Day: May 12, 2020

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Arrha Credit Union President and CEO Michael Ostrowski recently welcomed Anthony (Tony) Franco as the new vice president of Commercial Lending. Franco has more than 25 years of banking experience and been recognized throughout his banking-industry career for outstanding member service. Recently he was the vice president of Special Assets at United Bank.

“It is with great excitement that we welcome Tony to the Arrha team and begin offering commercial products and services. Arrha now has a complete array of all commercial deposit products and lending services,” Ostrowski said. “Tony is known for helping area businesses achieve their goals and direct them to what works best for them. He lives local and believes in the power of local business.”

Added Franco, “I am excited to be part of the Arrha Credit Union family and launch the Commercial Lending area to serve local businesses and its members. I look forward to providing caring service, offering rewarding business-membership benefits to existing and new members, and growing these relationships.”

Berkshire Towns Get Masks, Face Shields Donated by Wheeler & Taylor Insurance

COVID-19 Daily News

GREAT BARRINGTON — Charles Burger, director of the Southern Berkshire Regional Emergency Planning Committee, was struggling with how he could help local towns obtain the personal protective equipment (PPE) they need to protect poll workers from coronavirus.

Many of the 12 towns in the region will hold town elections soon. Several town administrators asked Burger, who is also the Great Barrington fire chief, for help in getting PPE. But that was problematic because the committee is charged with helping emergency responders in the region.

Then, unexpectedly, Scott Rote, president of Wheeler & Taylor Insurance, called him. Rote wanted to donate 2,000 surgical masks the insurance agency had purchased and then took it a step further. Rote had procured foam, elastic strapping material, and 200 sheets of polycarbonate plastic, and the staff of Wheeler & Taylor went to work constructing face shields as PPE.

“It was quite a pleasant surprise when Scott called,” Burger said. “The donation came at a perfect time. It would have been a very difficult need to fill otherwise.”

The face shields will be used by poll workers. Facemasks will be provided to poll workers and to ensure that all voters have proper masks on. Burger will allocate the PPE to the 12 towns in Southern Berkshire County — from West Stockbridge and Stockbridge down to the Connecticut border.

Egremont and Sheffield have elections coming up soon, and other towns will soon follow.

“It’s crucial to protect poll workers, who are often retirees volunteering their time, and we’re glad to help,” Rote said. “And I can’t say enough about our wonderful employees who gave their time to put together the face shields with their own hands using the materials we provided.”

Burger said that the situation caused by the pandemic does have a silver lining. “We’re seeing great community support from businesses and organizations that helps us get through this. The best in people is coming out.”

After the face shields are used for elections, they will be cleaned and repurposed, he added.

Wheeler & Taylor will unveil further COVID-19 charitable initiatives in the coming weeks.

Announcing the 2020 40 Under Forty

Coronavirus Special Coverage

Class of 2020 Cover Story

40 Under Forty Class of 2020

‘The class of 2020.’

That phrase will forever have special meaning at colleges, high schools, and even grammar schools across this country. Indeed, 2020 has been a different year in every way imaginable.

And the same is true of BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty class of rising stars. When the JUDGES received their six-inch-thick packets of nominations — which detailed the credentials of more than 200 candidates — in February, COVID-19 hadn’t yet arrived in Western Mass. By the time the scores were tabulated and the winners were sent their letters of congratulations, the world had changed in a profound way.

These changes are reflected in this special edition of BusinessWest, and also in the scheduling of the gala to celebrate this year’s class. Traditionally slated for late June, it is now scheduled to be held Oct. 8 with location TBD.

As for this section, the biggest difference is the photographs. In past years, they were taken in the studio of photographer Leah Martin. With social-distancing guidelines in place and non-essential businesses (like photo studios) closed, that wasn’t possible.

So we improvised. Many members of the class of 2020 took their own photos, while Martin took to the road and photographed several honorees on their front porches and in their backyards — from a safe distance. Collectively, these photos speak not only to how different these times are, but to how people have used their imaginations and creativity to cope.

Overall, while the class of 2020 has had, and will continue to have, a different experience than those who preceded it, it is like those other classes in how it reflects the high levels of young talent now emerging in this region. And it paints an impressive picture of leadership for decades to come.

Let’s salute the class of 2020!

2020 Presenting Sponsors

2020 Sponsors

2020 Partner

2020 Exclusive Media Sponsor

Waiting for the Economy to Reopen Is a Frustrating Exercise

By Joseph Bednar May 12, 2020

Climbing Out

It’s not easy for a business to be shut down — seriously curtailing or even eliminating all revenue — for any period of time. But it’s much more frustrating not to know how long that period of time will actually be. That’s where Massachusetts businesses deemed non-essential during the COVID-19 pandemic stand right now — in a limbo of treading water and being as flexible, creative, and patient as they can while they await word on when the state will reopen its economy, and what form that re-emergence will take.

At some point in early March, Ashley Batlle knew what was coming. And she knew what it meant for her health and wellness spa, Beauty Batlles Lounge, that she opened in Chicopee about a year ago.

“This is a personal, physical-contact business. You’re definitely in close proximity with the client, giving them a service that everyone looks forward to — something they’re accustomed to making part of their schedule,” Batlle said. Yet, the rumblings were that, at some point, the rising threat of COVID-19 was going to force businesses to shut their doors. “So we tried to get as many clients in as we could.”

And then, suddenly, those appointments that clients look forward to were cancelled, postponed until — well, nobody knows yet. And that’s the problem for businesses the state deemed non-essential: the unknown.

Toward the end of April, the Baker-Polito administration extended the statewide essential-services emergency order by two weeks, from May 4 to May 18. Businesses and organizations not on the list of essential services can only continue operations through remote means — if at all possible.

For Batlle, well … she can’t offer facials, waxing, microblading, and other treatments remotely. And she was unable to access benefits through the CARES Act and other government relief measures.

“My anxiety level has been very, very high. It hasn’t been fun, not knowing when we’ll begin to open and what kind of measures will be asked of us by the state and city to be able to reopen,” she said, noting that, as a one-woman operation, it will be easy to comply with social-distancing regulations sure to accompany any sort of reopening.

What’s less certain is how customers will respond — to all types of interactions, not just her services.

“I’m going to be able to open up my doors and get everyone in as quick as possible — that’s what I would love to do, but I think it’s going to be a soft situation, where, little by little, we’re getting back to business,” she explained, noting that some people will be leery of close contact at first, especially since the virus doesn’t tend to show symptoms for a while.

Still, most business owners shuttered by the pandemic would love an opportunity to at least try to get back to normal, even if they understand why the governor put the stay-at-home mandate in place.

Rick Sullivan

“We may be seeing the number of cases plateauing, but [development of] a vaccine, or treatment medication, is still in its infancy, so the data still says go slow. I do think some businesses previously deemed non-essential could have protocols put in place to allow partial reopening. However, nobody wants to reopen prematurely and see worse spikes later in the year.”

“While we expected and understand Governor Baker’s decision to extend the stay-at-home advisory, that tough decision underscores the challenging circumstances we find ourselves in as a business community,” said Nancy Creed, president of the Springfield Regional Chamber. “We’re doing a balancing act between wanting to get back to work and getting back to work in a safe manner.”

Many of her members supported the two-week extension; a late-April chamber poll, right before the non-essential closures were extended by two weeks, asked what worried them more: the spread of the virus if restrictions were loosened too soon, or the negative economic impact of not reopening quickly enough. It also asked if Massachusetts was ready for a May 4 reopening.

“Seventy-seven percent responded that the spread of the virus was more worrisome, and an overwhelming number — 91% — responded that Massachusetts was not ready for a May 4 reopening,” Creed said, “clearly revealing that much of the business community is concerned about protecting those most vulnerable and stopping the spread of the disease, and demonstrating the commitment our business community has to the community as a whole.”

Rick Sullivan, president of the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts, took a similar outlook.

“I do not think that anyone is surprised that the shutdown has been extended, as the governor has been clear he will follow the data as to when to begin reopening the economy,” Sullivan said. “We may be seeing the number of cases plateauing, but [development of] a vaccine, or treatment medication, is still in its infancy, so the data still says go slow. I do think some businesses previously deemed non-essential could have protocols put in place to allow partial reopening. However, nobody wants to reopen prematurely and see worse spikes later in the year.”

All that may be true, but it’s still difficult — and, for many businesses, exceptionally concerning — to stay closed this long, and possibly longer. Businesses are doing what they can to be creative, in many cases opening doors of commerce they will continue to pursue after the COVID-19 threat passes, or even using the time to support other community members in need (more on that later).

But no one likes the uncertainty of not knowing whether May 18 is the real target for reopening, or just another can to be kicked down the road.

Waiting Game

Paul DiGrigoli would like to reopen, too.

“This has impacted us tremendously,” said the owner of DiGrigoli Salon and DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology in West Springfield. “We haven’t had a chance to reach out to all our clients; some we have. But we just have to wait until Charlie Baker gives us the green light, which hopefully will be May 18.”

He was able to secure a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, succeeding in the second round of that program’s disbursements after missing on the first round. That will help cover costs like utilities and mortgage interest while keeping his employees paid for eight weeks as well. “We went through Community Bank, and they were phenomenal,” he said.

And he’s getting ready for some anticipated changes when the salon does reopen.

“We bought a lot of hand sanitizer to put at the front desk in the school and the salon, we’ve gotten gloves and masks, and what we’re going to do initially is get the clients’ cell phone numbers and call them from the reception desk to let them know when their appointment is available. And we’ll stick with staying six feet apart, spreading out the stations. Both the stylist and the client will have to wear a mask until further notice. It’s going to be uncomfortable at first.”

As for the school, online training has been effective for theory, but students haven’t been able to practice what they learn.

In general, he told BusinessWest, “we’re really trying our hardest to get back to normal, but we’ve really been handcuffed. There has been frustration and anxiety because we don’t know what to expect.”

Or when to expect it, he added. “We don’t know when it will happen. They’re saying May 18, but who the heck knows? We’re hoping it doesn’t go beyond that, but thank God for the relief funds — that really saved us.”

Claudia Pazmany, executive director of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, polled her members at the end of April and put some of that anxiety into raw numbers. For example, responding businesses are losing an average of $55,837 per month in revenue during the shutdown, and 61% have had to lay off or furlough employees. More than 20% have serious concerns about being able to reopen if the state of emergency extends beyond June 1.

“They’re worried,” she said. “Rent, utilities, and payroll are three areas that continue to be a struggle.”

Amherst is also in an unusual situation, as it’s a small town that loses more than half its population when UMass Amherst and Amherst College aren’t in session. The downtown businesses in particular rely heavily on students — and now there’s talk across the region that colleges might start the fall with distance learning only.

Claudia Pazmany

“On the flip side, this has stirred a lot of innovation from businesses who have been deemed non-essential or limited; they’ve pivoted or gone online. The creativity and innovation we’ve seen have been really exciting.”

“Initially, there hasn’t been a lot of grumbling, but they’re generally frustrated and just sad. Everything is unknown,” Pazmany told BusinessWest. “They’re fearful — so much is unknown, and delays keep coming. We don’t have a deadline or guidelines; they just keep pushing back the date, and that causes more fear and anxiety.”

Driving Innovation

And also a good deal of invention, driven by necessity.

“On the flip side, this has stirred a lot of innovation from businesses who have been deemed non-essential or limited; they’ve pivoted or gone online,” Pazmany said. “The creativity and innovation we’ve seen have been really exciting.”

Take Zanna, a clothing shop that has been a staple of Amherst’s downtown for decades, but has never had an online store. Until now.

“You have to look at the good in this crisis,” owner Amy Benson said. “In my case, it moved me — encouraged me — to get an online store open. I’ve only owned the store a year, so I didn’t have time to even think about an online store before. Now I did, so I took the time to get it up and going.

“Do I think it’s the wave of Zanna’s future? No, but I think it’s an extension. We’ll probably keep it going once we’re open,” she added, noting that it opens more opportunities. “We’re in a transient community. We see people from all over the country, between the university and Amherst College. We all want things to be the way they were, but we know we’ll have to adapt. Some of these new trends, like my online store, I’m not going to shut that off.”

Benson has been creative in other ways as well, from curbside pickup — with everyone wearing masks — to ‘virtual shopping,’ where she walks a customer around the store using an iPad and FaceTime, showing them tops and bottoms and coordinating outfits.

“We want customers to be engaged, and they want to hear from us because we form those kinds of relationships,” she said. “When we’re FaceTiming, we’re FaceTiming with a friend and shopping with a friend. It’s a really important way to stay connected.

“You have to do something,” she went on. “You can’t just close your doors and do nothing. Our customers are women who have supported us for over 40 years; we’re not going to just shut our doors and not communicate. I do whatever I can to stay engaged with our customers, they’re the lifeline of our business.”

In other words, Zanna has come a long way since last month, when Benson was in “full panic mode” and offering nothing but a gift-certificate promotion. “We’re not bringing in nearly the revenue we would normally, but we’re supporting what we’re able to do right now.”

She’s not alone, Pazmany noted, citing examples like restaurants revamping their online presence with expanded takeout menus to Amherst Books shipping and delivering items to customers, to the Amherst Area Chamber itself, which has been connecting with the business community through marketing seminars.

Doing Some Good

Or taking advantage of an unusual time to do some good in the community.

Dean’s Beans, based in Orange, has seen a surge in web sales as coffee drinkers are brewing more at home due to social distancing and telecommuting. With COVID-19 causing great economic hardship, the company has chosen to share the money from these web sales with the community by helping to fund school food programs — a total of $26,000, in fact, divided among seven Western Mass. school districts.

“Making sure children have access to food throughout this pandemic is crucial, and we are proud to support these essential programs in Springfield, Amherst, and Orange,” said Dean Cycon, founder and CEO of Dean’s Beans. “Part of a company’s profitability is the positivity it generates for others, and we are committed to helping our communities ease the pain of this crisis.”

Amy Benson

“You have to look at the good in this crisis. In my case, it moved me — encouraged me — to get an online store open. I’ve only owned the store a year, so I didn’t have time to even think about an online store before. Now I did, so I took the time to get it up and going.”

Meanwhile, Batlle has launched the Hero Project, a virtual fundraiser designed to give back to those on the front lines fighting the pandemic. Funds raised will be set aside to provide complimentary self-care services at Beauty Batlles Lounge for healthcare professionals, police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and employees of sheriffs’ departments, once she can open her doors again. Visit beautybatlles.com to donate.

Considering the masks they’re wearing all day long, “they’re going to need facials when this is done,” Batlle joked, before getting serious.

“I reached out to my nurse friends and heard their stories, about the trauma they’re going through. One friend works in the ICU at a COVID unit — she goes into work one day and has four patients, and when it’s time to leave, she only has one. That has to do something to you. How can I give back to them? That’s where the idea for the Hero Project came in.”

It’s a way to pay it forward while anticipating the light at the end of the tunnel, she told BusinessWest. “This isn’t easy on anybody.”

It would be easier with some clarity from Beacon Hill, but that’s not coming right now. Instead, Baker convened a Reopening Advisory Board of public-health officials, representatives from the business community, and municipal leaders from across the Commonwealth. They are charged with advising the administration on strategies to reopen the economy in phases based on health and safety metrics, and are expected to develop a report by May 18.

That’s just the report date. So it’s easy to see why businesses might not suddenly be reopening on that date.

“Personally, every time Governor Baker gives us a date when we’re going to open, I think, ‘hmm, I don’t know if that’s going to happen,’” Benson said. “I’m always thinking, ‘what’s the worst-case scenario? June 1? They keep pushing it back.”

That’s why it bothers Batlle that some proprietors of businesses like hers continue to offer services from their home.

“We should all just be staying stationary; we’re all in the same boat,” she said. “That just puts more stress on business owners who are actually following the rules, and it’s could extend the time we’re going to be out of work.”

Which, for too many business owners and employees across Western Mass., already feels like too long.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Excel Dryer Touts Virus Filtration, Donates Mobile Units to Front Lines

By Joseph Bednar May 12, 2020

Special Coverage Technology

Drying Times

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal (second from left) gets a factory tour with Excel Dryer’s Denis Gagnon, Nancy Gagnon, and Bill Gagnon.

When it comes to the XLERATOR, his company’s signature hand dryer, filtration is nothing new, Bill Gagnon said.

“We’ve had an optional HEPA filtration system in it for years,” said Gagnon, vice president of Excel Dryer in East Longmeadow. “The typical HEPA filtration test you do is performed with bacteria, and it’s to particle sizes of .3 microns or larger. That’s standard in the industry. We’ve done that test; we already had it.”

But coronavirus isn’t bacterial, as its name makes clear. And its typical particle size is around 120 nanometers, or 0.12 microns — much smaller than the bacterial particles the filter had already been tested for.

“When we heard about coronavirus, we wanted to get ahead of this and wanted to test our product and its effectiveness against viruses, so we sent our product to our testing laboratory partner in Minnesota and said we want to do a virus-specific test,” Gagnon explained, adding that the lab put some 380 million virus particles through the system, “and basically zero came out the other end.”

Well, not exactly zero, but pretty darn close; the dryer’s filter lets through about one in 100,000 particles.

“This test shows our HEPA filtration system can filter [the virus] out of the airstream and gives the public assurance that it’s safe to use hand dryers — because it is,” Gagnon told BusinessWest. “Hand dryers are a hygienic way to dry your hands. This was something we wanted to test for — something we thought was important.”

One of the mobile units being delivered to the front lines of the COVID-19 fight.

On May 6, Excel Dryer hosted U.S. Rep. Richard Neal and local media to tour the company’s manufacturing facility and tout the XLERATOR’s virus-filtration capabilities — and an ongoing donation of 100 units, with HEPA filtration systems, to first responders and COVID-19 testing sites across the state.

“Talk about innovation and creativity — they established it,” Neal said of Gagnon and his father, Excel President Denis Gagnon, who invented the popular XLERATOR. “These are 52 domestic manufacturing jobs to compete with supply chains all over the world. If we’ve learned one lesson from a pandemic, it’s that relying on other parts of the world for our products and supplies is not a great idea.”

