Stefantsev
Seller: Juana Howard
Date: 02/21/20

112 Quaker Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $130,819
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: John M. Lacey
Date: 02/24/20

335 Rosewell St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Mia Mayes
Date: 02/20/20

878 Saint James Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $193,500
Buyer: 716 Spring Valley LLC
Seller: Thomas Alexopoulos
Date: 02/21/20

1347 South Branch Pkwy.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $211,000
Buyer: Christopher Paciotti
Seller: Mount Calvary Baptist
Date: 02/12/20

3 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: LL Corner Realty LLC
Date: 02/19/20

59-61 Sycamore St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $222,900
Buyer: Petula P. Williams
Seller: Bert Wright
Date: 02/21/20

44 Tourigny St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $123,000
Buyer: Extremely Clean 2 LLC
Seller: Brital 1987 LLC
Date: 02/14/20

17-19 Trinity Ter
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Cadence Capital Group LLC
Seller: Mario Cosentini
Date: 02/14/20

184-186 Westford Circle
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $159,200
Buyer: Luis O. Baez
Seller: Milton Batiste
Date: 02/21/20

133-135 Woodside Ter
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Birkti Weldemariam-Hagos
Seller: Xiuli Li
Date: 02/14/20

SOUTHWICK

198 Hillside Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Tina Eggleston
Seller: Hector E. Garcia
Date: 02/14/20

55 Sam West Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: D. C. Saltmarsh & Co LLC
Seller: Terrence J. Welch
Date: 02/12/20

WESTFIELD

15 Aviator Way
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Michelle A. Dame
Seller: Alexandria M. Vassallo
Date: 02/21/20

69 Bristol St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $186,000
Buyer: Blake E. Croteau
Seller: Zygarowski, Barbara, (Estate)
Date: 02/25/20

7 Bush St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: JDK Properties LLC
Seller: Anthony Badohu
Date: 02/14/20

9 Cardinal Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Alexandria M. Vassallo
Seller: Raymond F. Neilsen
Date: 02/21/20

36 Cardinal Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $423,000
Buyer: Jonathon W. Fiore
Seller: William F. Barry
Date: 02/14/20

32 Char Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $640,000
Buyer: LWIL Properties LLC
Seller: Char Drive Realty LLP
Date: 02/20/20

24 Coolidge Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Nicole N. Richmond
Seller: Julie Hall-Case
Date: 02/21/20

30 Cross St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Keith Swords
Seller: Kenneth B. Beagle
Date: 02/14/20

18 Dubois St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $159,999
Buyer: Niles R. Lavalley
Seller: Plata O. Plomo Inc.
Date: 02/21/20

34 Fowler St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $203,000
Buyer: Spencer R. Hastings
Seller: Jacob O. Doser
Date: 02/14/20

10 Franklin Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Anna Hitchcock
Seller: US Bank
Date: 02/24/20

48 Knollwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $252,000
Buyer: Karla Santiago-Ruiz
Seller: Eric Boissy
Date: 02/14/20

22 Mechanic St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Angelo A. Liquori
Seller: John W. Cody
Date: 02/14/20

77 Old Farm Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Kenneth Lebel
Seller: Sean C. Shelander
Date: 02/21/20

48 Pineridge Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $373,000
Buyer: Rachel M. Wielgus
Seller: Seth M. Ellis
Date: 02/20/20

72 Pineridge Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $362,500
Buyer: Eric H. Boissy
Seller: Daniel R. Welch
Date: 02/14/20

36 Sylvan Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $710,000
Buyer: Carlos B. Bermejo
Seller: Aleksandr Kiforishin
Date: 02/13/20

39 West School St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $153,500
Buyer: Mohammad Saleem
Seller: PNC Bank
Date: 02/21/20

WILBRAHAM

48 Brainard Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $309,000
Buyer: Paul A. Cacciola
Seller: Scott M. Gierlich
Date: 02/14/20

13 Craigwood Ter.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Virginia F. Barry
Seller: Mark A. Edgar
Date: 02/21/20

436 Dipping Hole Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Lakeview Loan Servicing LLC
Seller: Kevin C. Johnson
Date: 02/14/20

