Day: June 9, 2021

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Anyone who knew Andy Yee knew how much he loved his family and friends, the restaurant business, good food, entertainment, and his community. And while many are mourning the loss of the legendary restaurateur, the Student Prince & the Fort will celebrate his life with a 60th birthday bash on Friday, June 11, featuring some of the things Yee loved.

The event take place indoors and outdoors at 8 Fort St. in Springfield beginning at 5 p.m. It will kick off with a proclamation by Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, a welcome by Yee’s restaurant partner and friend Peter Picknelly, and a word from Rudi Scherff, longtime former owner of the Fort.

The menu will include Yee’s favorite dishes from the Fort kitchen, while the Fort bar will serve his favorite drink menu, and, because Yee loved music, a lineup of live music will be offered with no cover charge.

Bulkley Richardson Welcomes Four Summer Associates

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Bulkley Richardson has enhanced the firm’s summer associate program, welcoming four law students this summer.

Briana Dawkins is currently attending Western New England University School of Law and earned a bachelor’s degree from Curry College, summa cum laude, in 2018. She was an intern at the U.S. Department of Labor and the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities.

Sean Buxton is currently attending Western New England University School of Law. He is a 2019 graduate of Princeton University, cum laude, where he earned a bachelor’s degree. He was an intern at the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office and for Judge Alberto Rivas in the Superior Court of New Jersey.

Shriti Shah is currently attending the University of Connecticut School of Law. She received a master of management studies degree in 2017 from K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research, and a bachelor of commerce degree in 2004 from SIES College of Arts, Science and Commerce, both affiliated with the University of Mumbai.

Jacob Kosakowski is currently attending Suffolk University School of Law. He is a 2018 graduate of UMass Amherst, summa cum laude, and served as an intern for Chief Justice Paul Dawley and the Child Abuse Unit of the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office.

Summer associates are introduced to the inner workings of a law firm, receive mentorship from lawyers ranging from firm leaders and retired judges to junior associates, and are exposed to real-life legal matters. All of this year’s summer associates anticipate a spring 2022 graduation from law school.

“Having a robust summer program is a vital component of the firm’s growth,” said Kevin Maynard, chair of the firm’s hiring committee. “Our attorneys take pride in mentoring new lawyers, and the summer associate program is where it all begins. By inviting bright, new talent to the firm, we have the opportunity to play a significant role in the start of their careers.”

Freedom Credit Union Accepting Donations for Food Bank of Western Massachusetts

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Freedom Credit Union is collecting cash donations at its 11 branches throughout the region to benefit the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, which leads the fight against food insecurity throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties. Donations will be accepted through Saturday, July 31.

“Food insecurity is more prevalent than you might expect,” Freedom Credit Union President Glenn Welch said. “More than 100,000 people across the region’s four counties are in need of support, especially as we all continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. As an institution, we are proud to raise awareness and funds to help the Food Bank provide for those in need.”

Since 1982, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts has helped provide much-needed food to area residents. It sources products from donations and then supplies it to participating pantries, meal sites, and shelters throughout the region. Its work allows individuals, families, seniors, children, veterans, and people with disabilities to lead healthy and meaningful lives.

Based on the donations received in their previous fiscal year, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts was able to provide the equivalent of 12.3 million meals, a significant increase over previous years.

“You don’t need to donate a lot to make a difference — any amount helps to make a significant impact in ensuring that your neighbors have enough to eat,” Welch said. “A $1 donation to the Food Bank can actually provide up to four meals for those in need. We can all work together to create a hunger-free Western Massachusetts.”

Throughout the months of June and July, Freedom Credit Union employees and members, as well as the community at large, are invited to make monetary donations in support of this cause at any Freedom branch. All funds collected during this time will directly benefit the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

Businesses Adjusting to a New Normal

Cover Story

The Next Stage

The governor calls the last phase of his reopening plan the ‘new normal.’ It’s a phrase people are already tired of, even if they use it themselves. Life in the new normal isn’t like it was during the pandemic, and it isn’t like it was in 2019, either. As the stories below reveal, it’s a different time — a time everyone has been waiting for since workers packed up their things and headed home to work in March 2020. It’s a time of opportunity and a chance to recover some of what’s been lost. But there are still a number of challenges and questions to be answered, involving everything from workforce issues to when business travel will resume, to just how much pent-up demand there is for products and services.

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The Federal Restaurant Group

At these eateries, guests will determine pace of reopening

Price Hikes, Supply Shortages Challenge Construction Industry

Construction Special Coverage

Framing the Issue

Few industries have been immune to the supply shortages and rising costs that have plagued the world economy over the past few months, but construction is especially vulnerable, relying heavily on materials — most notably lumber and steel, but dozens more as well — riddled by soaring prices. The good news is that demand for work is high, but many still worry about the long-term implications of a cost problem with no end in sight.

By Mark Morris

Early in 2020, several lumber mills and steel plants expected demand for their products to take a nosedive once the pandemic hit, so they slowed down or closed some of their operating plants. Instead, after only a brief hiatus in March, home and commercial construction resumed — and then significantly increased.

For Bob Boilard, vice president of Boilard Lumber, the decreased supply of lumber and growing demand have created multiple challenges. Orders for lumber that once took a week for delivery now have vague timetables and constantly changing prices.

“Pricing right now is set at the time of shipment, so we don’t know exactly what it’s going to cost us until it’s on the back of a truck,” Boilard said.

Because lumber prices change so often, Boilard and dealers like him study the commodity market every day to make sure they stay current. At press time, an eight-foot 2-by-4, used primarily to frame houses and certain commercial buildings, had increased to $11, up from $4 several months ago, a price hike of 175%.

Nick Riley says shortages are nothing new in construction, but so many types of materials being in short supply at one time is very uncommon.

Construction professionals have called this an unprecedented time. Price hikes and shortages of certain building materials are nothing new to the construction industry, but no one has seen inflation and scarcity of so many supplies that go into building a house or a business.

BusinessWest spoke with several construction managers who said we are currently in a perfect storm of greatly increased demand, COVID-related manufacturing slowdowns, and, literally, storms.

For instance, back in February, ice storms knocked out the power grid in Texas, shutting down several resin plants there and in neighboring Louisiana for several weeks. The resins from these plants are used in a broad range of building products, from adhesives to make plywood to the plastic that insulates electric cables. The resins are also used in many paints and primers.

“This is the first time I’ve seen drastic increases and shortages affect this many products. In the past, we’ve seen oil prices drive up the cost of roofing shingles, but never across the board with nearly every building material.”

Dan Bradbury, director of Sales and Marketing for Associated Builders, said the commodity price he follows closely is cold rolled steel. Most of the structures his company builds are pre-engineered metal buildings for commercial and industrial use.

“Cold rolled steel prices have increased 225% since last August,” Bradbury said. Due to shortages in getting the steel, he tells customers the building they order today will be delivered in about 20 weeks. Before COVID-19, that same project would take 10 to 12 weeks.

Increases and shortages don’t end with commodities, but also affect other materials involved in construction. Craig Sweitzer, co-owner of Sweitzer Construction, said an electrical contractor told him about the price instability of a heavy-duty cable used in commercial applications.

“His supplier would only hold the price for one day,” Sweitzer said. “Usually, our material prices are good for 15 days, so we’re not used to seeing this.”

What makes this time different is the broad array of materials impacted, said Nick Riley, owner of N. Riley Construction.

The price of a basic 2-by-4 has risen by 175% in recent months.

“This is the first time I’ve seen drastic increases and shortages affect this many products,” he noted. “In the past, we’ve seen oil prices drive up the cost of roofing shingles, but never across the board with nearly every building material.”