Neal and his aide, William Tranghese, were involved in early discussions establishing Excel Dryer as an essential manufacturer in Massachusetts, making hand dryers that play a critical role in achieving proper hand hygiene. After all, thoroughly washing and completely drying hands are listed as the top defense against the spread of germs — including the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19 — by both the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Proper hand hygiene isn’t just washing your hands, it’s completely drying your hands,” Denis Gagnon said following the factory tour. “When we originally added the HEPA filter as an option to the XLERATOR, we tested for bacteria. Because of the COVID outbreak, we retested the HEPA filter for its ability to filter viruses, and it literally filters 99.999% of viruses. So I think there’s going to be healthy demand for HEPA-filter XLERATORs going forward.”

Bending the Curve

Neal — who, like the Gagnons, Excel’s employees, and guests, wore a face mask during his visit to the plant — touted hand washing as well, and said it’s among the now-common practices, including social distancing, that are flattening the viral curve in Massachusetts.

“The CDC and the WHO have all talked about the notion of hand hygiene, how important it is. I think we’ve seen in Massachusetts the curve beginning to bend,” the congressman noted. “The stabilization — and a little bit of a decline — have had much to do with, I think, adhering to the recommendations of professional health people.”

He particularly praised Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, as “the most reliable voice in America” on coronavirus and related matters. “Whenever I’ve received an invitation over these years in Washington to an event where he was the speaker, I went to hear what he had to say.”

As for the COVID-19 progression, “there is some good news, but there is a ways to go,” Neal went on. “Hot spots seem to be declining in the larger urban areas, but they seem to be moving to new places. So while we have better news in Boston, New York, and even here in Western Massachusetts, other areas of the country are likely to go through the outbreak that we’ve all witnessed here.”

And if Excel can play a part in slowing the spread, all the better, Denis Gagnon said.

“We very much pride ourselves on making our product here in the United States,” he noted. “It didn’t take the inconvenience of disrupted supply chains to bring it back. We never wanted it to leave in the first place. As far as being a good corporate citizen, it’s in our blood. We’re happy to help in any way we can. This was kind of an impromptu solution, and I think it’s going to help on the front lines.”

Indeed, the 100 donated units are already being shipped out, Bill Gagnon said, to police and fire facilities, testing sites, and places like the first-responder recovery center being operated by the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office.

“If they test positive, they don’t want to bring it home, so they get quality food and bedding and a place to get healthy and stay away from their families,” he explained. “We’re donating units there. We’re just trying to find out where they’ll make the biggest impact.”

While the HEPA filters on the dryers are not new, the mobile units are. They came out of a conversation the Gagnons had with Neal and his staff about whether Excel’s work is considered essential.

“In that conversation, I was talking about getting mobile units out to the front lines,” Bill said, explaining that the company’s stainless-steel supplier had built a wall to show off the product in a trade show booth. “They said, ‘we can re-engineer that to be mobile, and we can get this thing out in the field.’ Two days later, the prototype was created, and they drove it up here and dropped it off — it was amazing. Two weeks later, we had the first units being used out in the field.

“So it was an amazing new product innovation,” he continued, “and we were working with the congressman’s office and just trying to figure out, how can we help? How can we get this virus-filtering hand-hygiene solution into these facilities? And now it’s here, and there’s a lot of interest in it, and we think it can make a big difference.”

“When we heard about coronavirus, we wanted to get ahead of this and wanted to test our product and its effectiveness against viruses, so we sent our product to our testing laboratory partner in Minnesota and said we want to do a virus-specific test.”

After all, he explained, while experts like the CDC and Fauci tout proper hand hygiene as the best defense against the spread of germs, it’s important to not forget the role of complete drying as well.

“Everyone talks about washing your hands for 20 seconds, but nobody talks about drying your hands,” Bill said. “You have to completely dry them. Wet hands are 1,000 times more susceptible to pick up or transfer germs. Drying hands is critical.”

Essentially Speaking

So are Excel’s operations, even in the midst of an economic shutdown, he added.

“We were in the same situation of a lot of other small businesses; when the federal guidelines came out and it was up to the states to put out their guidances, there were a lot of general categories” for what constitutes an essential service during the pandemic, he explained.

Excel seemed to fit multiple categories, Bill told BusinessWest; not only is hygiene important during a viral outbreak, but the company has contracts with the federal government to supply its product, which can boost a company’s chances to be deemed essential.

“There’s critical manufacturing, but for us, we’re such a niche market, no one calls out hand dryers specifically,” he went on. “But we felt like we fit under multiple categories, and that’s why we reached out to Congressman Neal’s office. We wanted to do everything we could to make sure we we’re doing the right thing, and they helped us with that. And when the state of Massachusetts put out their second round, a revision to the essential-services list, hygiene actually had its own category … and we’re certainly a critical part of that. So, yes, absolutely, we’re essential.”

And part of a mobile hand-drying solution that promises to reduce the spread of infection, Neal said. “There are simple things we can do in life to get through this, and they are going to be very important to us going forward.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Big E Projected to Go On, but Some Things Will Be Different

By George O'Brien May 12, 2020

Coronavirus Special Coverage

Proceeding as Planned

Even if the fair goes on as scheduled, Gene Cassidy says, crowd counts could be way down.

Gene Cassidy likes to say those at the Big E ‘manufacture’ the 17-day annual fair that is by far the biggest single event on the region’s calendar.

“It’s like putting an automobile together,” he told BusinessWest. “You really can’t cut components out and expect the vehicle to run; it costs ‘X’ number of dollars to produce the fair, and we’re still going to spend that — we have to produce a fair that people are going to want to come to.”

And so, those planning the 2020 edition of the Big E are proceeding with the mindset of including all the parts that typically go into the Big E, despite the COVID-19 pandemic that is currently decimating the local economy and wiping events off the calendar in wholesale fashion.

But while Cassidy is currently certain there will be a Big E — that’s currently — he’s less certain about a great many other things. Perhaps most importantly, he doesn’t know how many people will come to the fairgrounds this September. He quoted at least one poll showing that 50% of respondents said they would not let the pandemic impact their decision to attend an event like the Big E, but another 40% said they wouldn’t attend such an event unless there was a vaccine for the virus.

And if attendance is down 20%, 30%, or even 40%? “It’s going to be a heavy lift to overcome that, but we can’t afford not to go forward.”

And if the fair should have to be canceled? That has happened a few times during the history of the fair — during World Wars I and II, to be specific — but Cassidy isn’t thinking in those terms, because the economic hit would be extremely difficult to absorb.

“I don’t want to say we’d close, but it would be a difficult, heavy lift to figure out how we would sustain ourselves so we could reopen in the future,” he told BusinessWest, adding that such a decision won’t have to be made for some time, and he is obviously hoping, and projecting, that enough progress can be made that he won’t have to take that course.

“I have confidence that we’re going to learn from this bug faster than we’ve learned from anything in the past,” he said. “And I have confidence that, by the time we get to the summer, things are going to start to loosen up; we’ve learned a lot, and we’re going to learn a great deal more — and we will open.”

As he talked about this fall’s Big E and the prospects for it, Cassidy joked that, for a change, the ongoing reconstruction of the Morgan-Sullivan Bridge, which links West and Agawam and abuts the Big E property, will not be the main topic of conversation this summer and fall.

It will still be a topic — two lanes will be closed until late summer 2021, according to the current schedule — but certainly not the topic.

“I don’t want to say we’d close, but it would be a difficult, heavy lift to figure out how we would sustain ourselves so we could reopen in the future.”

Indeed, the bridge is now largely an afterthought as the Big E and the region cope with the global pandemic and questions about both the short term and the long term that simply cannot be answered.

Already, the virus has had a huge impact on the Big E, as it has on any venue that hosts large gatherings. Searching his memory banks — and it was hard to remember back that far because so much has happened, or not happened, as the case may be — Cassidy said the last event event staged at the Big E was an antique and crafts show on March 7 and 8.

Everything since has been wiped off the calendar, including the huge home show scheduled for late in March and the planned Hooplandia, a 3-on-3 basketball festival slated to make its much-awaited debut in June.

Everything is cancelled or postponed through June, he went on, adding that he was not aware of any cancellations for July at this time. Aside from the basketball tournament, this summer was to be dominated by a number of horse shows and a few other gatherings.

But most of the attention has now shifted to the fair, which annually attracts more than 1 million people to the region and contributes more than a quarter-billion dollars to the local economy. At this point in time, the expectation is that the show will go on, said Cassidy, adding that adjustments can and will be made to help maintain the safety of visitors and employees alike.

These will come in such realms as ticketing and accessing the property, he said, adding quickly that, given the nature of fairs — putting a lot of people in very close proximity to one another as they do everything from ride on rides to eat fried dough to watch concerts — there isn’t much more that can be done to facilitate social distancing.

“The fact is … a fair is not the place where you can enforce social distancing,” he said. “We can be suggestive, but that’s not what a fair is. It’s uniquely the American way of life, and it just doesn’t lend itself to social distancing.”

These sentiments explain why there are questions — and concerns — about just how many people will make that pilgrimage to West Springfield this fall, and how many times they’ll make it.

“Citizens are going to decide how close they want to be to other people,” said Cassidy. “And I suspect that there’s a segment of society that may never return to a fair again.”

For now, those planning the fair are proceeding to ‘manufacture’ a fair like those that have come before it — but with some adjustments for the pandemic, obviously.

“We’re building a comprehensive plan for cleaning and disinfecting,” he told BusinessWest, adding that, given the fact that the Big E is an agricultural fair, it has rigorous policies in place for disinfecting the various facilities on the grounds.

Other changes will come with ticketing — there will be print-at-home ticketing, for example — as well as with access to the grounds in an effort to create some distance between people. Employees will wear masks and gloves, and visitors will be wearing masks as well, he said.

As for planning for the fair, it is, in most all respects, right on schedule.

“We’re going at the same speed as we always do,” Cassidy noted. “All the entertainment is booked; the concessionaires are lined up, although many of them are not working currently, and and I hope they can make to September. We’re going full-speed ahead — at this point, the fair is more than 90% ready to go.”

And, as noted earlier, it has all the components that the fairs have had in recent years.

“It costs us about $20 million to run the fair, and we hope to gross about $23 million or $24 million from the fair’s operation,” Cassidy noted. “We can’t produce an event that’s compromised, because people won’t come back.”

That said, one of his biggest concerns moving forward is the massive workforce needed to put on the fair, and the generational nature of that workforce.

“We have grandparents, parents, and grandchildren, all of whom participate in the workforce,” he explained. “And we have hundreds of people who volunteer at the Eastern States, many of whom are over age 65. My job is to protect my 65-year-old as well as any patrons who are in that demographic. That’s what our plan is focused on — how do we protect people who are most vulnerable?”

—George O’Brien

Is Bankruptcy the Answer?

Coronavirus Special Coverage

For Many Impacted by the Pandemic, It Might Be a Viable Option

By Michael B. Katz, Esq.

One thing I’ve learned in my 45 years practicing bankruptcy law is that most individuals who wind up taking this course of action are good people who have found themselves in bad and unexpected circumstances, most often caused by things that were beyond their control.

People get sick, get divorced, lose employment, and have accidents. Likewise, businesses can be adversely affected by events over which they have no meaningful control. Outbreaks of disease, oil shortages, breaks in the supply chain, changing technology, interruption of their workforce, and many other factors can all cause a business or individual to be unable to stay financially afloat.

Which brings us the COVID-19 pandemic. It represents the epitome of unexpected circumstances and matters beyond our control. Indeed, in an effort to slow the spread the spread of the virus, the state has shuttered all non-essential businesses, leading to unemployment levels not seen since the Great Depression.

In these precarious times, individuals and businesses are finding themselves in dire financial circumstances they could not have foreseen, nor done anything to prevent. Given their predicament, some might be looking at bankruptcy as a possible recourse.

In order to help honest but financially burdened individuals make a fresh financial start, Congress has passed a number of bankruptcy laws. Here are the key types:

Chapter 7

This is the type of bankruptcy proceeding that allows certain qualifying individuals to eliminate most of their unsecured debts (those without mortgages) and to make a fresh financial start.

In order to qualify for Chapter 7, a person cannot have filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy within the prior eight years. The person filing, known as a debtor, must also pass a test which limits how much earned income the debtor had earned in the prior year. This is called the means test, and it varies based on the state in which the debtor resides, the number of dependents in the family, and whether there is any earned income generated by the debtor’s spouse.

For example, for a Massachusetts resident, the limitation is $67,119 for a single person, $84,125 for a couple (combined gross income), and then increases in different amounts for additional dependents. These limitations became effective as of April 1, 2020 and are subject to periodic adjustment. Similarly, in Connecticut, the individual cutoff is $66,689, and $88,594 for a couple.

Michael B. Katz

In these precarious times, individuals and businesses are finding themselves in dire financial circumstances they could not have foreseen, nor done anything to prevent. Given their predicament, some might be looking at bankruptcy as a possible recourse.

While most unsecured debts can be eliminated in Chapter 7, there are some types of debts that cannot, including income taxes owed from the past three years, alimony and child support, student loans, and debts incurred due to an accident while driving under the influence.

One of the major benefits of Chapter 7 for an individual obtaining a discharge is that not only are the debts — such as most credit cards, personal loans, foreclosure and repossession deficiency balances, and medical bills — totally wiped out, they are eliminated without incurring any phantom income, on which both federal and state income taxes would be owed.

Compare this to either making a direct settlement with a lender or credit-card company, or going through a non-judicial, multi-year debt-settlement plan, where anything that is settled with the creditors results in the person receiving a 1099 from the creditor and having to pay taxes on the forgiven portion of the debts. In Chapter 7, Congress has decreed that all discharged debts are tax-free, and therefore no hidden taxes are incurred.

The key aspect of Chapter 7 is that the Bankruptcy Court is trying to help an honest debtor make a fresh financial start. In regard to secured debts — for example, those debts that are secured by a lien or mortgage, most often vehicle loans or a home mortgage — in Chapter 7, the debtor gets to select whether they wish to keep the item and continue making the payments, or to surrender the item and wipe out any shortfall amount that might exist after the secured party sells the item after repossession or foreclosure sale.

While a corporate entity can also elect to file Chapter 7 and have the Bankruptcy Court liquidate its assets and distribute the proceeds to its creditors, it does not get to carry on its business affairs after filing. Only an individual qualifies for a discharge, so a corporate entity must cease all business after it files Chapter 7.

Chapter 13

In this type of proceeding, an individual is given an option to repay all or a portion of the debt, if approved by the Bankruptcy Court and Chapter 13 trustee, through a plan of reorganization that generally lasts for a period of three to no more than five years. There is no need to pass the means test to qualify for Chapter 13, and, unlike the restrictions in Chapter 7 that allow it to include only unsecured debts, Chapter 13 can also affect secured debts.

The most common application in Chapter 13 is to use it to stop a foreclosure sale of a debtor’s home or automobile, and it allows the debtor to pay the outstanding past-due amounts over the life of the plan, in addition to requiring the debtor to make the full current payment each month.

For example, if a lender is owed $60,000 in back mortgage payments, requiring the borrower to pay it in full in order to prevent a foreclosure sale, in a Chapter 13, the debtor could propose to pay $1,000 per month for the 60 months of its Chapter 13 plan, plus pay the current mortgage amount each month so that debtor does not fall further behind.

These are simplified examples, and the details of a Chapter 13 plan are more complex and would require you to consult with a qualified attorney for more specific advice.

Chapter 11

A Chapter 11 reorganization can be filed by an individual who owns a business and operates as a ‘DBA,’ but due to its complexity and expense, it is most often filed by a corporate entity.

The idea of a Chapter 11 is to grant the business a ‘time out’ and give it some element of time to figure out a plan of reorganization to allow it to continue in business. Under 11 USC 362(d), all lawsuits and claims against the debtor’s business are enjoined from proceeding, and the debtor gets time to meet with its creditors and to seek to formulate a formal plan of reorganization.

That plan may propose to pay unsecured creditors a percentage on the dollar, which must be found to be a greater percentage than the creditors would receive in an immediate liquidation of the business and its assets. In some cases, mortgage debts can be reduced to the actual value of the assets that secure the mortgage, so that if the debtor owes a lender $750,000 on a building that can be proven to be worth only $500,000, the debtor can seek to ‘cram down’ the mortgage to a reduced amount of $500,000, and the additional $250,000 gets treated as an unsecured debt, and paid at the same percentage on the dollar as the other unsecured debts.

This is a very simplified version of a Chapter 11, as there are many other requirements that must be fulfilled by a Chapter 11 debtor, and the cases are necessarily complex and sometimes expensive. However, the overall savings to the debtor can be substantial, and they are often the key to a business’ survival.

The court in a Chapter 11 is seeking to be fair to both the debtor and its creditors, as well as preserving the jobs of the employees of a business.

Non-bankruptcy Alternatives

There are sometimes options for a business to consider without the need to file a formal insolvency proceeding. They require a skilled and knowledgeable attorney to know how to handle these matters, and they include utilization under Massachusetts state law of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, trust mortgage, or sometimes just using a skilled negotiator to try to convince creditors to accept an informal settlement of their debt, rather than forcing the debtor to use funds to pay for a formal bankruptcy proceeding, when those same funds could be paid toward a voluntary settlement with the creditors.

In reality, these voluntary settlements are often difficult to finalize because you need to negotiate with multiple parties, who sometimes will not agree to the same terms. In a Chapter 11, the creditors are legally required to accept whatever settlement is approved by the bankruptcy judge, after a plan is voted on and approved by the Bankruptcy Court.

It is important that you not let your pride prevent you from finding the best and most effective solution for your personal or business cash-flow problems. You cannot make an informed decision until you know and understand all of your options, as well as the positives and negatives of each option.

During this pandemic, many fraudulent parties are preying on people, so make sure to do your homework to get the name of a qualified person to advise you or your business. Contact the Hampden County Bar Assoc. Lawyer Referral Service, call your accountant, or do a Google search to find an experienced person to help you or your business.

Working together, we can all find ways get through these uncharted waters.

Michael Katz is the chairperson of the Bankruptcy & Creditors Rights department of the law firm Bacon Wilson, P.C., with offices in Springfield, Northampton, Amherst, Hadley, and Westfield; (413) 781-0560.

Getting Back Home Is No Easy Task

By George O'Brien May 12, 2020

Coronavirus

Analysis

By George O’Brien

As the Commonwealth begins the arduous task of turning its economy back on, the complicated situation conjures images from a scene in the movie Apollo 13.