8 East Colonial Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $331,000
Buyer: Rafael Santiago
Seller: John W. Collins
Date: 02/24/20

319 Main St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Russell L. Powell
Seller: Frances D. Tenbrook
Date: 02/14/20

7 Pine Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $214,000
Buyer: Kevin Dorsey
Seller: Deborah A. Brackney
Date: 02/14/20

125 River Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Custom Homes Dev. Group
Seller: Michael S. Misaszek
Date: 02/24/20

5 Woodland Dell Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: 5 Woodland Dell LLC
Seller: Wilbraham Masonic Building
Date: 02/14/20

WEST SPRINGFIELD

21 Benedict St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Juan R. Santos
Seller: James Lema
Date: 02/24/20

103 Craiwell Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: David J. Boido
Seller: Ruth Pacitti-Boido
Date: 02/18/20

33 Elm Circle
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Goffer Construction Inc.
Seller: Ryni P. Zabala
Date: 02/20/20

133 Janet St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $184,800
Buyer: Gerard L. Desjardins
Seller: Ahrayah M. Julian
Date: 02/21/20

120 Larivee Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Brent N. Verrier
Seller: Catherine J. Manzon
Date: 02/18/20

52 Lewis Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Ariel I. Bermudez
Seller: Derek Stevens
Date: 02/20/20

9 Railroad St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $329,900
Buyer: Ross C. Larson
Seller: Dmitriy M. Shapovalov
Date: 02/12/20

88 Rogers Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Kenneth A. Williams
Seller: Anita A. Moore
Date: 02/21/20

140 Upper Beverly Hills
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: CIG 4 LLC
Seller: James R. Kulik
Date: 02/21/20

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

112 Heatherstone Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Nadia Sadhu
Seller: Elizabeth Becker-Parker
Date: 02/21/20

388 Middle St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: G. Rezende-Siqueira
Seller: Rebecca H. Mazur
Date: 02/18/20

EASTHAMPTON

16 Russell Lane
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $292,450
Buyer: Ronald W. Albertson
Seller: Bette J. Trenholm
Date: 02/14/20

15 South St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: John V. Burke
Seller: Majike Ann, (Estate)
Date: 02/14/20

48 Westview Ter.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Christina A. Belfakih
Seller: Victor M. Rodite
Date: 02/21/20

GOSHEN

104 Ball Road
Goshen, MA 01096
Amount: $143,500
Buyer: Nordic Real Estate LLC
Seller: USA VA
Date: 02/25/20

HADLEY

85 Russell St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: 48 Bay Road NT
Seller: 859 LLC
Date: 02/14/20

229 Russell St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Jamyang Jamyang
Seller: Megan 229 Russell LLC
Date: 02/19/20

HATFIELD

25 Bridge St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Gregorz S. Tyrala
Seller: Edward Mogelinski
Date: 02/24/20

HUNTINGTON

14 Russell Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Westfield Bank
Seller: Peoples United Bank
Date: 02/24/20

NORTHAMPTON

68 Bliss St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $409,650
Buyer: Luna Greenwood
Seller: Ann S. Knickerbocker
Date: 02/20/20

218 Crescent St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $619,000
Buyer: Peter B. Simon
Seller: Suellen L. Hamkins
Date: 02/14/20

35 Higgins Way
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $630,265
Buyer: Suellen L. Hamkins
Seller: Sturbridge Development LLC
Date: 02/14/20

42 Stonewall Dr.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $900,000
Buyer: Mark S. Valone
Seller: Paul J. McNamara
Date: 02/12/20

SOUTH HADLEY

32 Highland Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Edward S. Scott
Seller: Jieun Park
Date: 02/25/20

4 Roundelay Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $128,500
Buyer: Leslie J. Prouty
Seller: Douglas M. Prouty
Date: 02/21/20

4 South Sycamore Knolls
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: Laurie Nichols
Seller: Mark Guerber
Date: 02/21/20

SOUTHAMPTON

194 Brickyard Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Christopher B. Nearey
Seller: Brian C. Sotkewicz
Date: 02/18/20

169 College Hwy.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: Christ Community Of Hampshire
Seller: Opa Opa LLC
Date: 02/12/20