As someone who builds medical and dental offices, Sweitzer uses steel studs in place of 2-by-4 wood studs for interior wall partitions. At one time, the two products were close in price. While prices for both have increased, a steel stud is now far less expensive than wood.

“While the price of a steel stud has increased about 30%, it’s well below the double and triple price hikes we’ve seen with wood,” he said, adding that he’s also experienced shortages in random materials such as joint compound to finish walls, acoustical insulation, and interior doors. “There’s a particular style of door we use that once took a week to get. Now it can take eight weeks, and the price has increased.”

Steady On

Despite shortages and price hikes, the construction managers we spoke with are all grateful to have plenty of work scheduled.

“I’m fortunate to be busy, and at the same time, it’s incredibly stressful to keep everyone happy and meet deadlines,” Riley said. “It’s a crazy time right now.”

To manage some of that craziness, he has invested in a new tool, a CRM (customer relationship management) system.

“Through our system, we can keep everyone on the same page, and it allows customers to check in on their project,” Riley said. “By staying in closer contact with our customers, they’ll know immediately about any issues that might slow down a project.”

Managing expectations becomes essential when prices and timelines are uncertain. When someone wants a fast turnaround on a project, Bradbury gives them straight talk. “We’re honest and upfront with our customers as to what’s realistic,” he said.

Some customers have chosen to delay their projects, anticipating that prices may come down. Bradbury said that may work for some, but when a company needs a building to grow their business, they can’t always wait it out.

“My advice is to build it sooner rather than later because we are more likely to see further price increases,” he said. “Also, with lead times so long, the sooner you get in the queue for your project, the better off you’ll be.”

Beyond materials, shortages have also extended to the human element. Riley said finding laborers for home building has always been challenging, and the increased demand for new homes only exacerbates an already-tough situation.

One of the thorniest challenges to solving supply shortages, Boilard noted, involves finding truckers to move the goods. “You can’t get drivers to get behind the wheel of a tractor-trailer. There are lots of trucking jobs open right now, but few people to fill them.”

Construction workers were deemed essential during the pandemic, so their time off the job was brief. Bradbury said the short shutdown allowed his company to retain most of its workers. “Some of our subcontractors have felt labor shortages, but we are grateful that has not had a significant impact on our business.”

When COVID first hit, Sweitzer gave all his employees a raise to make sure they were compensated well enough to stay with his company. “We’ve been lucky because we have an extremely good and loyal crew. I’ve found that good labor is worth the investment.”

Looking Ahead

Predictions on when prices and supplies might stabilize is anyone’s guess. Boilard explained that his company determines its lumber-buying needs early in the year, which these days is a real challenge. If a dealer stocks up heavily now only to see prices eventually crash, they are stuck with expensive inventory in a market that no longer supports those higher prices.

This building under construction shows how much cold rolled steel Associated Builders uses in a project.

“It’s not a fun time because we have to do a balancing act of meeting our customers’ needs without having too much inventory on hand,” he said.

Riley has seen conflicting predictions about lumber prices dropping either at the end of 2021 or sometime in 2022. He’s seen lumber and electrical wire come down before, but he’s more concerned about other materials that go into building a house.

“In my years in business, when windows, siding, and roofing shingles increase in price, I’ve never seen them come back down,” he said. “I think increases like that are here to stay.”

Bradbury said he can’t predict what will happen in his industry, but he hopes to see the supply of steel catch up to demand by the end of this year. “My best guess is supply will get better and lead times will improve before we see prices start to stabilize.”

Sweitzer noted that he has a degree in management, while his two sons have degrees in economics and business administration, so they often discuss what may lie ahead. And their conversations have been optimistic.

“Markets always find some level of equilibrium, and I believe that will happen in this market,” he said. “Market equilibrium may take a temporary vacation, but it has always returned, and I think it will again.”

Emerging from the Pandemic Creates More Questions Than Answers

Health Care Special Coverage

An Anxious Transition

While the economic reopening is being called the ‘new normal,’ things aren’t back to normal, really — at least not by pre-pandemic standards. With COVID-19 still lingering, developments like the loosing of mask and gathering rules and a growing call for employees to return to the office have only ratcheted up the stress and anxiety among a broad swath of the population. In other words, for many, returning to the world as they knew it will be a gradual process.

By Mark Morris

In these unique times when COVID-19 is still active but in decline, we all have lots of questions about how to navigate daily life.

For example, if you have been vaccinated, should you continue to wear a mask? Why does the CDC say you can go without a mask, yet many public places still require one?
Should we still socially distance and sanitize in certain situations?

And, importantly, how much anxiety are such questions causing these days?

Answers can come from many places. Lauren Favorite, assistant program director with Behavioral Health Network, noted that, while information can be good, an overload of messages from different sources results in confusion.

“When we are bombarded with a plethora of information, it’s difficult for people to make a singular choice that will be the right one for them,” Favorite said. “Too much conflicting information can create anxiety.”

“Because so many people are not sure what to do, they will hold on to behaviors even when they no longer serve their intended purpose.”

BusinessWest spoke with several behavioral-health professionals who said much of the stress people are feeling right now is rooted in their concerns about how safe it is to go back into the world. Despite the May 29 reopening of Massachusetts, allowing everything from restaurants to sports arenas to fully welcome the public, Alane Burgess, clinic director for MHA’s BestLife program, said many people still do not feel safe going to the supermarket.

Alane Burgess says it’s always easier to learn how to be afraid than to unlearn that mindset.

“It’s always easier to learn how to be afraid than it is to be unafraid,” Burgess said. “Even when we’re told everything is OK, people still have questions.” As COVID-19 is a relatively new virus and scientists are still learning about it, continued concerns about personal safety are not surprising.

A recent research article looked at the trauma experienced by refugees after they emerged from a war-torn country. Favorite said their experience serves as a metaphor for these times.

“In the war zone, they had to develop certain habits and routines as a way to survive,” she said. “Once they escaped and reached a safe place, they held on to those behaviors because they didn’t know how else to act.”

All behaviors have a motivation, she continued, and the ones we followed to stay safe during the pandemic served us well. As we move beyond the pandemic, however, it’s time to examine if those behaviors are still serving us.

“Because so many people are not sure what to do, they will hold on to behaviors even when they no longer serve their intended purpose,” Favorite said. “I think many people will be in a sort of in-between place until we start to see a critical mass of vaccinations.”

Baby Steps

For many, entering back into the world needs to be a gradual process. Kathryn Mulcahy, clinic director for Outpatient Behavioral Health Services at the Center for Human Development, encourages her clients to start small.

“Instead of trying to do everything at once, I remind people it’s OK to take baby steps,” Mulcahy said. “You might not be ready to go out to the movies, but you can start getting back into the world by taking a walk in your neighborhood.”

As an incentive to go out again, Burgess advises her clients to make a bucket list of activities they are excited about doing again. “Making a list reminds people of what brought them joy before COVID and can help motivate them to get back to doing those things again.”

Lauren Favorite

“I think many people will be in a sort of in-between place until we start to see a critical mass of vaccinations.”

COVID also had a significant impact on the nature of work. Depending on the occupation, some people reported to work every day during the pandemic, while others followed a more hybrid approach of working at home some days and at the office other days. A third group has been working from home since last March.

Employers have begun asking Joy Brock, director of the CONCERN Employee Assistance Program, how to proceed as we move toward the end of the COVID era.

“Companies are struggling with how to translate all the different mandates,” Brock said. “They are having as much anxiety as their employees.”