That movie chronicled what became known as the ‘successful failure’ of that ill-fated flight to the moon almost exactly 50 years ago. Those familiar with the story know that, just over halfway to the moon, an explosion damaged the Odyssey spacecraft’s service module. Long story short, the crew had to abandon the Odyssey for the lunar landing vehicle Aquarius, and subsisted there while those at NASA figured out a way to get the crew home.

To get back to Earth safely, those at NASA had to eventually figure out a way to somehow start up the command module, which had been sitting idle for days, without power, in temperatures far below zero. If you’ve seen the movie, you remember a scene where one of the crew members, frustrated by the slow movement on a firm plan to restart the spacecraft, muttered ‘they don’t know how to do it’ to his colleagues.

At this precarious moment in history, many in the Commonwealth are tempted to say the same thing. Like the Odyssey, the state’s economy has been essentially frozen for several weeks now. Unthawing and restarting it will be a complicated process, and, just as with Apollo 13, there is no shortage of Ph.D.s working on the problem and trying to find a solution.

And, just as with that flight, there is obviously a lot at stake. With Apollo 13, it was three lives. With this pandemic … well, according to a report from the Massachusetts High Technology Council, the jobs of at least 40% of workers making less than $40,000 a year are at risk. Already, nearly 25% of the state’s workers have filed for unemployment benefits over the past six weeks. That’s right — close to one worker in four has sought relief. And the numbers could go higher still.

“It will be different, and it will be different for quite some time. Anyone who still believes a switch can be flipped and we can go back to where we were is sadly mistaken.”

Suffice it to say this will be an extremely complicated process, and those undertaking it have to get it right. If they go too fast or move improperly, a setback will likely prove even more devastating for the state’s economy — an economy that was, as we all know, humming right along.

Indeed, just a few short months ago, the Boston-area economy was absolutely bursting at the seams. Cranes were everywhere, major corporations were moving to the city, and people were looking to high-speed rail as a way to somehow possibly relieve the congestion, sky-high prices, and intolerable commutes that were defining life inside Route 128.

It seems like those public hearings in downtown Springfield on high-speed rail options were years ago, not several weeks ago.

And the same can be said of the employment picture across the state and even here in Western Mass. It was only a few months ago that we were all talking about the skills gap and how companies with vacancies couldn’t fill them. The word ‘ghosting’ became part of the vocabulary, a term used, in some instances, to describe someone who, between the time they were offered a job and was scheduled to start, found something better. Every employer had a ghosting story — or several of them.

Not to carry the Apollo 13 analogy too far (too late), but the state’s economy was absolutely soaring, a rocket ship bound for new heights. And then … the explosion.

Now, the task at hand is to restart the economy and get people back home, to where they were. But that’s where the analogy ends. Home is much different than it was when we left, and there’s no just going back to it.

The return to something approaching normal, or a new normal, will be slow, as in painfully slow, and gradual. It will be to workplaces where people wear masks, work at least six feet apart, and get tested for the virus regularly. It will be to a casino where the slot machines are spaced widely, one might use a long, plastic stick to press buttons on those slots, and where thermal cameras monitor the temperature of patrons. It might well be a phased-in return where those who are older and most vulnerable, as well as those most able to work remotely, return last. It will be to a business community where the vast majority of ventures are simply fighting for their lives.

It will be different, and it will be different for quite some time. Anyone who still believes a switch can be flipped and we can go back to where we were is sadly mistaken. This is made clear by the stubbornly high numbers concerning cases and deaths in Massachusetts, and the fact that, just a few days ago, the governor ordered people to wear masks in public.

The state has to find a way to reopen the economy — it can’t stay closed much longer — and also keep people safe, not overwhelm the healthcare system, and not present a scenario where we take one step forward and two or three back.

Apollo 13 had a happy ending — even if the crew didn’t get to moon. But this isn’t a movie, and we don’t know how it’s going to end.

George O’Brien is the editor of BusinessWest

Recovery from Traumatic Brain Injury Requires a Coordinated Effort

Business of Aging

Team Approach

By Mark Morris

This device, the Bioness L200, helps patients recovering from a brain injury to re-establish the use of their arms and hands.

In the U.S., 2.5 million adults and children sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) every year.

The Brain Injury Assoc. of America (BIAA) reports that more than 2 million of those injuries are treated in emergency departments, while approximately 50,000 result in death. Nearly 280,000 are admitted to hospitals, after which patients transition to inpatient rehabilitation, where the goal is to get back to their maximum level of function and independence.

But what’s involved in that rehabilitation process for brain injuries? It depends on the patient.

“Many people associate traumatic brain injuries with a younger population because they tend to engage in riskier behaviors. Older people who hit their heads from slips, trips, and falls are also susceptible to TBIs,” said Jennifer Blake, an occupational therapist with the inpatient program at Weldon Rehabilitation Hospital, adding, however, that anyone at any age can sustain a brain injury.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines TBI as a “disruption in the normal function of the brain that can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or penetrating head injury.“

Traumatic brain injuries are evaluated on a spectrum, said Blake, noting that someone who experiences a concussion, also known as ‘mild traumatic brain injury,’ can usually return to normal with just limited therapy. On the other hand, people with moderate to severe brain injuries require medical care and more comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation. Often these patients need some level of supervision after discharge.

On occasion, someone may have a head injury and not immediately recognize it. For example, if a person is in a car accident and has a broken leg, that might get the primary treatment focus, Blake explained. Even after a CT scan, the brain injury may not initially show up. “It’s only after further investigation, when the person is having trouble concentrating or paying attention, that they discover the brain injury.”

“When they see their arm move and their hand open and close, it boosts their confidence and makes them feel more hopeful; you can see it in their faces.”

Because our brains are essential to all our physical and mental functions, therapists have found that taking a multi-disciplinary approach yields the best results in helping people recover from a brain injury. A team of physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech pathologists, supported by 24/7 care by medical staff such as nurses, doctors, and pharmacists, make sure all the patient’s needs are addressed.

“We meet once a week to make sure we are all on the same page,” said Julie Bugeau, an occupational therapist for Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts. “We have an open discussion to determine where the patient is in terms of therapy and function. We also ask questions outside of the therapy, such as, ‘how are they medically?’ ‘Are they eating well?’ We try to look at all the factors that can affect their rehab.”

What’s the Plan?

Blake said most admissions in the inpatient setting last only two weeks, so working as a team helps them determine the patient’s eventual discharge plan.

“By working together in an interdisciplinary team, we can figure out what’s working, what’s not, and make changes along the way.”

Blake said an individualized plan for rehabilitation is developed by therapists who work with patients in three key areas:

• The physical therapist studies a patient’s mobility: for example, how well they can get from one place to another, their balance, and how well their motor skills can function;

• The occupational therapist helps patients with self-care skills, such as eating, getting dressed, bathing, as well as tasks like cooking, cleaning, and managing medications; and

• The speech and language pathologist addresses higher levels of cognition, such as memory, attention, concentration, problem solving, and decision making. Sometimes the pathologist works with patients whose brain injury causes dysfunction in producing or understanding language.

Advancing technology offers therapists tools to aid in rehabilitation that were not available years ago. Bugeau discussed how devices such as the Bioness L300 and H200 help brain-injury patients regain the use of their legs and arms. The L300 attaches to the leg and, through electrical stimulation, can aid a person’s ability to walk.

“The idea is that, with repetition, those leg muscles will be able to move properly without the external stimulus,” she explained.

Meanwhile, the H200 helps re-establish the movement of arms and the grasping action of hands. Bugeau said using these devices results in positive responses from her patients.

The Bioness L300 is used to help brain-injury patients regain their ability to walk through electrical stimulation.

“We’ll have patients who say, ‘my arm doesn’t work — I have a dead arm,’” she noted. “Then, when they see their arm move and their hand open and close, it boosts their confidence and makes them feel more hopeful; you can see it in their faces.”

By employing the different therapies, Bugeau went on, the hope is to maximize the patient’s abilities. But, she added, “while the therapy is important, rest is also an important part of the recovery.”

While many patients transition directly from inpatient to outpatient care, Bugeau said Encompass also offers a home-care component for those who are not yet ready to make the move.

“We will help patients settle into their home and continue training with them and their families to make sure they are safe and getting stronger,” she said. “It’s an option we recommend until the patient is ready to move into outpatient treatment.”

Blake added that the outpatient phase of care at Weldon involves working closely with families during outpatient therapy to help them manage that part of the process.

“Let’s say a patient is receiving all three therapies in an outpatient setting,” she explained. “We will try to schedule all of them on the same day to make it a little less overwhelming for the caretaker.”

Blake said it’s important for the injured person and their support group to understand that, when a person suffers a brain injury, it can be a difficult adjustment for everyone involved.

“You can’t see the residual impairments from a brain injury,” she said. “The person might experience a personality change, or a once-independent person may now need lots of assistance with daily life.”

That’s why Bugeau’s staff involves the patient’s family in training and education early in the process. She said the classes help the family understand how their loved one’s brain injury is progressing and how to properly handle behaviors that are out of the norm.

“We make sure to screen every patient with a brain injury for depression because it is a such a common symptom associated with brain injuries.”

Steady Improvement

While plenty of information and support are available for families, Bugeau said the trick is not to overdo it.

“We create a folder with specific, individualized information that is appropriate to the patient’s injury. We don’t want to overwhelm the family, but we want to make sure they have the information they need.”

Blake and Bugeau encourage families dealing with a brain-injured loved one to take advantage of the support groups available at their respective organizations. Weldon offers a faith-based group as well. Both therapists also cited the Brain Injury Assoc. of Massachusetts as a solid resource for families.

In all cases, the goal is helping patients with a brain injury get back to a maximum level of function and independence.

“It’s hard to say how much time each person needs,” Blake said. “And while things can change quickly or gradually, people do improve and get better.”

For Knee and Hip Replacements, Teamwork Is the Key to Success

Business of Aging

Joint Effort

By Mark Morris

Brianna Butcher says her main priority is to help the patient gain back their range of motion, and “to turn that new joint back into a normal joint.”

In daily life, it’s easy to ignore the important role our knees, hips, and shoulders play in walking, performing simple activities, and helping us get around in the world.

Most people notice these essential joints only when they are in pain. As we age, the onset of arthritis can bring excruciating pain even to the most basic tasks such as climbing stairs and walking.

If medication and physical therapy do not provide relief, then doctors will recommend joint-replacement surgery.

Considered a safe and highly effective surgery, more than 600,000 knee replacements and more than 300,000 total hip replacements are performed each year in the U.S., according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The surgery involves replacing an arthritic or damaged joint with a prosthetic made of metal, plastic, or ceramic to replicate the movement of the joint.

Once the surgery is done, then the real work begins, said John Jury, head physical therapist at Weldon Rehabilitation Hospital, noting that “a successful outcome depends on how much effort the patient puts into their rehabilitation.”

The vast majority of patients Jury works with have had total knee or hip replacements, while those with partial knee and shoulder replacements comprise a smaller number. Candidates for joint-replacement surgery tend to be age 50 and up.

“It’s prudent to wait as long as possible to do the surgery so they only have to have it once in their lives,” he said, noting that, if someone in their 40s had a joint replaced, it could wear out in their 90s and when they may not be a good candidate for surgery.

Physical therapy begins on “post-operative day zero,” which means only a few hours after the surgery takes place. Jury said therapy on the same day is especially common for knee replacements. The main goal of this initial session is to initiate moving, standing, and weight bearing, typically with the help of a walker.

“Over the next couple of days in the hospital, we will continue to work with patients on their flexibility with the joint, range of motion, strengthening exercises, and mobility to help get them home,” Jury said.

Some medical centers around the country send knee-replacement-surgery patients home the same day as the procedure. In Western Mass., Jury said, most patients with a total knee replacement are discharged within a day or two, while hip-replacement patients may be hospitalized for up to three days. Both operations are followed up with two weeks of home therapy.

“It’s prudent to wait as long as possible to do the surgery so they only have to have it once in their lives.”

Rehab treatment differs for knees and hips. Jury explained that patients with a hip replacement don’t usually require outpatient therapy after their sessions at home. Knee-replacement patients, however, are almost always scheduled for outpatient therapy.

Moving Experiences

And it’s during outpatient therapy that people like Brianna Butcher, physical therapist and supervisor for Select Physical Therapy, take over joint-replacement rehabilitation.

“Our main priority is to help the person gain back their range of motion and their gait mechanics, which is especially important for knees and hips,” she said. “We’re really trying to turn that new joint back into a normal joint.”

In addition to traditional techniques, therapists are finding new ways to help people get back to day-to-day life with the help of technology. Butcher said one effective tool she has used is called an AlterG. She described it as an anti-gravitational treadmill that uses inflated air to support the body during therapy.

“For people who are tentative about putting weight on their joint, this is a good way to help them get back to normal walking,” she said.

Also finding their way into physical therapy are phone apps. A patient recently asked Jury if there was a way to measure his knee’s range of motion from home.

“We found a couple of apps you can download to your phone that will measure range of motion,” he said. “A family member has to hold the phone next to the patient’s knee, and their movement can be recorded.”

Tele-rehab is another development that is showing promise in several studies here and abroad. Jury said the idea is to share a video of rehab exercises with the patient and follow up by phone, FaceTime, or another video app. The studies compare tele-rehab with the gold standard of care, which is outpatient therapy after a knee replacement.

“They are finding that patients can achieve similar outcomes to outpatient,” he noted, “and they are reporting higher satisfaction scores because they don’t have to get out of the house to drive to a clinic.”

Butcher said her patients are usually driven to physical therapy by someone because they are still taking pain medication and cannot yet drive.

Once the patient arrives, she often observes their sense of fear about starting the therapy.

“For some, this is their first time seeing a physical therapist, and the process can be painful, especially for knees,” she said. “We try to work within that threshold to help the patient make progress while being mindful of the pain, which can be difficult for some.”

On occasion, patients who already have a replacement joint on one side of their body will need a second one, such as the opposite knee or opposite side of the hip.

Butcher said that, in her experience, at least one of those joints proves difficult and painful for the patient during physical therapy.

“The body always responds a little differently from left to right,” she said. “If, for example, therapy on the left hip went great, the right hip just doesn’t want to cooperate.”

In Butcher’s view, therapists often get a bad rap because of a false perception that they somehow enjoy putting people through pain.

“Our ultimate goal is to help patients get back to a better place than before their operation,” she said. “We’re on their side.”

Jury pointed out that therapists are a valuable resource in terms of guiding the patient on what to do, but it’s also up to the patient to follow through. “It’s not an easy rehab, but you’re only going to get out of it what you put into it.”

For those who make the effort, the results can be life-changing. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons uses the term “second firsts” to describe the experience when patients can once again enjoy things like hiking and other activities that were not possible before their surgery.

For many patients, Jury noted, their biggest revelation is the ability to move around in the world again without a walker or a cane.

“They are happy to be able to return to a certain normalcy of activity,” he said. “Of all the patients I’ve talked to, none of them have said they wished they waited longer for the surgery.”

Bottom Line

Butcher talked about a recent success story in which the patient had undergone a total replacement surgery in his left knee before working with her.

“All he wanted to do was to get back into bowling again, and he’s throwing harder now than before his operation,” she said.

After living with pain for many years, people who have joint-replacement surgery and follow through on their physical-therapy program can often succeed to a point that Butcher describes as almost like having a new life again.

And this new life is the result of successful teamwork — with the patient being a big part of that team.

Looking Back on 40 Years as a Mad Man

Opinion

Reflection

By Darby O’Brien

Darby O’Brien

It was 40 years ago — May 1, 1980 — that I started Darby O’Brien Advertising out of a side porch in Holyoke. Charlie Keenan worked with me on copy and concept and Carolyn Harrington handled the books. We outsourced design to Susan Fentin and Kerry Gavin from Brooklyn.

It all started with three clients: A.O. White Clothiers, the Yankee Pedlar Inn, and the Mt. Tom Ski Area.

The staff of three worked at one desk — a cheapo folding table with a tacky vinyl top. The first call we got was from Eddie Fauteaux from A.O. White and the folding table collapsed. Good start.

The inspiration for me to start a business was my great-great grandfather, Daniel O’Connell, who came over from Ireland and started a construction company. All I ever wanted was to build ads as good as Daniel O’Connell’s Sons built buildings, roads and bridges. My father was vice president of that company.

My father also co-signed the loan from Security National Bank that helped me move the agency out of the side porch and put in a couple real desks. What a risk that was for him, considering it took me five schools and six years to get out of high school. I used to tell my dad, “The longer I go, the smarter I get.”

Al White, the owner of A.O. White, was on the board of the bank and when Wally Burnett, the president of Security National, called for a reference, Al said, “I’d bet my last buck on him.”

We moved into Baystate West a month later.

We spent a decade-plus in downtown Springfield. First in Baystate West and then in the historic Stacy Building, where they built the first American gasoline-powered car and where one of our clients, Taylor Street Dental, operates today.

We had a good run in Springfield. Had a lot of lunches at the Fort and met many great people who became longtime clients and friends, including Brian Trelease, Denis Gagnon and many more. In 1991, we moved to the Village Commons in South Hadley where I designed the playhouse office, met Bill Ochoa, and began another series of adventures.

Just like Daniel O’Connell’s — and one of our best and longest-running clients, Excel Dryer — I’ve been lucky to have the next generation join the business. Joe and Gainer. That’s the best thing that’s happened over 40 years. When I’m gone, they’ll probably sink it. But what the hell.

A couple of things said about the agency have stuck with me. Peter Rosskothen, owner of the Log Cabin, said, “Nobody will fight harder for a client than those guys.” And Peter Picknelly, president of Peter Pan, said, “They do different good.”

We’ve always gone over big with guys named Peter.

Hey, it’s always been about the creative. And I’ve always said about the ideas, “They’ll never buy it, but let’s do it anyway.”

It’s a strange time to be celebrating anything right now, but things have always been a little strange with this agency. It’s been a wild ride. But like I’ve been saying from the start, keep your dukes up.

Darby O’Brien is founder and president of Darby O’Brien Advertising.

Picture This

Picture This

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

Special Deliveries

With campus closed, Holyoke Community College donated its perishable food supplies to three area nonprofits: Martin Luther King Jr. Family Center in Springfield, the YWCA Transitional Living Program in Holyoke, and Easthampton Community Center. The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts helped coordinate the donations.