22 Mountain View Circle
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Roland Barbeito
Seller: US Bank
Date: 02/20/20

7 Woodmar Lane
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $540,000
Buyer: Paul A. Boucher
Seller: David Garstka Builders
Date: 02/13/20

WARE

2 Briar Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Zimmer IRT
Seller: G. Harder-Kirkham IRT
Date: 02/19/20

24 Lovewell St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $194,900
Buyer: Stephen D. Ratcliffe
Seller: Mark P. Chevrette
Date: 02/21/20

14 Mattson Blvd.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Matthew C. Bail
Seller: Charles E. Gordon
Date: 02/12/20

58 Old Gilbertville Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $267,000
Buyer: Eugene Blais
Seller: Robert J. Skowyra
Date: 02/18/20

5 Ross Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $159,750
Buyer: Wilmington Trust
Seller: James Parker
Date: 02/13/20

Building Permits

By BusinessWest Staff March 17, 2020

Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of February 2020.

AMHERST

Mauro Aniello
71 North Pleasant St.
$14,594 — Construct employee storage locker, new partition wall, new door, mop sink closet with door

Messer Investments Inc.
90 Gatehouse Road
$468,000 — Interior renovation of existing wood-framed building, new roof dormer, two additions

CHICOPEE

City of Chicopee
725 Front St.
$29,115 — Two clean agent fire suppression systems

DKRV Commercial Properties, LLC
1247 East Main St.
$40,000 — Repair damage to interior and exterior walls

EASTHAMPTON

A-Z Rental Properties
4 Liberty St.
$15,000 — Remodel existing office space

City of Easthampton
200 Park St.
New access road, building excavation, drainage, utilities, sewer- and water-line construction

Crown Meadow Corp.
232 Park St.
$1,129,865 — Ground-mounted solar photovoltaic array

Eastworks, LLP
116 Pleasant St.
$80,000 — Demolish and remove smokestack down to chimney base

Charles Edward Realty Trust
32 Union St.
$1,000 — Install five signs, replace faces on existing free-standing sign

RVC Properties, LLC
228 Northampton St.
$3,907,500 — Construct new grocery store

EAST LONGMEADOW

Berkshire Bank
72 Shaker Road
Sheet metal

GREENFIELD

Bank of America
471 Bernardston Road
Change face of signs

Valley Steel Stamp Inc.
15 Greenfield Road
Install solar panels on roof

HADLEY

Hadley Corner, LLC
344 Russell St.
$1,500 — Wall sign for Joy Bowl

Target Corp.
369 Russell St.
$11,542 — Interior renovations, including finish updates, minor reconfiguration, replace lighting, plumbing, modifications to HVAC and sprinkler; exterior work, including new finishes at entrance, signage, and repainting

W/S Hadley Properties II, LLC
355 Russell St.
$8,000 — New wall sign for Sports Clips

LEE

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
215 Laurel St.
$25,000 — AT&T to remove three existing antennas and six existing TMAs, install three new antennas and six new TMAs with two new coaxial lines

Patriot Armored Systems Holding, LLC
100 Valley St.
$220,000 — Construct two additions

Prime Retail, LP
50 Water St.
$5,026 — Replace gas-fired RTU

LENOX

Church Street Inn, LLC
16 Church St.
$203,000 — Remodel and renovate existing bathrooms

MRG CRW Holdings, LLC
55 Lee Road
$81,173 — Install fire-protection sprinklers in great hall

LONGMEADOW

GPT Longmeadow, LLC
670 Bliss Road
$4,000 — New sign for Peoples United Bank

NORTHAMPTON

Janet Egelston
11 Brewster Court
$120,000 — Add seating to brewhouse area, reducing brew-space area

Janet Egelston
11 Brewster Court
$55,000 — Add two bathrooms

Janet Egelston
11 Brewster Court
$49,000 — Sunroom renovation

Masonic Street Trust
32 Masonic St.
$713,000 — Fire repair

Massachusetts Electric Co.
545 Haydenville Road
$230,000 — Roofing

Resinate of Northampton
110 Pleasant St.
$154,000 — Build out retail cannabis store