According to the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division, employers are allowed to ask if an employee has been vaccinated. In some cases, they can require vaccination in order to report to work. Exceptions are allowed for those protected by legal rights, such as individuals who have disabilities or those with sincerely held religious beliefs.

Brock said even those distinctions beg more questions. “What if I’m vaccinated, but the person next to me isn’t? How is that going to work with masks, social distancing, and other considerations?”

When there is no clear-cut direction, individuals usually figure out how to keep themselves safe. Brock said even modest steps to take control over one’s health can help reduce anxiety. “If that means you are the only one in the office wearing a mask, that’s perfectly fine.”

Finding a comfort level at work and in the world ultimately depends on the individual. Burgess emphasized that everyone is on their own journey, and it’s OK to move at a different pace than others.

“I advise people to be patient with themselves and not make any self-judgments just because their comfort level is different than their friends or co-workers,” she said.

One clear demand Brock has heard from workers involves flexibility in work schedules.

“For the most part, people have enjoyed working from home because it makes child care easier to manage, they have been able to match or exceed their productivity, and many report lower stress levels,” she said.

With that in mind, many employers are looking at a hybrid model and trying to figure out the right mix between working at the office and from home.

Kathryn Mulcahy

“Instead of trying to do everything at once, I remind people it’s OK to take baby steps. You might not be ready to go out to the movies, but you can start getting back into the world by taking a walk in your neighborhood.”

A return to the office also means remembering how to be a colleague. Even if co-workers talk remotely every day, Mulcahy said people can get out of the habit of face-to-face conversations.

“As silly as it sounds, practicing an in-person conversation with someone outside your bubble is one more way to prevent that overwhelming feeling of being thrown back into the workplace,” she explained.

Beyond water-cooler discussions, Burgess said a successful transition back to the office also requires companies to be tuned in to the apprehensions their employees may have. “It will be important for people to have an open dialogue with their employers about any anxieties or concerns they may be feeling.”

Added Favorite, “as a supervisor in the workplace, I’m having conversations with my staff to assuage their fears about coming back on site.”

Talk About It

One key to putting COVID behind us is recognizing what everyone has gone through since last March.

“For the past 14 months, we’ve lived in a world full of trauma,” Burgess said. “The idea that we can suddenly go back to the way everything was is an impossible task.”

Mulcahy said she has heard from people who are embarrassed because they feel stressed and anxious about returning to a more normal life.

“They feel like they should be happy and excited that people are vaccinated, but instead they just feel worried,” she noted. “I want people to know they are not alone and they can reach out for help to navigate these feelings; that’s why we’re here.”

Burgess also pointed out that life was different during the pandemic, and we should accept that we are not the same people we were before.

“Our life has changed, and we have changed in some of the ways we think, how we feel, and what feels safe,” she said. “It’s important to respect who we are today because that, too, is part of the process in getting back into the world.”

When everyone was forced to suddenly deal with a pandemic, it created anxiety for many. Now, as the pandemic (hopefully) nears its end, that creates anxiety, too. Those who spoke with BusinessWest agree that talking about this stress, and letting people know their feelings are valid, will go a long way to easing everyone’s anxiety.

After all, Favorite said, “we’re still learning how to be in a world where we don’t have to worry all the time.”

Hazen Paper Continues to Shine in World of Holographic Printing

Innovation and Startups Special Coverage

Moving Pictures

John Hazen stands beside displays of just a fraction of the products created at his company using holographic technology.

Hazen Paper, a third-generation family business that’s approaching a century in operation in the Holyoke mill district, has never stood still, expanding its operation over the years into facets like foil laminating, specialty coating, and rotary embossing. But its emergence over the past 15 years as an internationally celebrated producer of holographic printed products may be its most profound shift. Its entry into this niche was a calculated risk, the company’s co-owner said, but one that gradually paid off in a striking way.

John Hazen figured there was some risk in purchasing his first holographic printer back in 2005. But, as the third-generation co-owner of Hazen Paper Co. in Holyoke, he also saw the potential.

“I always say I was like Jack and the beanstalk,” he told BusinessWest. “Dad sent me out with a bag of beans — ‘grow the business, son!’ — and I bought this crazy thing called a holoprinter.”

But he was determined to build Hazen’s footprint in the world of holographic printing, and plenty of other technology at the company sprung from that first investment.

The results? Well, the numerous awards that pour in every year testify to the company’s success. Like a 2021 Product Excellence Award from the Assoc. of International Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators (AIMCAL), for a holographic consumer package.

“To magnify visual effect on a very small carton,” the press release for the award reads, “Hazen micro-embossed specially coated polyester film with ‘Mercury,’ a unique overall holographic pattern, then metallized the film and laminated it to a solid bleached sulfate board before registered sheeting. The film lamination delivers mirror-like brightness and a liquid-flash effect of full-spectrum color, as well as durable performance for clean scoring and folding.”

“I always say I was like Jack and the beanstalk. Dad sent me out with a bag of beans — ‘grow the business, son!’ — and I bought this crazy thing called a holoprinter.”

Most of those words won’t register with the average consumer. But the effect of the packaging certainly does. “This package really stood out,” one judge said. “The embossed areas are like a hallmark and impart a feeling of luxury.”

It’s the latest in a string of AIMCAL awards for Hazen, which also earned the association’s Product of the Year honors in 2018, 2019, and 2020. The latest was for a transfer-metallized carton, featuring custom holography, created for Nordic Premium Beverages’ Arctic Blue Gin, a project made with Hazen Envirofoil, which uses less than 1% of the aluminum of traditional foil laminate — one way the company continues to stress sustainability, which is being increasingly demanded by clients.

The carton for Arctic Blue Gin, made using Hazen Envirofoil, earned Product of the Year honors in 2020 from the Assoc. of International Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators (AIMCAL).

In fact, it’s understanding customer needs that led Hazen to step into the world of holography with two emphatic feet in the first place. “In many ways, it’s requests from the customers, information coming in from the market — trying to identify opportunity.”

For background, he explained that the holographic industry saw significant consolidation between 2000 and 2004. In the late ’90s, holographic manufacturers were mostly small mom-and-pop shops, but that changed when larger players started buying them out. One of the catalysts was … well, toothpaste.

“When Colgate came out with a line of holographic packaging on their toothpaste … in the world of holography, the world of consumer packaging, that was a major event,” Hazen said. “They gained market share against Crest, and that’s what it’s all about. If they can pick up 1%, it’s massive. Once Colgate truly validated the use of holography, things got pretty exciting.”

Another growth area was DVD packaging — in fact, Hazen would go on to create holographic images for the DVD boxes for numerous major films, including for the likes of Pixar and Marvel. But its entry into that niche came in 2004, when it created the DVD packaging for the TV show Quantum Leap, which involved a custom hologram.

By that time, however, some of the small holographers Hazen used in the ’90s had been bought up, so it turned to one of the big conglomerates, Illinois Tool Works, or ITW, which had bought up several of the small, boutique holographers.

“We had to work with ITW, but we didn’t feel like they were using their power very well,” Hazen recalled. “We got the job done, and it won an award — and the feedback we were getting from studios and box makers was that this could be big.”

So, seeing the expanding opportunities in front of him, Hazen started creating an in-house holographic division.

Around 2005, “one of the companies that got acquired got busted into pieces, and we were able to start reassembling the pieces of the broken puzzle,” he recalled. “We set up our holographic lab, bought the holoprinter technology, hired some castoffs from the consolidation era, and set up a holographic lab in the basement. Since then, we’ve been able to expand.”

Shining Examples

Holography isn’t particularly new in the corporate world, Hazen said, noting its use on the dove image on Visa cards.