Sarah Schmidt, director of programming for HCC’s Center for Excellence, and Stacy Graves, coordinator of the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, load a cargo van with surplus produce and other food

Mark Pronovost, director of Aramark/HCC Dining Services, gets ready to deliver a load of food to the Easthampton Community Center.

Needed Supplies

UMass Amherst recently donated 300 face shields — developed by UMass researchers, engineers, nurses, and other healthcare professionals — to the Skilled Nursing Center at Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing. UMass contributed more than $30,000 toward the initial production of face shields and hundreds of volunteer hours designing, testing, revising, and manufacturing them.

a box of shields designed and donated by UMass Amherst

Tomara Meegan (left), assistant director of Nursing and infection preventionist at Loomis Lakeside, and Patty Coughlin, director of Nursing at Loomis Lakeside, carry a box of shields designed and donated by UMass Amherst.

Gear for the Front Lines

Lenco Armored Vehicles recently donated nearly $300,000 worth of personal protective equipment to regional first responders working on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic, including sanitizer, disinfecting wipes and spray, respirators, masks, eyewear, gloves, protective clothing, and power air respirator supplies — about 35,000 pieces of equipment in all. Recipients include Dalton, Lanesborough, Pittsfield, and Richmond fire departments; Dalton, Lanesborough, and Pittsfield police departments; County Ambulance and Action Ambulance in Pittsfield; and the emergency room at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield.

Agenda

Agenda

Difference Makers

Sept. 10: BusinessWest will present its 12th annual Difference Makers event on Sept. 10 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. The class of 2020 was profiled in the Feb. 3 issue of BusinessWest and at businesswest.com. Tickets cost $75. To reserve a spot, e-mail [email protected] or visit businesswest.com. 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.

Elms College Executive Leadership Breakfast

Sept. 22: Elms College has rescheduled its third annual Executive Leadership Breakfast due to state-mandated caution regarding large crowds and coronavirus. U.S. Rep. Richard Neal is still slated to be the keynote speaker for the event, which was originally scheduled for April 9. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to unfold, the college will announce more details as necessary. 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. Speakers at past events have included Dennis Duquette, head of Community Responsibility at MassMutual and president of the MassMutual Foundation, and Regina Noonan Hitchery, retired vice president of Human Resources at Alcoa.

Hooplandia

June 25-27, 2021: Organizers of Hooplandia, the planned 3-on-3 basketball tournament and festival scheduled for this June, announced that the event has been postponed to 2021, with games hosted by the Big E Fairgrounds and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Boys and Girls Clubs in Western Massachusetts and Connecticut will remain the lead philanthropic recipient of the event, which was slated to host 2,500 teams and 10,000 players. To help build a bridge to the 2021 Hooplandia, a number of smaller events are being planned, with details forthcoming. Those include Hooplandia at the Hall of Fame Enshrinement, a series of 3-on-3 games in the parking lot of the Hall during Springfield Celebration Day on Sunday, Aug. 30, as part of Enshrinement Weekend activities; the Hooplandia World Slam Dunk Championship at the Big E in September, featuring slam-dunk artists from around the world competing for the title of Hooplandia World Slam Dunk Champ; and Hooplandia Showcase Games on the Court of Dreams at the Basketball Hall of Fame, a series of high-profile 3-on-3 games to be scheduled for competition this winter on the legendary hardwood. Details of all events will be announced as they emerge. All teams that have registered and paid for Hooplandia will be issued full refunds. Teams of players age 8 and under were slated for free registration in 2020, honoring the lives of Kobe and Gianna Bryant — Bryant wore #8 during a portion of his Los Angeles Lakers career in the NBA. The free under-8 registration will be extended to the 2021 event. Hooplandia’s Instagram account (@hooplandia) and website (www.hooplandia.com) will provide ongoing information and plans for the event and its transition.

People on the Move

People on the Move

Kate Phelon

Kate Phelon, executive director of the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, announced she will be retiring on Sept. 25. Phelon has been instrumental in growing the chamber from when she started in 2011 to more than 260 members and increasing program revenue. In addition to membership growth, Phelon established public-private relationships that led to her appointment by Gov. Charlie Baker to the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative in 2016. Also in 2016, her collaboration with Stefan Czaporowski, superintendent of Westfield Public Schools, created the Westfield Education 2 Business Alliance, which gained local, regional, and state recognition for bridging the business community to education through its mentoring program, the Adopt-a-Classroom initiative, and the High School Career Fair. Phelon currently sits on the Economic Development Partners committee, working with economic-development professionals from Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties, as well as regional employment boards, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, MOBD, MassDevelopment, and other chambers of commerce. She created and hosted Chamber Chatter in 2017 and still hosts the monthly radio show on WSKB 89.5 FM, showcasing a chamber member each month. In 2018, her schedule permitted her to once again sit on the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission’s Plan for Progress coordinating council. She is a corporator at Westfield State University and the Westfield Athenaeum as well as an ex-officio board member of Friends of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail and a member of the Rotary Club of Westfield. Dino Gravanis, president of the Greater Westfield Chamber board and general manager of Springfield Country Club, will coordinate the search for the next executive director.

•••••

Sharianne Walker

Sharianne Walker has been named dean of the Western New England University (WNEU) College of Business. Linda Jones, university provost, recently made the announcement, citing Walker’s dedication and commitment to the College of Business and her record of spearheading accreditation, strategic planning, and assessment projects at the university. Walker joined the College of Business faculty in 1996, most recently serving as chair and professor of Sport Management, as well as co-director of the master of science in Sport Leadership and Coaching graduate program. Walker is the co-author of the texts Managing Intercollegiate Athletics, Managing Sport Organizations: Responsibility for Performance, and Strategic Management in International Sport Management. Her current research focuses on revenue- and resource-development models in sports organizations, strategic management, and leadership. She has presented her research on leadership development, business operations, and revenue generation at various international, national, and regional conferences. An influential figure in the growth of WNEU’s athletics program, she has served as a faculty fellow, an NCAA faculty representative, and chair of the Western New England Athletics Council, Athletic Direct Report, and was inducted into the university’s Downes Athletic Hall of Fame. Walker was previously named Career Woman of the Year by the Massachusetts Business and Professional Women’s Assoc. and served as director of the Springfield Leadership Institute. She is currently chair of the board of trustees of Frank Newhall Look Memorial Park in Florence. Walker earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Smith College, and master’s and Ph.D. degrees in sport management from the University of Massachusetts.

•••••

Erin Joyce

Matthew Sosik, president and CEO of bankESB, announced that Erin Joyce has been promoted to vice president, special assets. Joyce has more than 30 years of banking experience, much of it in the areas of residential and consumer collections. She joined bankESB in 2014 as special assets manager, and since then has been promoted to special assets officer and assistant vice president, special assets. Prior to joining bankESB, Joyce was the credit and collections manager for Greenfield Savings Bank and the residential and consumer collector for Florence Savings Bank. She also previously served as an online instructor for the Center for Financial Training. She attended UMass Amherst and holds several diplomas and certificates in financial services and lending from the Center for Financial Training. She is also very active in the community, delivering meals and offering money-management and bill-pay services to Highland Valley Elder Services, and serving as a board member and co-treasurer of Northampton Dollars for Scholars and a board member and auditor for the Northampton High School Alumni Assoc. For 12 years, she also participated in the Volunteer in Tax Assistance program.

Company Notebook

Company Notebook

PeoplesBank Issues Annual Corporate Green Report

HOLYOKE — PeoplesBank issued its 2020 annual Corporate Green Report in recognition of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Through its green values and actions to support environmental sustainability, PeoplesBank believes it can help make the region a healthier place in which to live, work, and raise a family. The bank puts these values to work throughout the year through its charitable donations, volunteerism, support of green-energy projects, and construction of LEED-certified offices. PeoplesBank is also a longtime leader in sustainable-energy financing, and the bank’s commercial lenders are recognized for their expertise in creating financing packages for green-energy power generation. To date, the bank has financed more than $188 million in wind, solar, and hydroelectric power-generation projects. Over 2019-20, PeoplesBank supported several green community projects in Western Mass., including the Center for EcoTechnology’s ‘eco fellows’ and more than 100 community-education events; the Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) Food for All campaign; e-recycle and shred day at the bank’s Suffield Banking Center; Grow Food Northampton; the Harold Grinspoon Foundation’s Local Farmer program and awards; scientific environmental education at the Hitchcock Center for the Environment; a mobile farmers’ market that travels to underserved/food-desert areas of Springfield and surrounding communities; the Source to Sea Cleanup of the Connecticut River, which also includes hands-on participation by a team of volunteers from the bank; and ValleyBike Share, the region’s new bike-sharing program. Community banks, like PeoplesBank, are not generally known for building green offices, but PeoplesBank has a LEED Gold-certified office in Northampton, a LEED Gold-certified office in West Springfield, and a LEED Silver-certified office in Springfield. The LEED-certified office in Springfield, the first of its kind in the city, won a Green Seal from the city of Springfield. The bank will pursue a fourth LEED certification for its Pedlar Banking Center in Holyoke in the near future. Three PeoplesBank offices (Northampton, West Springfield, and 330 Whitney Ave. in Holyoke) have electric vehicle-charging stations. The bank also launched a “Choose to Reuse” campaign designed to eliminate the use of disposable paper products internally. PeoplesBank has traditionally commemorated Earth Day by giving away tomato plants and seeds at several banking centers throughout the region. Due to the extenuating circumstances this year, in lieu of those customer giveaways, a donation will be made to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts to assist in its COVID relief outreach.

Contribution Clothing Supports Women-focused Nonprofits

SPRINGFIELD — Kelly Partridge, founder of Contribution Clothing, launched her mission-driven online boutique (contributionclothing.com) last June. The boutique, which retails women’s apparel and accessories, provides quarterly monetary donations to Western Mass.-based nonprofit organizations that have a vision of empowering women and girls as well as community support. Contribution Clothing is currently working to gift 15% of its net profits to the Care Center of Holyoke, a nonprofit organization that helps young mothers grasp how powerful they are, gives them tools to learn, and provides them with an exciting and engaging learning environment. Since its website launch, the boutique has provided monetary donations to Dress for Success, Empty Arms Bereavement Support, Ovations for the Cure of Ovarian Cancer, Shriners, Girls Inc. of the Valley, and Safe Passage. In additional to the boutique’s quarterly contributions, Partridge, a Bay Path University alumna, has worked with the university to create the Contribution Clothing Scholarship Fund, which annually provides a Bay Path student with $500 toward tuition. The clothing line has also supported community-based events and fundraisers such as the Hot Chocolate Run for Safe Passage, the Women Empowered calendar for Girls Inc., and the Unify Against Bullying fashion show, where Partridge provided six different outfits to help raise awareness against bullying. Partridge’s goal for her business is to use her story and passion for social justice to make a positive impact within her community. She hopes to use fashion as a way of helping women feel confident and empowered.

MGHPCC Expands Access to Researchers Working on COVID-19

HOLYOKE — The Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center (MGHPCC), operated by a consortium consisting of Boston University, Harvard University, MIT, Northeastern University, and the University of Massachusetts system, announced it will provide access to outside researchers working on projects in which high-speed computing would accelerate resolution of the COVID-19 crisis. The MGHPCC’s member institutions are already heavily engaged in coronavirus-related research in areas that include understanding the fundamentals of the disease, contributing to the development of vaccines, treatment and tests, and public-health solutions. Much of this research, and most scientific academic research today, rely on high-performance computing. The MGHPCC, which is among the largest high-performance computing facilities in the country, is now expanding access to its storage and computational systems to academic and commercial enterprises beyond the facility’s member institutions. Total available capacity across all systems includes more than 200,000 CPU cores, 2,000 recent-generation GPUs, and 5 petabytes of temporary storage. The additional work will not impact day-to-day university needs. The MGHPCC consortium is also working with Mass Open Cloud and two of its sponsors, Red Hat and Intel, to launch a site that connects potentially impactful projects with people who have strong computing skills but are unable to work on their regular assignments due to travel restrictions.

Home City Development Wins Funds for Affordable-housing Renovations

NORTHAMPTON — Home City Development Inc. (HCDI), a Springfield-based affordable-housing development organization, was awarded $2.88 million and seven project-based vouchers by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Funds were awarded for renovations of New South Street Apartments, an 18-unit historic building located at 24-34 New South St. in Northampton. Project-based vouchers and supportive service funds will provide housing for seven homeless families. In addition, the city of Northampton awarded $50,000 of Community Development Block Grant funds for this project. Homeless households will be selected from the Three County Continuum of Care Coordinated Entry system. This system includes Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire county emergency-assistance shelters and other assistance organizations. HCDI will provide case management and related support services for residents at New South Street Apartments, including those who were formerly homeless. HCDI is working with Architecture EL as project architect and Henry General Contractors as contractor. Renovation work is expected to begin this fall and take about nine months to complete. Home City Development Inc. is a nonprofit, resident-centered developer of multi-family and mixed-use properties in Western Mass. HCDI was founded as Better Homes Inc. in 1968 by the Springfield Chamber of Commerce. Over more than 50 years, HCDI has worked to facilitate community stability and growth in collaboration with numerous partners and residents.

Freedom Credit Union Makes $55,000 Donation to Fight Coronavirus Crisis

SPRINGFIELD — Freedom Credit Union (FCU) announced a donation of $55,000 to be dispersed among several community organizations at the front lines of the local fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. FCU announced that the following slate of organizations will receive a portion of the $55,000 donation: Baystate Health Foundation; Mercy Medical Center; Cooley Dickinson Health Care; the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts; Hampshire Hospitality Group, whose Hampshire County Heroes feed first responders in Hampshire County; and Feed the Fight, an initiative of Peter Pan Bus Lines and area restaurants to feed healthcare workers and first responders in the community. Welch indicated that FCU will continue to assist the community throughout the duration of the COVID-19 crisis. In addition to these community donations, Welch said FCU has offered resources to its individual members intended to provide financial assistance or relief during the crisis, including online banking services and the new Freedom Relief Loan, which provides up to $10,000 to members dealing with consequences of the pandemic, including layoffs, furloughs, and bills. In addition, FCU’s Skip-a-Pay program allows members with a consumer loan — auto, mortgage, home equity, or home improvement — to defer payments up to 90 days. Members should contact their local branch for details. FCU can also work with member businesses needing financial relief on their specific circumstances. Business members should speak with the Member Business Lending department. For contact information, visit freedom.coop.

First American Insurance Agency Launches New Client Portal

CHICOPEE — First American Insurance Agency, an independent insurance firm, announced the launch of a new online customer portal designed to enhance service and support for its customers. The portal, called CSR24, enables clients to access insurance ID cards and insurance documents (including renewal paperwork), request policy changes, and more. Clients can also submit claim photos, such as a cracked windshield. For truckers, the portal allows the quick and straightforward download of certificates. The portal is accessible on any device via the agency’s website and requires a login and username. The agency will release a matching app later in the year.

Phillips Insurance Delivers Pizza, Food Boxes to Clients, First Responders

CHICOPEE — Phillips Insurance partnered with clients Fazio’s Ristorante of East Longmeadow and Simos Produce of Springfield to deliver pizza and grocery boxes to its clients and first responders. Phillips Insurance delivered dozens of grocery boxes from Simos Produce to clients so they could avoid going to the supermarket. In addition, Phillips and Fazio’s Ristorante delivered pizzas and grinders to first responders and heathcare providers, while Phillips Insurance delivered pizza and subs to the Chicopee Police Department in appreciation of all they do for the community. Phillips Insurance Agency was established in 1953 and is a full-service risk-management firm with a staff of 28 professionals.

Western Mass. Wedding Vendors Say ‘Thank You’ to Frontline Workers

HOLYOKE — The wedding industry is being hit hard due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Couples are being forced to restructure or delay their wedding plans, leaving wedding vendors struggling with the financial challenges of delayed business. Thankfully, the wedding industry is also one marked by resilience and camaraderie. That is why a group of Western Mass. wedding vendors has come together to give back and say ‘thank you’ to frontline workers. Spearheaded by local DJ Anthony Corlis from TC’s Disc Jockey Services with assistance from the Log Cabin/Delaney House meal-donation program, more than 75 meals will be delivered to employees of Stop and Shop in Westfield today, April 24, at 11 a.m. by Corlis and Peter Rosskothen, owner of the Log Cabin/Delaney House. One of those employees just happens to be a Log Cabin groom who needed to reschedule his April 26 wedding. Meals were donated by Vivan B Photography, Events by Jackie M., Aliber Bridal Shops, Michelle Anne Hair Design, SHO Productions, Durocher’s Florist, Catherine Jindela, Kasey Richards of Mountain Rose Inn, TC’s Disc Jockey Services, and Log Cabin/Delaney House. Anyone looking to donate meals should visit delaneyhouse.com/feedalocalhero.

Wellfleet, EIS Group Partner on Innovative Insurance Solution

SPRINGFIELD — Wellfleet, a Berkshire Hathaway insurance company, and industry technology leader EIS Group are building a next-generation insurance-administration platform to meet the evolving demands of the employee-benefits market. In the complex voluntary-benefits landscape, brokers and their clients commonly work with multiple systems, fighting to integrate with carriers’ patchworked legacy systems. Whether it’s product sophistication, internal workflow monitoring, enrollment and third-party integration, or communications across multiple modules, carriers struggle to administer plans in a digitally unified way. Wellfleet Workplace entered the voluntary market last year, on a mission to be the digitally enabled carrier of choice. Partnering with EIS Group helps drive this differentiation by jointly creating an open-architecture and cloud-based software system designed to support the full broker and customer life cycle. The software provider’s cloud-based platform supports broker and customer life cycles, including rating and quoting, policy issuance and administration, and billing and claims management. Multi-channel touch points are easily created and managed through EIS Group’s digital-experience platform.

Pearson Wallace, Arbella Offer Premium Relief

AMHERST — Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, Arbella has committed to providing a 20% credit for three months on all personal auto policies until June 30. This is a per-vehicle refund that applies to existing and new policies from Pearson Wallace Insurance, said Alex Bennett, the agency’s vice president. Arbella Insurance also announced the Arbella Here. For Good. Give Back Program. Subject to approval by state regulators, Arbella’s personal auto customers will receive a credit equal to 20% of their auto premium for the months of April, May, and June. These savings would result in an estimated average of $60 per vehicle, and customers with multiple vehicles on their policy could see significant savings, Bennett noted.