PALMER

MA SVC, LLC
1001 Thorndike St.
$105,500 — Interior remodeling at CVS

SPRINGFIELD
Boston Road/Pasco Rt. 20 Retail, LLC
1340 Boston Road
$250,000 — Alter tenant space for a fit-out for Starbucks

City of Springfield
130 Pearl St.
$8,000 — Construct closet in Police Department garage area for body-cam program

GELW Mass II, LLC
1341 Main St.
$2,000,000 — Convert second, third, and fourth floors of mixed-use structure into 18 apartments

Hoffman Financial Team
140 High St.
$238,000 — Replace drywall and cosmetic work in office space

Icarian Real Estate Advisors, LLC
109 Mill St.
$11,400 — Alter tenant space to create accessible restroom in taekwondo studio

RVN Storage I, LLC
55 Fisk Ave.
$3,800,000 — Alter space and add a second level for Life Storage facility

Springfield 3640 Medical Properties, LLC
3640 Main St.
$55,282 — Alter medical tenant office space in Suite 302 for Advanced Vein Care Center

Springfield Investors, LLC
1105 Boston Road
$24,000 — Alter space to remove, relocate, and add fixtures at checkout in Walmart

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Tony Alfarone
1140 Memorial Ave.
$50,000 — Renovate existing building

Center for Human Development
229 City View Ave.
$4,128.92 — Remove iron railing along edge of elevated floor and stairs, replace with wall, construct new stairs

Go Gri Bros. Inc.
3 Central St.
$5,000 — Remove wall and insulate, remove and reinstall exterior brick veneer, repair exterior door

Pauline Paige
82 Lower Massachusetts Ave.
$90,000 — Repair from tree strike, including framing, roofing, and interior repairs

Source of Life Church
802 Main St.
Insulation

WILBRAHAM

2030 Boston Road, LLC
2030 Boston Road
$85,000 — Renovate existing interior space into realty office

JCE Realty, LLC
2377 Boston Road
$199,000 — Remove and replace wall partitions and finishes to create dental office

Getting Ready

Taking Action

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

Developing Story

School of Thought

Future Course

Life in Limbo

Editor’s Note:

Sobering Education

Reaction or Overreaction?

Lives in the Balance

Natural Transition

Part of the Team

SEE: List of Financial Services/ Brokerage Firms

Heading South

In a Good Place

Engineering Change

Culture Matters

Changing with the Times

Time to Make a Strong Case

Hire Power

Final Arguments

Community Spotlight

In Good Company

What’s in Store

Building Blocks

Volatility Is the Order of the Day

Fresh Start

LLCs in the Bay State

Bringing the Past to Life

Making Connections

Editorial

Opinion

A photo essay of business happenings in Western Mass.

Elevating the Brand

Supporting the Community

Highest Honors

Record Donation

Advocating for Girls

Read Across America Day

HAMPDEN DISTRICT COURT

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Bowl for Kids’ Sake

Women’s Leadership Luncheon Series

Unify Against Bullying Cut-a-Thon

Disability Film Festival

Elms College Executive Leadership Breakfast

Bay Path President’s Gala

Knights of Columbus Golf Tournament

Hooplandia

Difference Makers

AMHERST AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

SPRINGFIELD REGIONAL CHAMBER

WEST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY OF GREATER SPRINGFIELD

Bacon Wilson to Donate $25,000 for Firm’s 125th Anniversary

Eversource Energy to Purchase Columbia Gas of Massachusetts

Isenberg Again Ranks First for MBA Online Education

American International College Named To Military Friendly Schools List

Girls Inc. of the Valley Receives $500,000 Grant

Women’s Fund to Award $45,000 to Groups Addressing Sexual Violence

GCAi Launches Videos for Peter Pan’s App Marketing and Perks Rewards Program

Webber & Grinnell Acquires Roger Menard Insurance Agency

DAISA Enterprises to Facilitate Healthy Children and Families Event

Health New England a Finalist in Healthiest Employers Program

Bay Path Earns ‘A’ Grade for Early Reading Courses

Scout Curated Wears Supports Dress for Success

Elms School of Nursing Ranks in Top 10 in State

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