“That’s a hologram. They’ve had that on the Visa card for 40 years. A lot of times, holography is used as a branding feature, but also as a security feature. It authenticates, makes it hard to counterfeit. It’s done with money as well. That’s security holography, and it tends to be small.

“The holography we do for decorative packaging and some branding is larger format,” he went on. “We’re producing holographic plates as big as 60 inches by 60 inches. It’s not security holography and tends to be lower-resolution. But it is very unique; it’s hard, if not impossible, to replicate. And from a graphic point of view, it gives the graphic artist a mechanism for providing backlighting, for creating movement, for creating a 3D kind of effect.”

Hazen also uses a digital process — several different ones, actually, as opposed to Visa. “The Visa dove is analog — they created the model of a dove, set up lasers around a room, and got light to refract and bounce back.”

“We got the job done, and it won an award — and the feedback we were getting from studios and box makers was that this could be big.”

These days, Hazen Paper’s holography can be seen in hundreds of applications worldwide, from product packaging to the program covers for annual events like the Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement (since 2013) and the Super Bowl (since 2004, although not in 2021, since there were questions early on about the game’s scheduling during COVID-19, and the design process has to start many months in advance).

Hazen showed off a copy of the 2020 hoops-hall enshrinement program, the class that includes the likes of Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and Kevin Garnett. It showcases 3D imagery of the Hall of Fame’s iconic dome and spire and its panoramic interior, juxtaposed with a collage of the year’s inductees in action. The back cover is a holographic treatment of Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, where the enshrinement ceremony was held. Again, it used the sustainable Envirofoil process.

Hazen has created over the past two decades

Top: the holographic Kat Von D Metal Crush limited-edition powder highlighter carton won AIMCAL’s Product of the Year honors in 2018. Above: one of the many DVD packages Hazen has created over the past two decades.

Hazen has also added to its trophy shelf multiple times in the past year, including a Next Century Award from Associated Industries of Massachusetts, which recognizes employers, individuals, and community organizers that have made unique contributions to the economy and residents of Massachusetts. The company employs 200 people and participates in an internship program with Western New England University that helps engineering students gain experience.

“We create opportunities for young people to learn about the industry in general and our operation in particular — and expand our future talent pool,” Hazen said when the award was announced.

And back in December, the International Hologram Manufacturers Assoc. (IHMA) named Hazen Paper’s 2020 holographic calendar Best Applied Decorative/Packaging Product at its Excellence in Holography Awards.

Featuring a fire-breathing dragon with three-dimensional scales, the oversized calendar utilized an array of innovative holographic techniques to create a decorative design the IHMA called “outstanding.” These holographic designs included gray-motion for the sky background, color-motion for the dragon, and two-channel color-motion lenses and fire-motion lenses to animate the flames.

And the company continues to innovate. For example, it announced back in August it had created an innovative, two-sided promotion to demonstrate cutting-edge holographic technologies. The Hazen team designed the artwork on both sides to showcase specific visual effects with nano-holography that delivers an even more dramatic three-dimensional effect.

Perhaps the most unusual aspect of the promotion is that it is two-sided custom holography, transfer-metallized on both sides. “It hasn’t been done before,” Hazen said last summer. “The ability to transfer-metallize a lightweight stock on two sides with custom holography opens up the potential for use in many applications where consumer impact is key. It’s very exciting.”

Changing Times

Clearly, Hazen Paper has come a long way from its origins in 1925, when Hazen’s grandfather, also named John, launched the enterprise as a decorative paper converter and embosser. His younger brother, Ted, joined Hazen in 1928 to help manage the growing company, which grew rapidly in the 1930s and expanded into printing and foil laminating by the 1940s.

Ted’s son, Bob, joined the company in 1957, and John’s son, Tom, signed on in 1960, and the second generation expanded the company numerous times over the next three decades, as Hazen Paper became known worldwide for specializing in foil and film lamination, gravure printing, specialty coating, and rotary embossing. Hazen products became widely used in luxury packaging, lottery and other security tickets, tags and labels, cards and cover stocks, as well as photo and fine-art mounting.

The third-generation owners, John and Robert Hazen, joined the company at the start of the 1990s, and have continued to grow the enterprise and expand its capabilities, with a special emphasis on coating, metallizing, and — of course — holographic technology.

In 2005, Hazen Paper set up its holographic origination lab and design studio in Holyoke, and has since developed thousands of unique holographic designs and holds several patents on the processes it has developed. Shortly after, the company launched a holographic embossing and metallizing operation a mile away on Main Street.

“They always say it’s dangerous to go outside your traditional business model, outside your wheelhouse,” John Hazen said of those early days in this new niche, and particularly that plant. “We came in way over budget, at least six months behind, but that plant came to life right at the end of 2008.”

That’s right — at the beginning of a crippling recession.

“When you think about what was going on in the world, the first half of 2009 was really a scary time,” he said. “Fortunately, the business came back in the summer of 2009, and everything started to fall into place.

“Everyone’s system for making holography is different — they’re similar, but they’re different — but the one thing we knew was our system worked,” he went on. “But we went through some rough years from 2010 to 2016. We definitely overextended ourselves to get into the holographic business, and part of that overextension was the impact of the 2009 recession.”

In 2006, Hazen set up its first satellite plant in Indiana, a lamination and sheeting operation that ultimately operated 24/7, with more than 50 full-time employees. In 2016, however, it sold the plant as a strategic move away from commodity-type foil laminations to increase focus on growth opportunities in holography and specialty paper products in Holyoke.

Broadly speaking, packaging remains the broadest category of holographic work nationally, with designs seen on everything from boxes of golf balls and toothpaste to liquor packages. But the sky is the limit, Hazen said, and new uses emerge all the time — justifying that initial investment more than 15 years ago.

“It really was a startup, a technology startup in an older company. And ultimately, we really reinvented Hazen Paper,” he told BusinessWest. “The holographic technology ended up feeding the old business. So it’s like we installed a new heart in an old body.”

Not a bad return on that bag of beans.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

South Hadley Businesses Show Plenty of Life

Community Spotlight

By Mark Morris

Michelle Theroux says businesses in town, including her own, Berkshire Hills Music Academy, are anxious to ramp up operations as the economy reopens.

For Mike Sullivan, the past 15 months have been a learning experience on many levels.

As town administrator in South Hadley, Sullivan has learned just how essential online payment systems and Zoom meetings have become for residents who need to do business with the town.

“As we make more access points available to the public, we’ve seen participation in government increase,” Sullivan said, adding that, while many people are looking forward to meeting in person again, Zoom is also here to stay.

The pandemic also taught him about the efficiencies of running Town Hall. By limiting in-person visits to appointment only, staff have been able to more efficiently get business done. Going forward, he looks to follow a model other towns have adopted of limiting hours or closing to the public one day a week.

“There are multiple ways to take care of business,” Sullivan said. “I appreciate that some people have complicated business they need to conduct in person, and we will accommodate them. When residents use online platforms or even ‘snail mail’ instead of visiting Town Hall, it saves money for the town and for everyone’s individual taxes.”

Sullivan made plenty of adjustments to keep South Hadley moving forward during the pandemic. Attendees to last year’s town meeting, for example, never left their cars.

“People tuned into the discussion over their car radios, just like an old drive-in movie,” he said. A similar drive-in town meeting is planned for this year, but there will also be a seating area for those who feel safe enough to leave their cars. “We’re looking forward to getting back to some semblance of normalcy.”

Michelle Theroux, president of the South Hadley and Granby Chamber of Commerce, said one indication of a return to normalcy is the “we’re hiring” signs around town. She acknowledges there are many factors why people are not immediately returning to work, but even with recruitment issues, the signs represent a positive step.