Ascent Laser Aesthetics Introduces Innovative Hair-removal System

EAST LONGMEADOW — Ascent Laser Aesthetics, a medical spa located in East Longmeadow, has partnered with Cartessa Aesthetics to bring the hair-removal system Motux AX to the practice. Motux AX is the most effective laser wavelength for hair removal for the widest array of skin types, Dr. Kevin Coughlin said, adding that the procedure is virtually pain-free and significantly more comfortable than standard methods, while providing quicker treatment of large areas (less than five minutes) and fewer subsequent treatments to achieve optimal results. Through proprietary Moveo technology, risk of side effects is virtually non-existent.

EforAll Holyoke Launches Accelerator Program for Spanish-speaking Entrepreneurs

HOLYOKE — Continuing to expand its proven approach to help under-resourced individuals successfully start and grow their businesses, Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) Holyoke announced that it is accepting applications for its new EparaTodos program in Holyoke, which will focus on supporting Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs in the Greater Holyoke community. EforAll’s free, one-year business-accelerator program helps under-resourced individuals successfully start and grow their businesses or nonprofits across a wide range of industries, including personal and professional services, food, manufacturing, and both online and traditional retail. The program offers a combination of immersive business training, dedicated mentorship, and access to a professional network. The organization typically offers its programs in person, but it is prepared to deliver classroom training and mentor sessions online if necessary. Among the businesses started by EforAll participants, 75% are owned by women, 56% are owned by people of color, 54% are owned by immigrants, and 56% are owned by people who were previously unemployed. EforAll is accepting applications for this new Spanish-language accelerator, as well as its English accelerator program (EforAll), through Wednesday, May 20 at 5 p.m. Interested applicants can learn more and apply at www.eforall.org, where they will find information in both English and Spanish. To support its new Spanish-language programming, EforAll Holyoke has hired a dedicated EparaTodos program manager, Gabriella Candelario. Before joining EparaTodos Holyoke, she worked with the Springfield Public Schools as a program coordinator. She can be reached at [email protected].

Incorporations

Incorporations

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

AMHERST

Barking Stoat Inc., 870 South East St., Amherst, MA 01002. Catherine Bell, same. Agriculture and related business.

BRIMFIELD

Daniel Beaulieu Custom Carpentry Inc., 1010 Dunhamtown Road, Brimfield, MA 01010. Daniel Beaulieu, same. Custom carpentry.

CHICOPEE

Capital Auto Finance Inc., 55 Taylor St., Chicopee, MA 01105. Zachary Mourad, 54 Woodcrest Dr., Chicopee, MA 01020. Exports of automobiles.

DALTON

Always Grow Green Inc., 890 Main St., Dalton, MA 01226. Diana Noble, same. Applying for license with cannabis control.

Crustpz Corp., 95 Main St., Dalton, MA 01226. James Cervone, same. Pizza restaurant.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Am Medical P.C., 741 Parker St., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. May A. Awkal, 135 Anvil St., Feeding Hills, MA 01030. Primary care medical services.

HADLEY

Born-Digital Inc., 84 Russell St., Hadley, MA 01035. Noah W. Smith, 25 Main St., Montague, MA 01351. Digitalization of media.

HOLYOKE

Arman Tours Inc., 18 Canby St., Holyoke, MA 01040. Yasser Arman, 145 Lawndale St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Tourism.

Car&Truck Max Inc., 395 Maple St., Holyoke, MA 01040. Mazen Awkal, 24 Hickory St., Agawam, MA 01030. Purchase, resale, reconditioning of automobiles.

LENOX

American BCG Laboratory Inc., 10 Birchwood Lane, Lenox, MA 01240. Tsungda Hsu, same. Developing, manufacturing, and marketing of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) for use as BCG immunotherapeutic agents to treat patients with early-stage bladder cancer.

LONGMEADOW

4run3 Inc., 680 Bliss Road, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Timothy Murphy, 117 Longwood Ave., Longmeadow, MA 01106. Retail sales of shoes, clothing, and apparel.

PITTSFIELD

A+ Integrative Brain Restoration Program, A Nursing Corporation, 82 Wendell Ave., Ste. 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Dennis Redubla, same. Nursing services.

C&C Luxury Coach Inc., 11 Glenwood Ave., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Anthony Baptiste, same. Bus operation.

Desert Insurance Solutions Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Carrie Babij, same. Property and casualty coverage for customers with admitted and non-admitted authorized multi-line carriers.

Dorsey Consortium Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Andrew Dorsey, same. Animal husbandry.

SPRINGFIELD

Dr. Dental of Massachusetts P.C., 1101 Boston Road, Springfield, MA 01119. Julia O. Faigel, 20 Boulder Road, Newton, MA 02459. Dental practice.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

All American Carpeting and Flooring Corp., 204 New Bridge St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Imran Manzoor, 697 Elm St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Residential & commercial construction & renovation.

America Go Tours Inc., 203 Circuit Ave., Suite 124, West Springfield, MA 01089. Xiu Hua Wang, 33 Arizona Ave., Syosset, NY 11791. Bus tour services.

Central New England AG Service Inc., 39 Timber Ridge Road, West Springfield, MA 01089. Donald R. Chase, same. Services with respect to farming, fertilizing, lime and appropriate chemicals to agricultural pastures.

WESTFIELD

C&M Finishes Inc., 63 Russellvillage Road, Westfield, MA 01085. Milan P. Peich, same. Painting services.

Day Way Express Inc., 73 Cranston St., Westfield, MA 01085. Samer Khaleel, same. Transportation.

Doing Business As Certificates

DBA Certificates

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

BELCHERTOWN

New England Small Farm Institute Inc.
270 Jackson St.
Judith Fuller Gillan

Robocop 50 Tactical Defense Training
299 Turkey Hill Road
Edward Oey

WESTFIELD

Appalachian Press
11 Railroad Ave.
Michael Dion

Boston Bay Pizza 2
73 Elm St.
Emirhan Inc.

Coldwell Banker Commercial Realty
75 Broad St., Suite B
NRT New England, LLC

Grade A Cleaning Services
15 Morris St.
Grade A Cleaning Services

Heather Marie Styles
33 Broad St., Apt. 1
Heather MacDonald

Kandi Services & Supply, LLC
36 Crown St.
Kandi Services & Supply, LLC

Nouria
88-90 South Maple St.
NEC Opco I Inc.

NWS Fastpitch
181 Root Road
Jessica Colson

Ruslan Express Inc.
113 Miller St.
Ruslan Shvetsov

That Guy’s Emporium
6 Jefferson St.
Michael Kelleher

Bankruptcies

Bankruptcies

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

Aherne, Brian
199 Pine Grove
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/27/2020

Bennett, Constance J.
46 Simpson Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/23/20

Clark, William James
Clark, Jodi Lynn
a/k/a Courtney, Jodi Lynn
53 Middlefield Road|
Chester, MA 01011
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/31/2020

Corless, Tracy E.
a/k/a Burns, Tracy E.
346 Kibbe Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01029
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/24/20

Davila, Jennifer
a/k/a Duque, Jennifer
149 Allen St., Apt E
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/03/2020

Fitzgerald, Barbara J.
1 Rosewood Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/08/20

Gadbois, Andrew J.
Gadbois, Shawn Ann
a/k/a Pesson, Shawn Ann
297 Linden St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/09/20

Guertin, Frank J.
88 Petty Plain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/10/2020

Harrington, Delores
67 Liberty St.
North Adam, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/20

Horton, John Michael
61 Bridge Road
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/20/20

Huls, Paulette J.
61 Pine Lodge Park
Williamstown, MA 01267
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/24/20

LaFleur, Michelle Lynne
26 Andover Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/26/20

Langlois, Desiree L.
3 Berwyn St., Ext.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/24/20

Mata-Reyes, Katiusca
10 Chestnut St.
Springfield, MA 01103
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/13/20

Maynard, Jill A.
20 Colony Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/10/2020

McClendon Trucking
McClendon, Nicholas R.
25 Labonte Ave.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/08/20

Melendez, Brendaliz
11 East Court
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/20

Morse, Shara L.
a/k/a Barrows, Shara Lynn
153 Russell St
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/24/20

Mroz, Michael R.
140 Church St., Apt. 311
Williamstown, MA 01267
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/20

J&T Transportation
Garcia, Jose F.
76 Notre Dame St.
Westfield MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/24/20

Peffley, Christy L.
a/k/a Silbaugh,Christy Lynne
P.O. Box 64
Thorndike, MA 01079
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/23/20

Pereira-Rivera, Victor M.
117 Farnum Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/31/2020

Regan, Barbara Lee
a/k/a Carmel, Barbara R.
41 Main St., Apt 6
Goshen, MA 01032
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/03/2020

Rodriguez, Angel L.
95 Victoria St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/07/2020

Royal, Bruce K.
Royal, Jeannette T.
64 Mystery Lane
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/20

Sarnelli, Gina Louise
8 Sizer Dr.
Wales, MA 01081
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/31/2020

Shaw, Frederick Ernest
Shaw, Annabelle Barbara
343 South Athol Road
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/27/2020

Spear, Robert
28 Andover Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/26/2020

Surkin, Marvin Irving
131 High St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/20/20

Sweeney,Vivian
320 Palmer Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Chapter:13
Filing Date: 03/31/2020

Tarsa, Victoria L.
92 Galvin Road
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/10/2020

Thacker Sr., William R.
Thacker, Judith B.
721 Curran Highway, Apt. 2
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/23/20

Valentin, Walter O.
Valentin, Mahaly
278 West Franklin St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/23/20

Vicente, Gloria
18 Conz St. #427
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/14/20

Wilkinson, Cariel
23 Day Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/08/20

Real Estate Transactions

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

ASHFIELD

770 Watson Spruce Corner Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $560,000
Buyer: Carter J. Carter
Seller: Ronald Gorevic
Date: 04/10/20

BERNARDSTON

425 Fox Hill Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $283,000
Buyer: Matthew E. Eaton-Earl
Seller: Kevin J. Rowell
Date: 04/17/20

24 Harwood Dr.
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Karen A. Kelly
Seller: Christal L. Cutler
Date: 04/10/20

COLRAIN

499 Jacksonville Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Lukas Anderson-Booker
Seller: Scott A. Anderson
Date: 04/21/20

DEERFIELD

15 Beaver Dr.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $233,140
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Hope F. Jones
Date: 04/21/20

84 S. Mill River Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $151,000
Buyer: Stephen Debruyn-Kops
Seller: MTGLQ Investors LP
Date: 04/16/20

GREENFIELD

37-39 Abbott St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Dana E. Duval
Seller: Jeremy Ober
Date: 04/16/20

743 Bernardston Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Greenfield Center School
Seller: Susan E. Peck
Date: 04/15/20

28-32 Conway St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Ovidiu Nikita
Seller: Petru Balan
Date: 04/15/20

296 High St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $171,000
Buyer: Christina Clark
Seller: Daniel D. Garant
Date: 04/08/20

106 Meridian St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Samuel L. Engleman
Seller: Lea D. Appel
Date: 04/17/20

109 Oakland St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $203,500
Buyer: Thomas Hoad
Seller: Matthew E. Earl
Date: 04/17/20

29 Woodleigh Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Emily Hildebrand
Seller: Luna L. Greenwood
Date: 04/10/20

HAWLEY

26 Dodge Corner Road
Hawley, MA 01339
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Ronald Gorevic
Seller: William R. Harris
Date: 04/10/20

MONTAGUE

Meadow Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Falls Farm LLC
Seller: Whitmore, William R., (Estate)
Date: 04/21/20

7 Ripley Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $344,900
Buyer: Francoise D. Ellis
Seller: Katherine E. Smith
Date: 04/17/20

NORTHFIELD

60 Ashuelot Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Steven C. Wiggin
Seller: Peter M. Holloway
Date: 04/17/20

ORANGE

112 Cheney St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Kelly M. Melanson
Seller: Scott Savoy
Date: 04/10/20

252-258 East Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Nicholas J. Chandler
Seller: Roy P. Piragis
Date: 04/15/20

SHELBURNE

121 Bridge St.
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Andrew Quient
Seller: Timothy J. Richardson
Date: 04/17/20

105 Main St.
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $362,500
Buyer: Martin N. Espada
Seller: Christopher J. Macek
Date: 04/21/20

SUNDERLAND

336 Falls Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Falls Farm LLC
Seller: Whitmore, William R., (Estate)
Date: 04/21/20

WHATELY

41 Egypt Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $396,000
Buyer: Jason C. Dizek
Seller: Jeffrey M. Griswold
Date: 04/21/20

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

48 Anvil St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $347,000
Buyer: Jessica Calabrese
Seller: Scott E. Skolnick
Date: 04/17/20

57 Bessbrook St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Edward E. Rodriguez
Seller: Thelma A. Gardner
Date: 04/10/20

14 Briarcliff Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Jie Chen
Seller: Daniel Hickok
Date: 04/10/20

32 Columbia Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $326,000
Buyer: Lloyd C. Sutton
Seller: Nicole A. Ward
Date: 04/10/20

16 Cosgrove Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $218,400
Buyer: Jessica P. Vinci
Seller: Katherine R. Whitehead
Date: 04/21/20

70 Elmar Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Adrienn Sibrizzi-O’Connor
Seller: J. Craig White
Date: 04/14/20

33 Forest Ridge Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $368,000
Buyer: Brian P. McCabe
Seller: Scott E. Stuckenbruck
Date: 04/16/20

82 Kensington St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $189,900
Buyer: Joseph Bouila
Seller: Labun, Mary K., (Estate)
Date: 04/17/20

89 Kensington St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: James D. Newsome
Seller: Eric Stevens
Date: 04/10/20

126 Lancaster Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Jason R. Fiore
Seller: Ronald E. Benoit
Date: 04/10/20

25 Kosciusko Ave.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $379,900
Buyer: Mark A. Berman
Seller: John W. Schnepp
Date: 04/17/20

21 Lincoln St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $180,100
Buyer: Aleksandr Kiforishin
Seller: FNMA
Date: 04/17/20

87 Meadowbrook Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: Abdelaziz Ngadi
Seller: Muriel C. Adelman
Date: 04/21/20

37 Nile Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Lindsay E. Strole
Seller: Peter J. Tilden
Date: 04/10/20

51 Reed St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $191,000
Buyer: Shane Dearborn
Seller: Dacey, Thomas F., (Estate)
Date: 04/17/20

57 Windermere Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $612,500
Buyer: Thomas J. Jendrysik
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 04/10/20

BLANDFORD

1 Nye Brook Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Melanie Bilodeau
Seller: Patricia M. Hebert
Date: 04/17/20

CHICOPEE

79 Acrebrook Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $150,150
Buyer: Jerod J. Howell
Seller: MTGLQ Investors LP
Date: 04/17/20

51 Bay State Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $144,900
Buyer: Glen Gladstone-White
Seller: Mathew Bean
Date: 04/14/20

87 Beaudry Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Amani A. Alhajjo
Seller: Scott Ewing
Date: 04/21/20

126 Blanchwood Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Orlando E. Morales
Seller: Allen G. Croteau
Date: 04/16/20

88 Cora Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $127,200
Buyer: Freedom Mortgage Corp.
Seller: Steven J. Morin
Date: 04/09/20

106 Crestwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Husam Jaber
Seller: Ann J. Mierzwa
Date: 04/10/20

53 Davenport St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Samantha Gingras
Seller: Kiersten N. Korona-Moreau
Date: 04/09/20

1246 Granby Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $2,125,000
Buyer: Westover MHP LLC
Seller: Whaling Properties LLC
Date: 04/16/20

386 Grattan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Frank N. Laflamme
Seller: Amand, Donald W. S., (Estate)
Date: 04/16/20

525 Grattan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: 525 Grattan Street LLC
Seller: Roger E. Fournier
Date: 04/14/20

853 Grattan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $199,900
Buyer: Barry W. Humphrey
Seller: Huguette A. Fecteau
Date: 04/17/20

101 Huntington Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $144,000
Buyer: Shane D. Beswick
Seller: Steven Weiss
Date: 04/16/20

18 Laurel St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $184,000
Buyer: Luissonel Velez
Seller: Shirley Alvira
Date: 04/09/20

Riveredge Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $254,900
Buyer: Narong Sieng
Seller: Aileen Sullivan-Pacella
Date: 04/17/20

37 Spring St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Lianetzy Diaz
Seller: Orange Park Management
Date: 04/10/20

33 Stockbridge St.
Chicopee, MA 01103
Amount: $353,000
Buyer: Ronald H. Boulanger
Seller: Waycon Inc.
Date: 04/17/20

43 Stockbridge St.
Chicopee, MA 01103
Amount: $333,000
Buyer: Scott A. Ewing
Seller: Waycon Inc.
Date: 04/21/20

95 Ward St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Michael J. Gibson
Date: 04/09/20

EAST LONGMEADOW

32 Baymor Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $319,000
Buyer: John W. Nolen
Seller: Kevin Sullivan
Date: 04/15/20

37 Frankwyn St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $257,000
Buyer: Sarah E. Dansereau
Seller: Emily Link
Date: 04/15/20

38 Garland Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $221,000
Buyer: Terry Peckham
Seller: Anthony M. Ferrero
Date: 04/13/20

156 Hampden Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $347,000
Buyer: Cody A. Titus
Seller: Christian I. Perez
Date: 04/17/20

340 Kibbe Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $142,500
Buyer: Quercus Properties LLC
Seller: White, Lorraine M., (Estate)
Date: 04/09/20

7 Melody Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $155,511
Buyer: Emtay Inc.
Seller: DLJ Mortgage Capital Inc.
Date: 04/10/20

139 Melwood Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Justin P. Wilson-Gabor
Seller: Everly L. Trabucco
Date: 04/17/20

GRANVILLE

564 South Lane
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Thomas J. Damato
Seller: Donald E. Demarais
Date: 04/17/20

HAMPDEN

45 Circleview Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $269,900
Buyer: Adger L. Smith
Seller: AEM Property Investments
Date: 04/21/20

105 Woodland Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $255,500
Buyer: Leigh Myers
Seller: David W. Ashe
Date: 04/15/20

HOLLAND

5 Collette Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $214,000
Buyer: Claire May
Seller: David D. Charbonneau
Date: 04/16/20

1 Leisure Court
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $176,000
Buyer: Timothy M. Gerry
Seller: John L. Bosacker
Date: 04/17/20