“The good news is that people are looking to hire, and they are in a position to bring people back into the workforce,” she said.

As the end of the pandemic nears, Theroux credits the South Hadley community for its support of small business. From restaurant takeout orders to holiday shopping, it was local people who provided enough support so that no chamber-member businesses permanently closed due to the pandemic.

“Certainly, many downsized and did what they had to do to survive,” she said. “It’s a real credit to community support because small business is such an important part of South Hadley.”

Because small business is such an essential part of South Hadley, banks in town worked with the chamber to secure Paycheck Protection Program funds for businesses in town. In addition, the chamber recently partnered with the Northampton chamber and the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism to secure $20,000 in state grants.

“The good news is that people are looking to hire, and they are in a position to bring people back into the workforce.”

The chamber also spread the word among its members on how they could help each other, as well as support businesses that are not necessarily top of mind.

“If you look at the South Hadley Commons, we all think of the great restaurants there,” Theroux said. “The Commons also has a movie theater and a number of small boutiques that offer unique and personalized items you can’t find at a big-box store.”

Forward Momentum

One key project that kept going during the pandemic involves the Woodlawn Shopping Plaza. At one time the site of a Big Y supermarket, the parcel now features various retail stores anchored by Rocky’s Hardware. The site has been approved for a 60-unit, mixed-income apartment complex that will occupy three acres in the back of the parcel.

“Way Finders of Springfield is running the housing-complex project, and they are waiting for federal funding to come through before they break ground,” Sullivan said.

Theroux is excited about the project because it provides a glimpse at the future of development.

“At Woodlawn, you have a multi-use site with different types of businesses and living options all in one central location,” she said, while predicting that the entire area surrounding Woodlawn will see a revitalization over the next several years. As one example, Northampton Cooperative Bank and PeoplesBank have recently opened branches in or near the Woodlawn Plaza.

Sullivan also pointed with pride to the new senior center on Dayton Street, which is scheduled to open June 30.

“We were able to successfully build the senior center during the pandemic, and the costs were below the estimated bids,” he said. “Even with increases in some of the materials, we will still come in nearly $700,000 under the original estimate.”

South Hadley at a Glance

Year Incorporated: 1775
Population: 17,791
Area: 18.4 square miles
County: Hampshire
Residential and commercial tax rate: $19.46 (Fire District 1); $19.80 (Fire District 2)
Median Household Income: $46,678
Median Family Income: $58,693
Type of government: Town meeting
Largest Employers: Mount Holyoke College; the Loomis Communities; Coveris Advanced Coatings; Big Y
* Latest information available

Six years ago, Mohawk Paper opened a plant in South Hadley to great fanfare and optimism for a long relationship with the community. Last year, in pursuit of more favorable taxes and incentives, the company closed its operations in South Hadley and moved to Ohio.

As tough as it was to see Mohawk pack up and leave, Sullivan noted that E Ink, the company located across Gaylord Street from the former Mohawk plant, has good news moving forward. “E Ink is planning to double in size because they have a new product line coming out.”

E Ink makes the agent used in tablets like the Amazon Kindle, which allows an electronic page to read like a physical book. In addition to tablets, E Ink screens are used in a variety of applications ranging from signage at MBTA stations and international airports to retail price signs.

On top of contributing as a successful company, Sullivan noted that E Ink is a strong supporter of community projects and events in South Hadley.

Meanwhile, the Ledges Golf Club, owned by the town and a financial drag for many years, is on its way to performing at par. At the beginning of the pandemic last year, golf courses across the state were mandated to stay closed for several weeks. Sullivan called the lost months a “kick in the shins” because, once it opened, the Ledges did brisk business all season and came close to hitting a break-even point.

“This year, we made $200,000 in revenue in just March and April,” Sullivan said. “By the end of the fiscal year next June, we think the Ledges will break even.”

In addition to her duties as chamber president, Theroux’s full time job is executive director of Berkshire Hills Music Academy (BHMA), a music-infused program that helps young adults with special needs to expand their social, vocational, and life skills. Before the pandemic, BHMA employed just over 100 people. Though it normally offers both residential and day programs, state mandates forced BHMA to quickly shift to remote classes for its day students. After furloughs and layoffs due to the new mandates, 64 staff remain.

“Our current state is a hybrid model where we have about 40% of our day students back on campus, with the rest joining us by remote,” Theroux said. “Once we can fully reopen, we’d like to staff up to where we were before the pandemic.”

Looking ahead to the fall, she wasn’t sure what to expect for new enrollments, but was pleasantly surprised to see strong numbers for BHMA’s incoming class.

“Once their loved one is vaccinated, many families are all in on our program, and that’s a huge positive for us,” Theroux said. “Three months ago, I would not have been as confident about what next year would look like.”

Back to School

After more than a year of remote learning, Mount Holyoke College students have begun to return to campus. While remote learning is still available, many have indicated they plan to return to campus in the fall.

“The presence of Mount Holyoke students back on campus will provide a real boost to South Hadley feeling normal again,” Theroux said.

Sullivan is on the move, too. After a long career of public service, he has announced he will retire in June. Looking back, he points to a number of projects he’s helped shepherd to success. One area of particular pride is the progress South Hadley has made in hiring a more diverse workforce. As an example, he mentioned Police Chief Jennifer Gundersen, who recently joined South Hadley’s force after several years in Amherst.

“Certainly, many downsized and did what they had to do to survive. It’s a real credit to community support because small business is such an important part of South Hadley.”

Sullivan in only one of South Hadley’s leaders who are moving on. Planning Director Richard Harris is also retiring, and the superintendent of schools left in December to pursue another professional path.

While grateful for their service to the town, Theroux sees this as a time for South Hadley to bring new faces into leadership roles.

“As we emerge from the pandemic, I’m optimistic about the future and a new era of leadership for our town,” she said, adding that she looks forward to people once again enjoying all that South Hadley has to offer.

Scott Cernak Sets His Own Course with New Company

Construction

Air Apparent

Scott Cernak’s expertise and development of the residential division at M.J. Moran are serving him well today as the head of his own venture.

Never underestimate the influence of a teacher.

Or, in Scott Cernak’s case, two of them, who taught plumbing when he was a student at Smith Vocational & Agricultural High School, and proved engaging enough in the subject to capture his attention.

“I wasn’t sure which trade I wanted to take,” he said. “The plumbing teachers there were really good — I never thought I would have chosen plumbing, but I ended up liking it quite a bit.”

He likes the trajectory of his career as well. Today, Cernak is the owner of a company — Western Mass Heating, Cooling & Plumbing — that recently spun off M.J. Moran Inc., the only company he’d ever worked for, and where he latched on as an intern early in his junior year at Smith.

“I started on my 16th birthday and started liking it more and more,” he recalled. “I got into more and more things; I started doing sprinkler fitting, all kinds of pipe fitting, welding and plumbing and HVAC.”

“It was a really good, mutually beneficial decision to have us part ways and for me to buy the division.”

All of that appealed to him, but he was especially interested in the residential division, which hadn’t been a significant part of Moran’s business, but which he and two other employees started growing steadily. “At this point, I was in my early 20s and running a lot of large residential and small commercial jobs, new-construction service calls — anything from packing a faucet to doing a whole new house and everything in between.”

His success in that division led to a promotion to general manager of the company in 2016, and something bigger four years later. “I got the opportunity to buy the division that I helped build,” he told BusinessWest, “and here we are.”

The reason for the spinoff company is that Jim Moran, who launched his enterprise 42 years ago, is heading — slowly — toward retirement, Cernak explained.