64 Leno Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $247,000
Buyer: Michael C. Lifson
Seller: Paul Newsham
Date: 04/17/20

HOLYOKE

5 Acorn Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $227,000
Buyer: Elizabeth E. Lempke
Seller: Ann T. Warwick
Date: 04/09/20

10 Clinton Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $193,000
Buyer: Dennis M. Benoit
Seller: Marisol Cartagena
Date: 04/21/20

29 Mayer Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: David Lucey
Seller: Maureen Lucey
Date: 04/15/20

5 Merkel Ter.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $194,500
Buyer: James B. Farrell
Seller: Mark Lauer
Date: 04/10/20

12 Roosevelt Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $139,400
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: Jovanny Feliciano
Date: 04/08/20

51-53 Samosett St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Miguel A. Perez
Seller: Kdomain LLC
Date: 04/08/20

5 Shawmut Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $144,127
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Joan M. Koszela
Date: 04/13/20

LONGMEADOW

90 Bliss Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $285,500
Buyer: Christina L. Parziale
Seller: Beth E. Palmer
Date: 04/09/20

7 Briarcliff Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $449,000
Buyer: Marissa Cuff
Seller: Maria Ingani
Date: 04/14/20

130 Edgewood Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $283,000
Buyer: Brendan Bailey
Seller: Justin G. Savage
Date: 04/21/20

137 Greenacre Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Nicole L. Dalto
Seller: Gary R. Hall
Date: 04/21/20

45 Kenmore Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $331,500
Buyer: Michael Robare
Seller: Amy L. Cairy
Date: 04/14/20

32 Morningside Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $422,000
Buyer: Ryan R. Whitney
Seller: Eric P. Rubenstein
Date: 04/16/20

251 Park Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $875,000
Buyer: Vanessa A. Fish
Seller: Randolph P. Davis
Date: 04/17/20

7 Quinnehtuk Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $542,000
Buyer: Justin G. Savage
Seller: Meadows RE LLC
Date: 04/17/20

LUDLOW

57 Emma Way
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Kiersten Korona-Moreau
Seller: K. Bonanno-Sotiropoulos
Date: 04/09/20

252 Miller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Miguel A. Martinez
Seller: Lila Pardo
Date: 04/09/20

62 Pond St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $168,500
Buyer: Ariana E. Quesnel
Seller: Smokowicz, Donald S., (Estate)
Date: 04/16/20

32 Wilno Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Haley A. McGinnis
Seller: Tammie A. Black
Date: 04/08/20

MONSON

58 Crest Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Kristina M. Hawley
Seller: Theresa S. Martin
Date: 04/14/20

13 Green St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $127,603
Buyer: Ruby Realty LLC
Seller: Edward A. Maia
Date: 04/15/20

114 Maxwell Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Ibrahim Knidel
Seller: Richard H. Degnan
Date: 04/09/20

163 Town Farm Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $426,164
Buyer: Jeffrey T. Cairy
Seller: Theresa Thompson
Date: 04/08/20

PALMER

226 Boston Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Ronald J. Allain
Seller: Kristi K. Atkinson-Haley
Date: 04/17/20

1 Pioneer Dr.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: B. A. Bassilakis-Wegrzynek
Seller: Laurence Vincent
Date: 04/09/20

SPRINGFIELD

53 Abbott St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $142,456
Buyer: Golden Gates Realty
Seller: Wells Fargo Bank
Date: 04/09/20

38-40 Ainsworth St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Pedro Villafana
Seller: Jeanne M. Des-Rosiers
Date: 04/08/20

24 Ansara St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Esequiel Gerena-Lopez
Seller: Victor M. Coronado
Date: 04/10/20

616 Armory St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Hanati Lubega
Seller: Deutsche Bank
Date: 04/16/20

297 Arnold Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $308,625
Buyer: Ricardo Santiago
Seller: Veronica L. Zaler
Date: 04/13/20

31 Arthur St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $122,690
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Kim M. Kilmer
Date: 04/09/20

138 Bay St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $224,000
Buyer: Luis Rodriguez
Seller: New Vision Realty LLC
Date: 04/14/20

11 Biltmore St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $174,000
Buyer: Sabrina Watson
Seller: Jose E. Martinez
Date: 04/17/20

73-75 Blanding St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Maria D. Rivera
Seller: TL Bretta Realty LLC
Date: 04/14/20

11-15 Braddock St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $195,413
Buyer: Brendaliz Hernandez
Seller: BP LLC
Date: 04/16/20

145 Breckwood Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Jaydee Mercado
Seller: CIG 4 LLC
Date: 04/08/20

15 Brown St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Taniesha C. Serrano
Seller: Real Estate Investments NE
Date: 04/08/20

199 Cambria St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Beth E. Palmer
Seller: Angelo Deguglielmo
Date: 04/09/20

34 Carew Ter.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Adelzo Lantigua
Seller: Juan Santana
Date: 04/17/20

37 Chase Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Adolfo Serrano-Torres
Seller: London Realty LLC
Date: 04/21/20

14 Chesterfield Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: Devon E. Shaw
Seller: Patrick J. Denault
Date: 04/10/20

850-852 Chestnut St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Adam J. Bourque
Seller: Carlos Aguasvivas
Date: 04/08/20

281 Cottage St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: 1626 Bay Street LLC
Seller: Local Union 2324
Date: 04/17/20

134-136 Darling St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $208,000
Buyer: Carlos M. Ortiz
Seller: Thomas K. Reen
Date: 04/10/20

90 Darling St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Patricia Bothwell
Seller: Abraxas RT
Date: 04/08/20

9 Dayton St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $159,285
Buyer: Santander Bank
Seller: Gai T. Vo
Date: 04/10/20

272 Denver St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $142,700
Buyer: Brandon Blaine
Seller: Rolando Torres
Date: 04/16/20

318 Dwight Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Tiffany L. O’Donnell
Seller: Ricardo Santiago
Date: 04/13/20

20 Eddy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Miguel Roldan
Seller: Brital 1987 LLC
Date: 04/14/20

36 Eddy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $129,250
Buyer: Benjamin Heacock
Seller: Nancy Ramos
Date: 04/16/20

80 Elaine Circle
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Meredith E. Ballista
Seller: Grahams Construction Inc.
Date: 04/21/20

61-63 Eloise St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Samuel Diaz
Seller: Jad Mourad
Date: 04/10/20

53-55 Farnham Ave.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Darian Felix
Seller: TL Bretta Realty LLC
Date: 04/15/20

119 Feltham Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $179,900
Buyer: Desiree Y. Brown
Seller: Colello, Catherine, (Estate)
Date: 04/21/20

108 Fenway Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Eliana M. Pabon
Seller: Revampit LLC
Date: 04/10/20

176 Florida St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Edwin P. Rivera
Seller: Three Palms LLC
Date: 04/13/20

398-400 Franklin St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Igor F. Santos
Seller: Meg Realty LLC
Date: 04/17/20

156 Gardens Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Terry-Lee A. McCarthy
Seller: Alliance Real Estate Investment
Date: 04/08/20

109 Harmon Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Robert N. Lussier
Seller: Joanne G. Costello
Date: 04/17/20

140 Hermitage Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $278,294
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Preston J. Briggs
Date: 04/09/20

57 Hollywood St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Joel Rojas
Seller: Milagro Rivera
Date: 04/14/20

47-49 Howes St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $255,500
Buyer: Tionna L. Downie
Seller: Hedge Hog Industries Corp.
Date: 04/09/20

30 Kay St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Joansellah K. Maak
Seller: Jane W. Muthua
Date: 04/10/20

46-48 Kent Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Edwin Ramos-Perez
Seller: TL Bretta Realty LLC
Date: 04/09/20

15 Kingsley St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Juan Santana
Seller: Ruby Realty LLC
Date: 04/15/20

80-82 Leyfred Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $144,000
Buyer: Madison Property Investors
Seller: Deutsche Bank
Date: 04/16/20

146 Lumae St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $137,280
Buyer: MTGLQ Investors LP
Seller: George W. Cobleigh
Date: 04/08/20

166 Marsden St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $195,054
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Jose M. Soto-Garcia
Date: 04/10/20

62 Melba St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $150,500
Buyer: Dawn Waskiewicz
Seller: FNMA
Date: 04/17/20

129-131 Moxon St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $238,000
Buyer: Farai Hatidani
Seller: Gyasi Sellers
Date: 04/16/20

60 Nelson Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Magdalena Medina
Seller: Glenn E. Shippy
Date: 04/16/20

79 Newhouse St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Joseph E. Luna-Torres
Seller: CIG 4 LLC
Date: 04/10/20

21 Norwood St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Bar South Land Holdings
Seller: Chicoine, Cecile M., (Estate)
Date: 04/08/20

28 Notre Dame St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Debra Babowicz
Seller: Moises Ballista
Date: 04/21/20

202-204 Oak St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Stephen L. Saxon
Seller: Rodrigues, Mario D. C., (Estate)
Date: 04/17/20

27-29 Oakwood Ter.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Edwin Perez
Seller: Victor M. Lopez-Garcia
Date: 04/17/20

56 Orlando St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $141,400
Buyer: Ikia D. Brown
Seller: Glendon Grant
Date: 04/16/20

86 Pendleton Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Ana Zunilda-Jerez
Seller: FNMA
Date: 04/13/20

48 Pine Acre Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $227,400
Buyer: Joseph T. Ruiz
Seller: Miguel A. Martinez
Date: 04/09/20

75 Regal St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $185,500
Buyer: Nicole L. Levine
Seller: Janine M. Prokop
Date: 04/10/20

78 Sonia St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Ron Moore
Seller: William D. Powers
Date: 04/09/20

639 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Joan Prince
Seller: Global Homes Properties
Date: 04/13/20

593 South Branch Pkwy.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Antonio Jimenez
Seller: Asia M. Stewart
Date: 04/17/20

658 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Karina Curl
Seller: Chad T. Lynch
Date: 04/08/20

11 Timothy Circle
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Douglas A. Desaulnier
Seller: Nicholas F. Fiorentino
Date: 04/10/20

130-132 Washington Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $139,000
Buyer: Nhung Nguyen
Seller: US Bank
Date: 04/21/20

870 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Maria F. Alban
Seller: US Bank
Date: 04/17/20

2175 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Caitlin E. Foster
Seller: Lancaster, Elizabeth P., (Estate)
Date: 04/15/20

61 Winterset Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $227,500
Buyer: James M. Lagodich
Seller: Frank J. Liberti
Date: 04/17/20

SOUTHWICK

8 Partridge Lane
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $357,900
Buyer: Daniel F. Lucia
Seller: Emily A. Moccio
Date: 04/17/20

56 Sunnyside Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $172,300
Buyer: Ruby Realty LLC
Seller: David W. Mitchell
Date: 04/17/20

TOLLAND

1259 East Otis Road
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Daniel Getman
Seller: James Deming
Date: 04/15/20

WALES

4 Church St.
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $133,750
Buyer: Kevin M. Pascale
Seller: Worth, Kaye S., (Estate)
Date: 04/17/20

6 Church St.
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $133,750
Buyer: Kevin M. Pascale
Seller: Worth, Kaye S., (Estate)
Date: 04/17/20

41 Lake George Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Barbara A. Stearns
Date: 04/08/20

206 Stafford Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Benjamin D. Bangs
Seller: Patrick D. Soucy
Date: 04/10/20

WESTFIELD

30 Country Club Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Eugenie S. Kang
Seller: William S. Babinski
Date: 04/10/20

110 Court St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $244,900
Buyer: Christy T. Kyriacou
Seller: Kenneth Ward
Date: 04/10/20

55 Deborah Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Kyle B. Young
Seller: Laurie B. Kincaid
Date: 04/10/20

68 Hagan Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Christopher Paquette
Seller: Dean T. Couture
Date: 04/13/20

55 Jefferson St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Trevor Larson
Seller: William J. Cronin
Date: 04/13/20

59 Lindbergh Blvd.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Patrick O’Keeffe
Seller: Daniel F. Lucia
Date: 04/17/20

87 Llewellyn Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: John P. Cadigan
Seller: Paula J. Ceglowski
Date: 04/15/20

18-1/2 Malone Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Rodney Rosario
Seller: Joseph F. Beaton
Date: 04/21/20

28 Ponders Hollow Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: DHMD Realty LLC
Seller: Ponders Hollow Properties
Date: 04/13/20

190 Western Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: Rebecca L. Granholm
Seller: Hawg Aviation LLC
Date: 04/09/20

29 Whispering Wind Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Sarah L. Bashiruddin
Seller: Christopher M. Sarat
Date: 04/10/20

75 Wilson Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Emily M. Nowell
Seller: Jeffrey K. Fox
Date: 04/17/20

59 Zephyr Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Jonathan J. Adams
Seller: Rebecca L. Granholm
Date: 04/09/20

WILBRAHAM

33 Oakland St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $255,900
Buyer: Michelle R. Stallworth
Seller: Charles D. Spurlock
Date: 04/08/20

WEST SPRINGFIELD

6 Arbor Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Frederick Kudla
Seller: Shelia M. Bolduc
Date: 04/17/20

36 Beauregard Ter.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Denise Vasconcellos
Seller: Anthony G. Collins
Date: 04/08/20

2205 Boston Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $209,000
Buyer: Robert T. Olejarz
Seller: Ambro Development LLC
Date: 04/17/20

36 Braintree Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Susie Sousa-Chapin
Seller: Robert McCaffrey
Date: 04/10/20

101 Heywood Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $1,165,000
Buyer: Palpum Raw LLC
Seller: D&H Property Management
Date: 04/09/20

88 Janet St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Jorge Ramos
Seller: Auri M. Gibbons
Date: 04/10/20

43 Lennys Way
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Catie M. Laraway
Seller: Tandon, Ann, (Estate)
Date: 04/10/20

540 Main St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $442,500
Buyer: Jeffrey K. Fox
Seller: Custom Homes Development Group LLC
Date: 04/17/20

501 Morgan Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $352,000
Buyer: Krishna L. Kharel
Seller: Judith Powers
Date: 04/10/20

165 Nelson St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Dean F. Finnie
Seller: Paul F. Finnie
Date: 04/08/20

268 Park St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $630,000
Buyer: ATRH West Springfield LLC
Seller: O’Connell Family Realty
Date: 04/17/20

437 Riverdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $1,300,000
Buyer: 83 Worthen Street Inc.
Seller: Aum Sai Ram LLC
Date: 04/21/20

351 Springfield St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $378,000
Buyer: Steven G. Otto
Seller: William E. Dyke
Date: 04/15/20

74 Winona Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Ruth Villar
Seller: Michael Werman
Date: 04/09/20

47 Worcester St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Suleiman Iddrisu
Seller: John E. Prenosil
Date: 04/10/20

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

32 Jenks St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Jennifer Goodheart
Seller: Richard Scott
Date: 04/17/20

1522 South East St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $512,000
Buyer: Susan F. Havranek
Seller: Stephen J. Cavanagh
Date: 04/17/20

BELCHERTOWN

671 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $373,000
Buyer: Michael J. McMahan
Seller: Erika Jacobovis-Grael
Date: 04/15/20

45 Magnolia Lane
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $434,900
Buyer: Michael Novak
Seller: J. N. Duquette & Son Construction
Date: 04/21/20

419 Mill Valley Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $297,550
Buyer: Lawrence L. Pope
Seller: Robert L. Andrews
Date: 04/17/20

25 Mountain View Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $336,000
Buyer: Benjamin N. Farrell
Seller: Weifeng Liu
Date: 04/16/20

35 Nathaniel Way
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $377,000
Buyer: Nathan J. Lubas
Seller: David Lucey
Date: 04/15/20

33 Willow Lane
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $575,000
Buyer: Erika Grael
Seller: Robert S. Rodrigue
Date: 04/15/20

EASTHAMPTON

39 Clark St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Maura Morin-Stevens
Seller: Mary-Eileen Burgielewicz
Date: 04/16/20

165 East St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Jessie E. Beland
Seller: Jesse D. Bemben
Date: 04/08/20

401 East St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $279,000
Buyer: Ryan P. Ward
Seller: Laliberte, Paul J., (Estate)
Date: 04/13/20

31 Rabideau Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Kyla M. Korytoski
Seller: Norwich Properties LLC
Date: 04/17/20

GOSHEN

59 Main St.
Goshen, MA 01032
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Lily M. Fariborz
Seller: Frank R. Bertrand
Date: 04/15/20

GRANBY

16 Parish Hill Road
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $288,405
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Robert Woodson
Date: 04/21/20

35 Pleasant St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $128,000
Buyer: Ruby Realty LLC
Seller: Charles E. Moller
Date: 04/08/20

HADLEY

11 Isabel Court
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $229,500
Buyer: David J. Fill
Seller: Robert J. Lafleur
Date: 04/21/20

HUNTINGTON

3 Mill St.
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $194,500
Buyer: Brian Lizotte
Seller: Avery, Jennifer E., (Estate)
Date: 04/16/20

NORTHAMPTON

6 Austin Circle
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Christopher R. Blais
Seller: AJ Capital RT
Date: 04/09/20

137 Barrett St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $373,000
Buyer: Victoria Elson
Seller: Mark Esposito
Date: 04/09/20

8 Dunphy Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $243,300
Buyer: Rowan Lupton
Seller: Daniel Breen
Date: 04/09/20

104 Dunphy Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $253,000
Buyer: Caitlin S. Martin
Seller: Angeline C. Chereski
Date: 04/09/20

167 Emerson Way
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Amy Church-McDonough
Seller: Emerson Way LLC
Date: 04/15/20

435 Florence Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $382,000
Buyer: Jason C. Bolton
Seller: Roland Barbeito
Date: 04/08/20

204 North Maple St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Jason A. Richmond
Seller: Charles E. McCarthy
Date: 04/14/20

68 Ridgewood Ter.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $530,000
Buyer: Peter M. Levy
Seller: Stephanie J. Arvai
Date: 04/10/20

203 State St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Rachel J. Currie-Rubin
Seller: Richard J. Rubin
Date: 04/10/20

SOUTH HADLEY

62 Hadley St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Megan Burton
Seller: Jamroth LLC
Date: 04/13/20

32 Hillside Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Julio C. Ruiz
Seller: Jane F. Sakiewicz
Date: 04/21/20

62 Old Lyman Road
South Hadley, MA 01020
Amount: $359,900
Buyer: Stephen P. Malanaphy
Seller: Premier Home Builders Inc.
Date: 04/10/20

SOUTHAMPTON

1 Birchwood Dr.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Daniel R. Breen
Seller: Elizabeth E. Lempke
Date: 04/09/20

16 Bluemer Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Albert E. Paone
Seller: Karen M. Pasquini
Date: 04/21/20

120 Strong Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Reilly S. Forance
Seller: Alex Trombley
Date: 04/15/20

WARE

179 Babcock Tavern Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Sawyer Sullivan
Seller: Trombley, Wilfred A. Jr., (Estate)
Date: 04/21/20

15 Chestnut St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Luke Toussaint
Seller: April A. Camuso
Date: 04/21/20

140 Eagle St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $116,440
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Jason Ellithorpe
Date: 04/09/20

35-37 High St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: Lissette Figueroa
Seller: CEP Real Estate LLC
Date: 04/09/20

11 Pine St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $184,000
Buyer: Lizbeth DeJesus
Seller: JNB Property Investment
Date: 04/08/20

11 Malboeuf Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Jennifer M. Toelken
Seller: Ciejka, Edmund J., (Estate)
Date: 04/17/20

WILLIAMSBURG

66 Nash Hill Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $438,700
Buyer: Andrew J. Mathers
Seller: Christine Ratzel
Date: 04/17/20

WESTHAMPTON

124 Southampton Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $373,955
Buyer: Rhonda J. Venne
Seller: William Metzger
Date: 04/21/20

WORTHINGTON

248 Patterson Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $605,000
Buyer: Kimberly A. TR
Seller: John P. Welch
Date: 04/17/20

Building Permits

Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of April 2020.