“He’ll never fully retire, but he wanted to take a little off his plate right now. His sons, Chad and Kyle, who run the commercial-industrial division, don’t have any interest in the residential divison — they relied on me for that anyway — so it just made sense for Jim and myself and our departments.

“It was a really good, mutually beneficial decision to have us part ways and for me to buy the division; it worked really well for them, and it’s worked really well for us,” he went on. “We still communicate frequently, and we still collaborate; I hire them as a sub when we need extra manpower, or they hire us as a sub on some jobs. So it works out pretty well.”

Roughly eight months into his new enterprise, Cernak said his work is well-balanced, split fairly evenly between service work, major renovations for general contractors, and installing and replacing heating and cooling systems. “It’s a pretty good mix, and some of that is commercial, too — service work and small installation work.”

Western Mass Heating, Cooling & Plumbing is more departmentalized than most similar firms, he added, with a full service department.

SEE: List of HVAC Services

“Most companies around us don’t have a service department; they just throw in a service call here and there. We actually have a service department that’s dedicated to service work, then we have a new-construction installation department that’s dedicated to the bigger work. That works well for our dispatching and keeping things organized and keeping the right guys on the right jobs. It’s one reason we’re able to stay efficient and continue to grow.”

Into the Pipeline

What first drew Cernak into the plumbing field at Smith Voke was, simply, realizing for the first time the breadth of what tradespeople in that field do.

“As a teenager, I didn’t realize that plumbing was more than just cleaning a drain or fixing a toilet. A lot of people — not just young teenagers — think plumbing is just fixing plumbing; they think it’s just dirty work. But I got to see a different side of it — learning how the pipefitting works, doing some welding and some soldering.”

“Even before 2020, new houses were getting a lot tighter, and indoor air quality was becoming a much higher priority for people.”

He also quickly learned, by researching the field, that it’s a trade with stability and good job security. “It’s one of the higher-paid trades, so there were a lot of factors. But before that, it had never clicked to me that, hey, plumbers actually install the plumbing in a new house, too, not just fix the plumbing in an old house.”

The science of plumbing hasn’t changed much during his career, but HVAC is a different story.

“Indoor air quality has been a big factor,” he said. “Coronavirus certainly helped with that — or hurt with that, however you want to put it. But coronavirus certainly put a new spin on it. But even before 2020, new houses were getting a lot tighter, and indoor air quality was becoming a much higher priority for people, so we sell a lot of products that help with filtration and literally zap bacteria and viruses out of the air; there are all kinds of air-cleaning products that we’re selling as part of our systems, part of our installations, part of our services. It’s not the core of our business, but it certainly is a pretty big part of our business.”

Businesses in Massachusetts took the lead on emphasizing air-quality measures indoors, much of it driven by regulations. But in the era of COVID-19, people increasingly demand high-tech air-purifying systems in their homes.

“We’d never had people asking for indoor air-quality measures — or very rarely; maybe 1% of people would ask for something like that back before coronavirus. And now, probably close to 20% to 30% ask for it specifically.”

Scott Cernak said his company is growing and hiring, even though his industry is challenged by a slow pipeline of young talent entering the field.

Clearly, there will always be a market for plumbing and HVAC work — as Cernak said, this is a stable field — and he can see his fledgling company growing, but one challenge will be attracting talent as it does. Right now, nationwide, roughly three workers are aging out and retiring from these disciplines for every two young people who come in.

“And out of those two, probably only one to one and a half are going to make it past five years,” he went on. “So there’s a big-time shortage, and it’s going to get worse and worse.”

As one way to counter that trend, “I have longer-term goals of creating more education within our company,” he explained. “I’d like to bring a sheet-metal school in house, not necessarily from us, but probably third-party, using our facility; that’s going to help attract some people.”

Meanwhile, “we have ads out on different internet platforms, and we’re trying to recruit internally too. Everyone who works with us knows we’re looking for at least one or two more service techs on top of other positions as well. We have been hiring — four people in the past month and a half — so we’re definitely growing, and we’re on a trajectory of more growth as well.”

Investments in the Future

One key to achieving that growth, Cernak said, is not being afraid to invest in the kinds of things that will attract top talent.

“I’ve got an eye for talent — and I’m not afraid to hire the best and pay for the best, that’s for sure,” he told BusinessWest. “I provide the best tools, the best training, we have new, well-equipped trucks, and we’re working on getting even more trucks. So all our people have the right tools, the right trucks, and the right infrastructure to do their jobs.”

In addition, “I’ve invested heavily into software and IT systems to organize how we do our work and how we bill for our work and how we store data and how we access data, which is a huge part of the industry that people generally overlook,” he went on. “We’re not fumbling through file cabinets to find the customer’s history. With a couple clicks, we’re there. Same thing with our guys in the field — they have access via tablet or smartphone to access any of our customers’ history. When a customer calls, we know what they have already, and we know the right tech to send to the right job.”

What it adds up to is efficiency, which both employees and customers appreciate, Cernak said. “We’re very good in the service department, dispatching, getting people there. We have quite a backlog sometimes, but we’re also very good at prioritizing emergencies.”

Creating efficient systems and investing in better resources may not bring an immediate payback, he added, but he’s looking long-term — at the kind of success his mentor, Jim Moran, enjoyed for more than four decades. It’s why, when he saw an opportunity to build upon his experience and set out on his own, he took it.

“Sometimes,” he said, “you’ve got to go with your gut and know what’s right and do it.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

MassDevelopment Loan to Finance Transformation of Eagle Mill

Construction

Soaring Again

MassDevelopment has provided an $800,000 loan to Eagle Mill Redevelopment, LLC, which is using the proceeds to redevelop the former Eagle Mill and surrounding parcels in Lee into a mixed-use complex featuring 128 residential housing units and 14,000 square feet of retail and office space.

The developer used loan proceeds and additional financing from Adams Community Bank to buy 10 adjacent properties that will be combined and subdivided into six separate parcels for future redevelopment. Construction on the project, which is expected to cost approximately $55 million, is slated to begin in the fourth quarter of 2021, with its first phase completed within 14 to 18 months.

“A priority of the Baker-Polito administration is to breathe life back into underutilized factory and mill buildings that were once integral to the Commonwealth’s industrial success,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy, who serves as chair of MassDevelopment’s board of directors. “These properties are uniquely situated for redevelopment into mixed-use communities that accelerate economic growth and expand housing opportunities, and we were proud to deliver a $4.9 million MassWorks award to facilitate needed infrastructure work at Eagle Mill. MassDevelopment’s contribution of loan financing advances the transformation of the site and complements the other state, local, and private investments.”

“Bringing additional housing, businesses, and jobs back to Eagle Mill, a defining site in Lee’s industrial history, will be an important part of the community’s next chapter.”

Built in 1808, Eagle Mill is located along the Housatonic River in Lee. In the later part of that century, Lee was the national leader in papermaking and home to 25 paper mills. As operations dwindled, Eagle Mill closed in 2008 — resulting in the loss of 165 factory jobs — and has remained vacant since. The town received a $4.9 million MassWorks Infrastructure Program grant in 2018 to upgrade the water main in the town and install 9,000 linear feet of new water main to the development site, allowing the Eagle Mill project to move forward. The project is also supported with both state and federal historic tax credits.

“Bringing additional housing, businesses, and jobs back to Eagle Mill, a defining site in Lee’s industrial history, will be an important part of the community’s next chapter,” MassDevelopment President and CEO Dan Rivera said. “MassDevelopment is proud to be a financial partner in Eagle Mill Redevelopment, LLC’s plans to unlock the economic potential of this property.”

Jeffrey Cohen, the lead developer in the Eagle Mill redevelopment, has been involved in the project since 2012. He has done similar, large-scale historic restoration and redevelopment projects in Washington, D.C.; Portland, Maine; and St. Paul, Minn. DEW Construction, another partner and the project’s general contractor, brings similar experience and expertise to the effort, with projects of more than $150 million each year.

“It is incredibly fortunate that MassDevelopment has so many tools by which they are able to enhance the likelihood of our project’s success,” Cohen said. “They provide financing for predevelopment, amongst other things, which is otherwise so difficult to obtain, making their support invaluable to our project. The essential turning point that will lead to the project’s ultimate success was, and is, the approval by then-Secretary [Jay] Ash and MassWorks of the $4.9 million grant to the town of Lee, enabling the replacement of the water line to the mill, without which we would not have been able to move forward.”

MassDevelopment, the state’s finance and development agency, works with businesses, nonprofits, banks, and communities to stimulate economic growth across the Commonwealth. During FY 2020, MassDevelopment financed or managed 341 projects generating investment of more than $2.69 billion in the Massachusetts economy. These projects are estimated to create or support 10,871 jobs and build or preserve 1,787 housing units.

Tackling Urban Violence Begins by Addressing Root Traumas

Health Care

Disrupting the Cycle

The past year has been a difficult one in many ways, Dr. Alisha Moreland-Capula said.

“It’s been a tough time with COVID. We’ve had a lot of uncertainly, a lot of loss, and we’ve also had a rise in racial tension and a disruption in the relationship between law enforcement and the community,” the psychiatrist and author of Training for Change noted.

But when addressing an issue like urban violence, what many people — even those working to solve the problem — often don’t understand is the impact of fear. Not occasional fear, but long-term, lived-in fear.

“If you can imagine a life that is completely consumed and shaped by fear, then it is not absolutely outside the realm of possibility to understand how toxic that can be on someone’s life,” Moreland-Capula said.

The occasion for her words was the keynote address of a virtual forum last month hosted by Roca, an organization that aims to disrupt incarceration, poverty, and racism by engaging young adults, police, and systems that impact urban violence.

Fear can be a positive, she noted, when it heightens one’s senses in order to escape a dangerous situation or seek help.

However, “being afraid is meaningful until it’s not,” she said — when it’s a constant presence in a young person’s life, due to stressors like racism, poverty, and violence. That’s why Roca aims to tackle the issue of violence by addressing the causes of other traumas first — engaging not only with young people, but with the systems that impact them, from education to law enforcement to child welfare.

Gov. Charlie Baker

“Roca has been a relentless force in disrupting incarceration, poverty, and racism by engaging young adults, law enforcement, and systems at the center of urban violence and relationships to address trauma, find hope, and drive change.”

“We know from brain science that the external environment around us impacts who we are and who we become,” Moreland-Capula explained. “What Roca says is that we have to work with those environments, change the systems, and help to change the trajectory of the young adults we seek to serve.”

Mike Davis, vice president of Public Safety and chief of Police at Northeastern University, as well as a Roca board member, understands that concept.

“We have before us a moral imperative to be better as individuals and collective members of society,” he told forum attendees, adding that, too often, people lose hope because change hasn’t happened fast enough or, worse, believe working for change is someone else’s responsibility.

“Both of these thoughts are not only wrong, but but if they serve as the guidance for our behavior, they will guarantee failure,” Davis went on. “Substantive change is everyone’s responsibility, without exception. What needs to animate our actions now is a sense of urgency based on a vision for what is possible.”

Roca has such a vision, he explained, based on the premise that all people have intrinsic value and potential to contribute something unique to their society — and has not only helped steered young people away from prison and toward better outcomes, but also worked with police to see their roles differently.

“The loss of life to homicide or prison not only not only impacts that individual, that community, or that city, it impacts all of our society,” Davis said. “Loss of life is loss of possibility.”

In a brief address to the forum, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker noted that “Roca has been a relentless force in disrupting incarceration, poverty, and racism by engaging young adults, law enforcement, and systems at the center of urban violence and relationships to address trauma, find hope, and drive change. I’ve seen firsthand that Roca and its programming works.”

Fear Factors

Fortunately, Moreland-Capula said, Roca has been ahead of the curve in paying attention to the relationship between root traumas and their societal impact.

“They understand that, for whole communities to heal, for people to heal, there has to be keen attention paid to specific things like community violence, like trauma.”

Some of the chronic fear she mentioned earlier stems from a lack of basic needs, from food and water to shelter, safety, even love and belonging. By helping young people access education and employment, those cycles can be broken as well, she noted. “We know there are complex and structural challenges that require a complex and structural approach.”

Molly Baldwin, Roca’s founder and CEO, said the proliferation of drugs, violence, and guns in communities requires innovative approaches.

“Our old methods won’t work. Incarceration is expensive and a failure. Jobs and GED programs are not enough, and even the most credible messenger cannot convince a young person to do differently if that young person is living in a state of fight or flight and cannot access the thinking part of their brain for healthy decision making,” she said. “If we don’t address the impact of lived trauma, we can’t hope for healing and change.”

That philosophy is behind the recent establishment of the Roca Impact Institute, which works with communities and institutions that have a clear commitment to addressing violence by working with young people who are at the center of local incidents and trends.

Molly Baldwin

“Even the most credible messenger cannot convince a young person to do differently if that young person is living in a state of fight or flight and cannot access the thinking part of their brain for healthy decision making.”

Unlike a typical training approach, the Roca Impact Institute is an intensive coaching approach that works with police departments, criminal-justice agencies, and community-based programs in sustained, collaborative partnerships over a 12- to 24-month period. Experienced Roca leaders engage these partners to learn new, trauma-informed strategies and apply them in their local context.

The idea, Baldwin said, is to change together. “If we hope for change for young people, we must change, too.”

At the virtual forum, Baldwin presented Roca’s James E. Mahoney Award to Peter Forbes, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services (DYS), which has implented some of the concepts Roca promotes. Back in the 1990s, he noted, juvenile justice was in a different place, using terms like ‘predator’ and ‘offender,’ and concepts like boot camps and scared-straight programs.

But those thing didn’t work, he said, instead generating poor outcomes for individuals and communities. “Since that time, our work at DYS has evolved. We’ve embraced the principle that young people can make positive change in their lives, that we as an agency can be part of that change, and that our investment in youth development actually contributes to community safety.”

He cited national studies demonstrating that therapeutic approaches to justice-involved youth drive lower recidivism than punishment strategies. “If we run a coercive system, we actually run the risk of young people being worse off for their contact with the system.”

It starts, Forbes said, with meeting young people where they are. “People who work with adolescents see disrespect, non-responsiveness, impulsivity, defiance — behaviors that are typical of adolescents. Those are not descriptors of juvenile delinquency; that’s typical adolescent behavior. So it’s really important, as adults working with young people, that we respond to the behavior, but not overreact.”

New Beginnings

The event featured a brief address by former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, who has been an ardent gun-control advocate following her assassination attempt in 2011. Her message struck a different, more activist tone than the rest of the program.

“These are scary times — racism, sexism, lies, coronavirus. It’s time to stand up for what’s right. It’s time for courage,” she said. “We must do something to stop gun violence and protect our children, our future … to make our country a safer place, a better place.”

It will be a better place, Baldwin said, through the kind of relationship building, mutual understanding, and personal accountability that lie at the heart of Roca.