AMHERST

40-50 Main St., LLC
40-50 Main St.
$55,000 — Demolish shelves and mirrors, replace plumbing and electrical fixtures, new acoustic ceiling, new wall, two doors

CHICOPEE

21 Dale, LLC
21 Dale St.
$2,500 — Repair first-floor porch and stairs

107 First Avenue, LLC
107 First Ave.
$118,125 — Roofing

Brett Denhart
1066 Granby Road
$50,000 — Renovate existing dental office to accommodate new owner

Elms College
291 Springfield St.
$175,810 — Renovate existing classroom and rebuild north vestibule

LEE

Bryan Gattasso
335 Forest St.
$25,000 — Verizon to replace one antenna, replace six radio heads, remove three radio heads, and replace one OVP

Time Warner Cable Northeast, LLC
20 Silver St.
$65,300 — Remove two interior walls, creating one larger room; move two doors; divide IT room into two rooms; create a few closets; new flooring, painting, and ceilings in renovated areas

Jay Wise
37 Park St.
$6,000 — Remove 12 washing machines, pour concrete pad, and reinstall machines

LENOX

MRG CRW Holdings, LLC
55 Lee Road
$26,000 — Renovate golf pro shop, including finishes, lighting modifications, casework, and minor space reconfiguration

MRG CRW Holdings, LLC
55 Lee Road
$1,000 — Demolish wooden structure formerly used as golf-cart wash and preparation area

PVI Lenox Village, LLC
17 Housatonic St.
$18,200 — Roofing

SPRINGFIELD

Michael Ferrier
14 Fairfield St.
$11,100 — Stabilize front porch and parapet roof; install new posts, fronting, and framing

Financial Plaza Trust
1350 Main St.
$7,377.22 — Close up in-wall door, soundproof existing wall, demise large room into two new offices and add new door, close off hall into end of space, rework lighting and electrical devices

Icarian Real Estate Advisors, LLC
109 Mill St.
$7,701.77 — Install fire-alarm system for alterations of tenant space to create accessible restroom for Taikwando studio; repair existing handicap ramp

Storage Equities Inc.
351 Parker St.
$39,526 — Wire and install roof-mounted solar panels on Building B

Storage Equities Inc.
351 Parker St.
$39,526 — Wire and install roof-mounted solar panels on Building C

Storage Equities Inc.
351 Parker St.
$39,526 — Wire and install roof-mounted solar panels on Building J

Amy Rediker Anderlonis

Director of Corporate Communications, Treasurer, and Owner, Rediker Software; Age 36; Education: George Washington University (BA)

A vital force in the success of Rediker Software, Anderlonis has helped increase international sales, increased brand awareness, developed the company’s social-media presence, and founded Rediker Cares, organizing and serving as the liaison for many volunteer events to benefit local nonprofits.

Amy Rediker Anderlonis Photo by Leah Martin Photography

What did you want to be when you grew up? When I was younger, my dream job was to work for the United Nations. I used to think that, in order to make a difference in this world, I had to work for a large, international organization. However, I now know you can also make a big difference by simply being a leader in your own community, whether through work, volunteering, or both.

What goal do you set for yourself at the start of each day? Balance. I wear many hats, not just at work, but also in my personal life. In addition to Rediker Software, I am a mom of two young children and a puppy, as well as a wife, sister, daughter, granddaughter, friend, and community volunteer. Through time management and prioritization, I try to fulfill all of my roles the best I can while still finding time for my own health and wellness. There are only so many hours in the day, and it’s impossible to get everything done. Often tasks aren’t completed, e-mails aren’t answered right away, and laundry goes unfolded — and that’s OK.

What do you do for fun? I love to find cool events in the area. There is so much to do in Western Massachusetts; you just have to look. My friends and I recently went to a fun wine-and-chocolate pairing at Black Birch Winery in Hatfield, and we are planning to attend a concert this summer at Tanglewood. My husband and I are big foodies, so we like to visit highly rated restaurants and attend specialty dinners. I also love to travel with my family and explore other parts of New England and the world.

What will work colleagues say at your funeral? I hope I am remembered for my work in our community — that I worked hard to improve it and make it a better place, and that I gave colleagues the opportunity to do so as well. I also hope to be remembered as a good friend and mentor who saw the best in people and helped them reach their own goals.

Amanda Babinski

Director of Finance & Operations, Palmer Public Schools; Age 37; Education: Elmira College (BS)

After losing her husband to cancer three years ago, this mother of two earned her business administrator’s license in 18 months and landed the open position overseeing finance and operations for Palmer’s school system. There, she has created a new budget process, helped balance a fiscally conservative budget to meet the needs of students, simplified benefits, and helped transform the central office into a 21st-century work environment, as well as creating a before- and after-school program for students in pre-K through grade 5. In addition, she coaches multiple youth sports, supports Rick’s Place, and teaches CCD at her church.

Amanda Babinski

What goal do you set for yourself at the start of each day? At the start of each day, I set out to be the best I can be in each role I play. I want my kids to get the best of me and my job to get the best of me. I always want to have my best foot forward. I am really proud of the fact that I was able to successfully enter into the business manager licensure program, complete the course, and obtain my license through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. My kids have been incredibly supportive of how busy mom has been, and always ‘help’ me with my homework. I have a strong work family as well and feel lucky to be a part of the Palmer schools family.

What are you passionate about? Public service. In every job I have held, I have served others, and I am always proud to do good work for other people. I am inspired by the underdog and always want to do my part to help everyone to be successful. For fun, I love spending time with my children. We like to be outside, playground hopping, shopping, or spending time with our extended family. Time spent with my family is the best stress reliever I can think of.

What person, past or present, would you like to have lunch with, and why? If I could have lunch with anyone, it would be my husband. He was an amazing man, who passed away in 2017 after a courageous battle with cancer. My children and I miss him every day, and I would love to have lunch with him to check in and see how he feels about all we have accomplished since he passed.

Ryan Barry

Partner, Bulkley Richardson; Age 37; Education: Colorado College (BA), Northeastern University School of Law (JD)

Barry’s law practice focuses on advising businesses, charitable organizations, healthcare organizations, and educational institutions on the legal issues that affect them.

Ryan Barry Photo by Leah Martin Photography

What did you want to be when you grew up? A ski bum. I accomplished that goal in my 20s, living in Crested Butte, Colorado, skiing every day and working as a chef at night.

What do you do for fun? I love backcountry skiing, fly fishing and fly tying, cooking, reading, watching British mystery shows, and being outside with my family.

How do you relieve stress? My 3-year-old running full-speed into my arms for a hug is the best stress reliever I know. A long walk or ski in the woods does the trick, too.

What’s your favorite hangout or activity in Western Mass., and why? Some of my favorite spots include Mt. Greylock, Mt. Tom, the Deerfield and Westfield rivers, and the bike paths, playgrounds, breweries, and restaurants in my hometown of Easthampton. I love the mix of nature and community here in Western Mass.

What fictional character do you relate to most, and why? I at least aspire to be like Gus McCrae from Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove. He doesn’t take himself too seriously, but is also the kind of person you can rely on when you’re in a tight spot. I also admire characters who react to hardship with good humor, like Sully in Richard Russo’s Nobody’s Fool.

What person, past or present, would you like to have lunch with, and why? John Adams. I recently finished David McCullough’s great biography of him. He lived an extraordinary and adventurous life and was a fearless and principled attorney. I’d love to hear his thoughts on modern-day America over lunch and a hard cider (which Adams apparently drank every day, including at breakfast).

What actor would play you in a movie about your life? Even though he often plays bad guys, the late, great Alan Rickman.

What will work colleagues say at your funeral? As John Cleese said at the funeral of one of his fellow Monty Python members, “Good riddance to him, the freeloading bastard! I hope he fries.” Hopefully, my colleagues will also be saying it just for shock value, but only time will tell.

Marco Basile

CEO, Dreamscape Designs Landscaping/Rent A Tent; Age 27

At age 13, Basile started his first company, Rent A Tent, which is a party-equipment rental company he still owns and operate today. At 17, he started a second company, Dreamscape Designs Landscaping, and continues to grow that enterprise today as well.

Marco Basile Photo by Leah Martin Photography

What three words best describe you? Passionate, driven, dependable.

What’s been your biggest professional accomplishment so far in your career? Over the past 10 years, I have grown Dreamscape Designs Landscaping from a one-man operation to a company that has multiple crews servicing hundreds of commercial and residential clients weekly.

What are you passionate about? Being the best version of myself and helping the people around me succeed. I am also passionate about inspiring youth, and as the head coach of the East Longmeadow High School wrestling team, I am able to change the mindset of so many.

What goal do you set for yourself at the start of each day? Every night, I create a checklist of things that I need to do the next day. My goal each day is to complete that checklist.

What’s your favorite hangout or activity in Western Mass., and why? As a small-business owner, it is important to support other local businesses. I have a lot of family and friends who own many great local restaurants; it’s hard to list them all. If I had to choose one place I really enjoying spending time at, it would be Nathan Bill’s. I admire how they are always giving back, and I feel good about spending my hard-earned money at places where I know that they will pay it forward.

What will work colleagues say at your funeral? I’ll admit I had to get a little help on this one, so I asked a friend. He said, “Marco is someone you can truly count on. He is someone who genuinely has your back and would do anything for a friend while expecting nothing in return. Marco is also one of the most hardworking people I have ever met. He is always going above and beyond in everything he does.”

What person, past or present, would you like to have lunch with, and why? Elon Musk. I love his optimism — we both see the world as a place where nothing is impossible.

Conor Bevan

Director of Program Development, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke; Age 33; Education: Skidmore College (BA); New York University (MBA)

As a child, Bevan spent plenty of time at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke, crediting it with helping him reach his full potential. Today, he oversees the club’s annual $1.6 million programming budget and helps supervise three full-time staff, 35 part-time support staff, and 200 volunteers.

Conor Bevan

What did you want to be when you grew up? For as long as I can remember, I wanted to give back to the community that invested so much in me. Outside of school, I spent my days as a kid walking back and forth between the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke and the Greater Holyoke YMCA, participating in various sports in the city and learning the impact of volunteerism. Along my journey, I built lasting relationships and developed valuable character-development traits. Whether it was a teacher, coach, out-of-school-time program, or mentor, each day I was given a new tool to grow into a productive, caring, and responsible adult. I came to realize that I will never be able to truly pay it forward, but I will try my best to do so. My passion for community development and volunteerism translated into a dedication to connecting people to resources. Looking back now, I am doing the exact work I dreamed of when I was a kid.

What do you do for fun? In my free time, you will find me in love with being a husband and father while enjoying the beautiful outdoors of Western Massachusetts. Whether it’s hikes in the Berkshires, listening to music at Tanglewood, cookouts at Mt. Tom, or running around Ashley Reservoir, my family and I love spending as much time as we can enjoying the fresh air.

What person, past or present, would you like to have lunch with, and why? My mom, Marlyn Bevan. I knew at a young age I was the luckiest person alive to have her in my life. She was my guiding north star for 28 years. She was a mother, teacher, coach, role model, and best friend. She taught me love, loyalty, compassion, respect, gratitude, resilience, and much more. One more lunch with my mom would be the gift of a lifetime. Outside of one more chance to gain endless wisdom, I would have another opportunity to thank her for making me the husband, father, and man I am today.

Julio Carrasquillo III

Area Retail Leader, KeyBank; Age 36; Education: Southern New Hampshire University

Carrasquillo joined KeyBank in 2018, taking over a branch at the bottom in performance and quickly driving that branch to the top of the company. A graduate of the bank’s fast-track program, he now mentors many KeyBank employees.

Julio Carrasquillo III Photo by Leah Martin Photography

What’s been your biggest professional accomplishment so far in your career? Leading a team of 11 great branch managers who were once my peers, and helping them make a difference in the communities we serve by delivering financial wellness and impacting peoples lives. I’ve been in banking since 2005, holding every role from teller to personal banker to branch manager. It definitely helps me to have been in the place of so many of my colleagues and can relate to what they need to be successful. Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate enough to work in low- and moderate-income communities, and, having come from one, it’s been so gratifying and rewarding to help as many people as possible meet their goals with proper financial planning. Two years ago, I reassessed where I was as a leader. Helping more of my colleagues deliver sound financial advice to clients in the role of area retail leader was my target, and I executed that plan. Now I get to help other leaders grow and achieve their career goals.

Who inspires you, and why? My father inspires me. He’s had to work hard for everything he’s had, coming from very little in Puerto Rico. In his family life, he’s tireless in his pursuit of a respected and happy family legacy. In his spiritual life, he’s been the blue-collar, roll-up-his-sleeves, church deacon turned pastor. He takes on the challenges nobody else volunteers for, delivers great guidance and leadership, and is loved by the people in the congregations he’s ministered to. He’s developed a reputation of a ‘fixer,’ and I have done the same in my career. Making him proud is a daily thought for me.

What’s your favorite hangout or activity in Western Mass., and why? Eating and drinking! Whether it’s grabbing a bite to eat at Lattitude, the Federal, or Big Mamou’s or a cigar at Cigar Room 2 and brewery hopping, there’s such a rich and diverse culture in Western Mass. that you could never do the same thing twice and still have a great time.

What will work colleagues say at your funeral? Julio helped me help my clients, and we had a ton of fun doing so!

Danny Deane

Owner, F45 Training Hampshire Meadows and F45 Training Riverdale; Assistant Business Agent/HSMO, Local 455/FirstLight Power; Age 35

After completing an eight-year millwright apprenticeship program through Local 1121 out of Boston, Deane quickly rose to the top of the ranks, ultimately managing crews of 60-plus as a keyman for APM and General Electric, then serving as a superintendent on several high-stakes outages throughout the country. In 2013, he accepted a position closer to home and joined IBEW Local 455 as an in-house mechanical maintenance operator with FirstLight Power, where he oversees all maintenance projects and control of the power plant’s three hydro stations and 11 generators, and has since become assistant business agent for Local 455. He later launched a franchise of F45 Training in Hadley, where he oversees 14 employees, and is opening a second franchise in West Springfield.

Danny Deane

What three words best describe you? Positive, motivated, dad.

What’s been your biggest professional accomplishment so far in your career? Navigating my side business from a single startup to two remunerative, life-changing fitness companies while simultaneously maintaining a full-time career, negotiating a CBA for my union peers, and raising three kids under 5.

What are you passionate about? Positivity and fun. I approach every situation, each day, with a positive attitude. Making sure everyone in the room has a smile on their face is paramount to me. I literally sing the chorus of “Live Like You Were Dying” to my children every night before bed.

Who inspires you, and why? My wife, Jessye. She sets out every day with the intention to make the world a better place. She is the kindest person I know and my most trusted advisor. She inspires me every day to work harder, be more thoughtful, and polish my sense of humor so I can stay funnier than she is.

How do you relieve stress? Exercising, working overtime, and enjoying craft beer — pretty much in that order.

What’s your favorite hangout or activity in Western Mass., and why? A Saturday-morning Hollywood session at F45 Training. It’s a party with a lot of sweat, a DJ, and a bunch of amazing people who have become like family.

What person, past or present, would you like to have lunch with, and why? I would like to sit at a table for three with Nikola Tesla and Post Malone. I am fascinated by the knowledge and innovation that an individual could have inside one mind. Plus, Tesla would be cool to meet, too.

Brian Fournier

General Manager, Ernie’s Towing; Age 37

Fournier joined the family business, Wayside Auto, and its towing and recovery division, Ernie’s Towing, straight out of high school. Starting as an operator, he worked his way up through the ranks, eventually taking over management of that division. He opened a second location in Amherst in 2009, creating new jobs in a down economy. Now a standalone entity owned by Fournier, Ernie’s Towing continues to operate two locations with 35 employees. He has continued to grow the company, expanding its services to include becoming a premier AAA provider, entering into the long-distance transportation service, and securing more than a half-dozen local and state agency emergency contracts. With the Massachusetts Statewide Towing Assoc., Fournier has served as Western Massachusetts director for more than 10 years and sits on its legislative steering committee, aiming to professionalize and standardize the towing and recovery industry while advocating for the safety and well-being of consumers and industry professionals. He was vital in passing the Slow Down Move Over Law in Massachusetts, making police, firefighters, paramedics, tow-truck operators, and roadside emergency and maintenance professionals safer on the job.

Brian Fournier

What did you want to be when you grew up? Law enforcement.

What three words best describe you? Determined, thoughtful, honest.

What’s been your biggest professional accomplishment so far in your career? Expanding the business from a small, six-employee company to more than 35 employees today.

What goal do you set for yourself at the start of each day? To better improve my business while also keeping my employees safe.

What are you passionate about? Family.

Who inspires you, and why? My father. He is my biggest role model. He is a hardworking and very smart businessman.

What do you do for fun? I enjoy traveling, snowmobiling, and also spending time on the UTV with family and friends.

How do you relieve stress? Spending time outdoors with my family.

What will work colleagues say at your funeral? He was a great leader and a thoughtful and helpful person, always concerned about his employees and leading by example.

Sarah Goff

President, Unify Against Bullying; Age 39; Education: Westfield State University (BA)

An assistant store manager for Kohl’s with a heart for the community, Goff has long organized volunteer opportunities for the Kohl’s Cares program. This work began 17 years ago when she started with the company as a sales associate, and she was soon recognized as a top volunteer. She has since taken charge of coordinating events — and attending many of them outside her work hours — and has been recognized as the Volunteer Champion for organizing the most volunteer opportunities in her store’s region. Meanwhile, she found a specific organization that focused on an issue near to her heart, and began working with Unify Against Bullying four years ago. During her time with this organization, she has been a volunteer coordinator and part of the fashion show committee, one of Unify’s biggest fundraising events. Seeing the impact this organization was having on today’s youth, Goff chose to get more involved, serving as board secretary and recently being named board president, a role through which her vision will help lead this organization into the future. Goff’s passion for volunteering has spread to her family and friends. She and her husband, Jeremy, are founding members of the Red Thread Network (formerly Terriers Around Town), an organization that increases art opportunities for the West Springfield community and surrounding areas. Many of her family members and friends have attended and volunteered at events, most notably the Unify Against Bullying fashion show and Red Thread Network’s Yuletree Jubilee.

Sarah Goff Photo by Leah Martin Photography

What three words best describe you? Passionate, determined, caring.

What’s been your biggest professional accomplishment so far in your career? Becoming the president of Unify Against Bullying.

What are you passionate about? Family and friends, and anti-bullying initiatives.

Who inspires you, and why? The Unify Against Bullying family. They are an amazing group of individuals who truly believe what makes everyone unique is what makes them amazing people.

What do you do for fun? Disney World is my happy place. When I’m not going to Disney, I make sure to have a little bit of Disney in my daily life.

What person, past or present, would you like to have lunch with, and why? Walt Disney, of course. Walt never gave up on his dreams, and he inspired those who worked with him to be more than they ever knew they were capable of.

Brendan Greeley

President, R.J. Greeley Co. Inc.; Age 39; Education: Saint Michael’s College (BA)

Over the past 15 years, Greeley has represented many local and national corporations with their real-estate needs, and now leads the company his father founded more than 35 years ago.

Brendan Greeley Photo by Leah Martin Photography

What did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a rock star. I sang in a band with a group of friends from high school for years. Now I settle for an occasional karaoke, but I’d love to do it again someday.

What three words best describe you? Ready, thoughtful, steadfast.

What’s been your biggest professional accomplishment so far in your career? I could mention a big deal I helped put together or how I helped someone who really needed it, but in general, I would say my biggest professional accomplishment is all the friends I have made along the way. For me, my personal life blends together with my professional life, which makes it easy to go to ‘work.’

What are you passionate about? Finding balance. While it’s really important for me to put 100% into work, it’s even more important to put 100% into living. So how do I put everything into everything? Passion. Passion for life is the superpower necessary to output more than 100% to satisfy the demands of finding success and living a purposeful life.

How do you relieve stress? I joined a hockey team and became a hockey goalie at age 36. I was on sports teams my whole life until things started to get in the way of being able to participate, like work and family. Nothing relieves stress for me quite like being competitive and celebrating victory.

What’s your favorite hangout or activity in Western Mass., and why? I’m originally from Amherst, and there’s a short hike I used to do up in Sunderland on Mount Toby that leads up to a fire tower. It’s a place I’ve gone for many, many years. It’s a place I’ve frequented with many friends and family, and it’s always a peaceful place for me.

Who inspires you, and why? I’m most inspired by my children. My wife, Amy, and I have two boys, and I’m eager to show them the world. They inspire me to work hard, to be active with them, to teach them fun things, and to be the best role model I can be for them, like my parents and grandparents have been for me. They make life really fun.

Jacquelyn Guzie

Assistant Vice President, Regional Manager, PeoplesBank; Age 38; Education: New England College of Business and Finance (BS)

Not only does Guzie oversee the growth and development of four banking centers in North Central Connecticut — most recently helping bring together the corporate cultures of PeoplesBank and First National Bank of Suffield after a merger — but she also volunteers 20 hours a week with Suffield Volunteer Ambulance Assoc. as an EMT.

Jacquelyn Guzie

What did you want to be when you grew up? When I was a little girl, I loved babies. Any chance I got to interact with a baby, I took it. This prompted my dream job — to be an obstetrician. Later in life, I found banking was better suited for me.

What three words best describe you? Fun, selfless, passionate.

What are you passionate about? My absolute passion is my volunteerism as an emergency medical technician. It is extremely rewarding to know I can be on the front line, saving lives in an emergency situation.

Who inspires you, and why? My mother. My mom has raised me to believe that you can achieve whatever you desire and overcome any challenge that you want to take on. I have lived by this rule throughout my life as one of the best lessons learned.

What do you do for fun? Being a mom! The most fun I have in life is spent with my 4-year-old daughter, whether it is doing crafts or playing hide and seek or simply just cuddling on the couch watching Lady and the Tramp — five times in a row!

How do you relieve stress? Taking ‘me’ time at the nail or hair salon or an appointment with my massage therapist, Mary.

What’s your favorite hangout or activity in Western Mass., and why? Obviously, who doesn’t love a good time at the new MGM?

What person, past or present, would you like to have lunch with, and why? I would give anything to be able to have lunch with my grandfather today. He passed six years ago, and I would love to just talk to him about my accomplishments in life and mostly to have him meet my daughter — he would love her.

What will work colleagues say at your funeral? Well, hopefully they will say that I have impacted their life in a good way along the journey.

Paul Hake

CEO, HitPoint Inc.; Age 37; Education: UMass Amherst (BDIC)

Not only does Hake lead HitPoint, one of the largest independent game studios in New England, with offices in Greenfield and Los Angeles and a business team in Scotland, he’s also CEO of LuckyPoint Inc., a gaming platform company; co-founded the Another Castle workspace in Greenfield; and has developed games for Disney, Ellen DeGeneres, Niantic, EA, Microsoft, Hasbro, and many others.

Paul Hake

What did you want to be when you grew up? Having an entrepreneurial mother who ran a successful business and a computer-programming father who taught me coding at a young age, it was almost inevitiable I would end up where I am. In junior high, I was already contemplating starting my own company. I knew my business was going to be something computer-related, and, in eighth grade, I started a computer-repair business and got my first taste of running a business. Admittedly, I had a lot of support from my parents in this venture, mostly around driving me to the homes of clients. The decision to run a software company dawned on me after being stumped on too many hardware-related repair problems. Around the same time, we started getting PC games at our house (no consoles were allowed in the house), including Myst and Civilization. That’s pretty much when I decided I’d start a game studio after college.

What three words best describe you? Grit, high-energy, hangry.

How do you relieve stress? For me, there is nothing like going for a long run or bike ride to reset my thinking, reduce stress, and feel refreshed. In addition to reducing stress, some of my most creative thinking happens out on the road.

What’s your favorite hangout or activity in Western Mass., and why? There are so many fantastic places to have fun in Western Mass., it’s not possible for me to pick a favorite. However, some of my favorite places to go with my wife, Kim, and our two kids include the People’s Pint, the front porch at Magpie, and hanging out at one of the many swimming holes on the Green River.

What fictional character do you relate to most, and why? 30 Rock’s Liz Lemon. There are many reasons I feel like I relate to Lemon, though moreso in her work life than personal life (for example, I haven’t slept with James Franco). But we’re both running creative entities, working more than we should, loving cheese, and really just trying to have it all.

Kristina Healey

Patient Experience Manager, Baystate Health Inc.; Age 28; Education: Springfield College (BS); Columbia University (MPH)

Healey leads a team of patient-experience specialists across the entire Baystate Health system, providing leadership and guidance for directors and managers, addressing both barriers to care and best practices, and supporting staff development through coaching, mentoring, and leading by example, among other roles.

Kristina Healey

What did you want to be when you grew up? When I was growing up, I always wanted to be a ballerina. I grew up dancing at the Hackworth School of Performing Arts (HSPA), and, being the daughter of a dance teacher, I shared that passion for dancing and performing with my mom. Even though I didn’t become a professional ballerina, I am continuing to share my love of dance as a member of the faculty at HSPA, as well as being an adjudicator at dance competitions across the Northeast.

What three words best describe you? Passionate, kind, determined.

What person, past or present, would you like to have lunch with, and why? I am a Disney fan through and through. Sure, the movies and theme parks are amazing, but it all started because of one man’s dream. Walt Disney was not only a visionary leader, but he inspired people across generations to believe and accomplish the impossible. I’ve read so much about him over the years, but I still have so many questions to ask him about his leadership strategies and his pride in the accomplishments of the Walt Disney Company since his passing.

What fictional character do you relate to most, and why? If you asked me this question when I was a kid, the answer would have been Ariel from The Little Mermaid. Why? Because she’s a mermaid, duh. Now, as an adult, I relate most to Tiana from The Princess and the Frog. She is a hardworking woman with big goals, a vision, and a supportive family by her side. What’s even more relatable for me is that Tiana also lost her dad at a young age, and her desire to make him proud fueled her passion for becoming a girl boss. She didn’t let any excuses or barriers stop her from accomplishing her goals, and ultimately she persevered.

Who inspires you, and why? A lot of people in this world inspire me. My family, my dad, the patients and employees of Baystate Health, my dance students and colleagues — they all inspire me every day to be the best version of myself.

Shannon Hicks

Clinic Director, Center for Human Development; Age 36; Education: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (BA), Springfield College (MSW)

Hicks has immersed herself into the communities she serves. She saw firsthand the destruction the opioid crisis brought to the region and has kept the Center for Human Development (CHD) on the front lines of that fight for the last five years. As a member of various prevention and solution initiatives, she contributes a wealth of knowledge and advocacy to various coalitions throughout the western part of the state. As a licensed independent clinical social worker, certified as a dialectical behavior therapist and a recovery coach supervisor, she oversees and supervises large clinical operations at CHD’s Easthampton Behavioral Health Outpatient Clinic and the Greenfield Center for Wellness, and is also the director of the agency’s Dialectical Behavior Therapy Clinical Internship Program — a program she designed to create an opportunity for the next generation of master’s-level social workers to enter the field trained in what’s considered a cutting-edge, evidence-based practice. She also leads dialectical behavior therapy groups for adolescent girls and adult women in the community who are struggling with maladaptive behaviors. Hicks also helped launch CHD’s integrated behavioral-health and wellness center in Greenfield, acting as the liaison between CHD and the Community Health Center of Franklin County to ensure that the most vulnerable people in that community are cared for. Her leadership has helped create a unique setting that co-locates primary, dental, and mental healthcare, removing barriers to care and providing a welcoming setting to all who enter.

Shannon Hicks Photo by Leah Martin Photography

What did you want to be when you grew up? I always wanted to have a job where, if people came to me for help, I could help. I was unsure of what that job would be, exactly, but that passion and desire led me in the direction of social work.

What three words best describe you? Motivated, loyal, compassionate.

What’s been your biggest professional accomplishment so far in your career? The development of the outpatient clinics I oversee in both Franklin and Hampshire counties.

What goal do you set for yourself at the start of each day? To do the best I can.

What are you passionate about? My family and providing support to those who are in need.

Who inspires you, and why? My two children and my husband, because they are the reason I do what I do.

What will work colleagues say at your funeral? That I was dedicated to the work we do and always there for them.

Dan Holmes

Senior Project Manager, Tighe & Bond; Age 37; Education: Springfield Technical Community College (AS); Central Connecticut State University (BS)

Since starting with Tighe & Bond in 2007, Holmes has worked with a diverse team of engineers to develop solutions for wastewater, drinking water, transportation, and site projects. In 2019, he successfully managed seven construction projects throughout the state with a total construction value of nearly $11 million.

Dan Holmes

What did you want to be when you grew up? I didn’t want to be a civil engineer. As a youngster, I was really focused on sports and aspired to build a career in a sports-related field. In seventh or eighth grade, I recall our school hosting a career fair. Essentially, parents of students would talk with different classes about their careers. One of the speakers was a civil engineer, so I attended. The speaker talked about drain pipes, rain events, and how to convey water, which was all quite boring at the time. I walked out of the room very confident I would never be a civil engineer. In high school, I took a drafting class, where I was introduced to hand drafting and the early stages of computer-aided drafting. I enjoyed that class and decided to sign up for an architectural certificate program at Springfield Technical Community College. I quickly learned I wasn’t going to be an architect, but I enjoyed many of the civil-engineering-related classes and transferred to the civil engineering program. The rest is history.

What goal do you set for yourself at the start of each day? Survive. As long as I meet that goal daily, then I’ve given myself the opportunity to achieve my ambitions.

How do you relieve stress? Fishing. It’s an activity that puts me in a good place mentally. Spending the day with my son on the Connecticut River fishing for stripers during their spring migration eliminates all my stress.

What do you do for fun? I enjoy spending as much time with my family as I can. I coach multiple sports teams for both my children, which is fun and rewarding. It has allowed me to develop a deep bond with them and watch them grow as athletes and little humans. I also have fun when we travel and explore different places as a family. The memories and experiences gained while traveling have been amazing and are irreplaceable.

What will work colleagues say at your funeral? We will miss waiting for him to review those documents.

Melissa Knowles

Principal, Veterans Park School, Ludlow; Age 37; Education: St. Michael’s College (BA), Springfield College (MA), American International College (CAGS)

Among her many achievements, Knowles has developed standards for academic achievement, incorporated more arts into the curriculum, developed mentoring programs for students, and introduced Grow the Good, a program in which students and staff perform acts of kindness for Ludlow residents.

Melissa Knowles

What did you want to be when you grew up? Since I was a little girl, I always wanted to be a teacher. I used to force my younger brother to play school at home when we were kids. I would write on the chalkboard and take every opportunity to take charge and tell him what to do. And I always loved school supplies! When I was about 11, I started my own birthday-party business with a friend, and we would plan games and activities at birthday parties. It was my first experience actually leading a group of children, and I never stopped after that.

What’s been your biggest professional accomplishment so far in your career? Being awarded the job as principal at 28 years old. Although I wasn’t sure I was ready to leave the classroom so soon, I have no regrets and am proud of all I have accomplished with my staff and students in my nine years as principal.

What do you do for fun? As the mother of two very happy and excitable boys, most of my fun revolves around spending time with them. I enjoy watching my oldest play sports, spending time outside, going on adventures or getaways with my husband and kids, and getting together with family and friends. I also appreciate when I can sneak some time on my own to shop, especially at Target or HomeGoods.

What will work colleagues say at your funeral? Hopefully they will say I was a leader and role model, that I was passionate about kids and education, and that I had a big heart and put everything I had into everything I did. I hope they will say I was creative and had an ability to think outside the box, not afraid to take risks, but willing to try something new or innovative — and always encouraged others to do the same. I hope they will say I was kind and compassionate and valued each and every person for who they are, that I showed everyone respect, regardless if we always agreed, and that I truly was so proud of everything we accomplished together.

Benjamin Lamb

Director of Economic Development, 1Berkshire; Age 34; Education: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (BA), the College of Saint Rose (M.Ed.), University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Ph.D.)

Lamb’s work focuses on what he calls ‘wraparound economic development,’ which creates connective tissue between traditional and non-traditional participants in the region’s economic ecosystem — most notably through his development and launch of the Berkshire Blueprint 2.0, an economic-development imperative for the region’s next decade.

Benjamin Lamb Photo by Leah Martin Photography

What did you want to be when you grew up? A rock collector.

What three words best describe you? Eclectic, dad, caffeine.

What goal do you set for yourself at the start of each day? Get it done.

Who inspires you, and why? My two-and-a-half-year-old son. His passion for things he loves, his intense focus when he is learning something new, and his celebration of success make me see how even small actions and achievements can have meaningful impacts and reasons to be excited.

What person, past or present, would you like to have lunch with, and why? I’m torn between Nikola Tesla and Bill Nye. Nikola’s mind was so incredible that I would just want to glean from his brilliance. Bill Nye has inspired me since I was a child watching PBS. He made science and learning digestible, regardless of age, and has continued to be someone I deeply admire.

What do you do for fun? Find new and funky ways to celebrate the city I live in and the community I surround myself with.

What’s your favorite hangout or activity in Western Mass., and why? I just love getting outdoors with my family, even if it’s just in the backyard. It helps to remind me of the quality of life I get to enjoy in the Berkshires and the value of our natural surroundings here.

What fictional character do you relate to most, and why? Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation. She somehow fits 25 hours into the day, has a deep and unmatched love for her community and work, and is obnoxiously positive in her outlook 90% of the time. I think most who know me would recognize those qualities in what they experience with me.

How do you relieve stress? Gardening.

What will work colleagues say at your funeral? Who’s going to water his plants?

Jacob Lauzier

Chief Technical Officer, MachineMetrics; Age 35; Education: UMass Amherst (BS)

As a co-founder of MachineMetrics, Lauzier has helped build a successful startup in Western Mass. that now employs more than 50 people. MachineMetrics has received multiple awards, including from Forbes, and its Boston office was named a top-100 place to work in Boston. Lauzier has led and grown the largest team in the company and built an award-winning product that has been recognized globally as Smart Manufacturing’s Industrial IoT Product of the Year. Active outside of work as well, Lauzier is involved with Northampton Young Professionals, Hack for Western Mass., and MTConnect’s Tag Committee, where he helped develop open specifications for his industry.

Jacob Lauzier Photo by Chattman Photography

What did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to build Legos. I got my wish — but my Legos are zeros and ones.

What are you passionate about? I’m passionate about building experiences. For a long time, I was passionate about building software and the experiences that users have with interacting with that software, from the flow that they go through to make their lives easier to the joy they had with how the pixels were laid out on the screen. Now, I’m passionate about working with others to build a successful team that creates those experiences for our customers.

What person, past or present, would you like to have lunch with, and why? I wouldn’t be honest with myself if I didn’t say Steve Jobs. He was an incredibly flawed character — someone who didn’t actually build any of the technology that he’s credited for, and a person that often led through fear in ways that go against my core values. But he did inspire legions of people to design a new future, and I can’t take that away. He did this through storytelling, and I would love to just listen.

Karen Ruiz León