“We are humbled and honored to work with the young people at the center of urban violence — those who are traumatized, full of distrust, and trapped in a cycle of violence and poverty that traditional youth programs alone can’t break,” she said. “Today is a celebration of those who make this work possible, from young people to Roca teams and our partners committed to sparking new thinking about working with young people who are traumatized and stuck.”

Getting unstuck is a decision, she noted, offering a George Bernard Shaw quote: “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”

Roca is doing its part to create change, Baldwin said, but it can’t achieve its goals alone. “There is an opportunity for all of us to begin again.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

As Industry Needs Increase, Pixel Health Sees Considerable Growth

Innovation and Startups

Breaking Down the Silos

Barbara Casey says Pixel Health’s companies understand the technology underpinning healthcare, but spend more time on people and processes.

For Pixel Health, 2020 was a year of growth — double-digit sales growth, in fact, and a 30% staff increase despite the impact of COVID-19 on the healthcare industry.

Or, perhaps — at least in part — because of the pandemic’s effect.

That’s because information-technology (IT) needs shifted dramatically during the pandemic, and health systems had a lot to sort through.

“There were a ton of digital-health startups funded in 2020,” said Barbara Casey, chief revenue officer at Holyoke-based Pixel Health, which comprises five separate but interconnected companies that assist health organizations in myriad ways. In fact, she noted, investment dollars in digital-health startups doubled last year, from $7 billion in 2019 to $14 billion in 2020.

“Digital health in general had a tremendous boom in 2020, which is good — and, in some ways, not so good,” Casey told BusinessWest. “It creates more noise in the market. If we can learn more about what our clients’ requirements are and what they want the experience to be like for stakeholders, we can help them sort through those vendors and see which ones match their requirements.

“There’s a ton of choice — that’s why we exist,” she went on. “There’s so much variability, so many ways you can do it. I think working with an organization like us, with as much depth and breadth as we have, is helpful to clients in finding a streamlined path to the end result.”

Pixel Health companies, which assist hospitals and health systems in creating IT infrastructure, improving operational processes, developing software, and facilitating financial efficiencies, has dramatically expanded its national client base since the pandemic began.

“Now we’re coordinating beyond the IT department, coordinating with the clinical side of healthcare, and that opens up a whole different range of consulting services we offer to healthcare providers.”

“While most healthcare-consulting groups specialize in either strategic planning or technical execution, Pixel Health companies do both,” company founder Michael Feld said.

In its marketing, Pixel Health claims its companies can “make healthcare better for patients, providers, and administrators alike by facilitating the use of technology, simplifying the process of using it, and overcoming the cultural and organizational constraints hindering its adoption. We help make the delivery of care better.”

President Brad Mondschein noted that the network’s first two companies, VertitechIT and baytechIT, “were really about how to coordinate the IT buildout and the provision of IT services to healthcare providers, and make those healthcare providers aware of what needs to be communicated internally and, frankly, even externally about their capabilities.”

With three other companies — Nectar Strategic Consulting, akiro, and Liberty Fox Technologies — now in the fold, “we’ve stepped beyond that — now we’re coordinating beyond the IT department, coordinating with the clinical side of healthcare, and that opens up a whole different range of consulting services we offer to healthcare providers,” he continued. “It’s also helped healthcare providers ensure that their IT services are focused so the clinical staff are getting what they need out of IT.”

A Quick Breakdown

The five Pixel Health companies are interconnected in some ways, but each brings unique atttributes to the table.

VertitechIT’s goal is to drive IT transformation for health systems. Its executive and clinical consultants, architects, and engineers design and implement IT roadmaps in line with the strategic plans of client organizations.

VertitechIT also touts its ability to implement transformational changes for clients at virtually no net new capital expense. As one example, a $2.5 billion health system constructed a three-site, software-defined data center and saved $8 million over previous designs with little to no impact on its budget. Senior consultants also took on interim leadership roles, working to transform the institution’s siloed work culture as well.

Brad Mondschein says Pixel Health’s “secret sauce” is being able to bring many different areas of expertise to bear to meet a healthcare client’s needs.

Meanwhile, baytechIT is a managed service provider (MSP) and value-added reseller — one of the only health-centric MSPs in the country, in fact. The company operates a call center staffed by healthcare analysts, adept at meeting the unique and often time-critical needs of the clinical environment.

Nectar specializes in applying technology to serve the quadruple aim of healthcare delivery: delivering the right care at the right time, at the right cost, and improving the clinical experience in the process. It offers a boutique consulting environment, offering a unique perspective on unifying technology and driving healthcare transformation to achieve clinical objectives.

“Nectar is about the digital-health experiences of consumers, patients, families, but also clinicians, nurses, doctors, and other professionals,” Casey said. “There should be ease of use and frictionless quality with how those experiences happen for all those different stakeholders. That’s where Nectar comes in — we do know a lot about the underpinnings of technology, but we spend more time on people and processes.”

Next, akiro tackles the needs of healthcare from the revenue cycle and financial management to government-program assistance and complex merger-and-acquisition support. “They really focus on the business side of healthcare,” Mondschein said, “and they’re helping healthcare providers manage their mergers and acquisitions.”

“I don’t want to say we’re the only company that does it this way, but we think what we do is very unique.”

Finally, Liberty Fox, the only Pixel Health company acquired by the network and not developed inside it, takes a boutique design approach to software development, touting itself as a one-stop shop for all things technology and providing software solutions and recommendations that improve clients’ business.

“They can create software from scratch, write apps, but also do integrations between each system,” Casey said. “They make sure the integration that needs to happen on the patient-clinician side is seamless and makes sense.”

Some clients take advantage of the services of multiple Pixel Health companies, Casey said. “For example, Behavioral Health Network is an organization where baytech is helping them with delivery of IT services, Vertitech is also helping them with several things, and Nectar is working with them on telehealth strategy and implementation. So, several entities are all working in that organization.”

The model is an attractive one for clients, Mondschein said.

“I don’t want to say we’re the only company that does it this way, but we think what we do is very unique. There are MSPs out there that do some of these individual things, but don’t combine it the way we do it. Our secret sauce is our ability to take the different expertise we have in each of our subsidiaries and bring all of them to bear on an issue or a problem or project that a client might need.

“One thing that’s really important to remember is, at the same time we’re providing services, the goal is to make healthcare a better experience for patients and clinicians,” he added. “That’s our mission.”

Growth Potential

It’s a mission that has led to considerable growth, Mondschein said.

“Internally, we’re looking at how we can expand the services we’re offering while attracting really good employees and really good technicians as well. The large majority of our staff work in Western Mass. and provide services in Western Mass. We certainly have a national presence, but Western Mass. is still our headquarters, and we still have a great affiliation with the practices here in Western Mass. and with Baystate.”

As noted earlier, the pandemic didn’t slow the pace of growth.

“We were fairly lucky — we were well-prepared for the remote working environment because we do so much work around the country, not just in Western Mass.,” Mondschein explained. “Much of our staff was already remote; we were able to collaborate remotely prior to the pandemic.”

What became evident during the pandemic is that improvements in healthcare technology are allowing remote collaborations to work even better than they did prior to the pandemic, and that’s good news for providers.

“For our clients, the need for the telehealth strategies accelerated significantly, and the ability to go mobile and have the mobility pieces in place significantly increased,” he told BusinessWest. “Certainly, telehealth is going to be here a long time, so patients been very fortunate as well, because not everyone has access to healthcare, and telehealth can give people access they didn’t have before.”

And the increasing presence of IT in healthcare — not just in telehealth, but in any number of applications — has positioned Pixel Health well to help organizations turn all that ‘noise,’ as Casey put it, into solutions that work for everyone.

“We have the ability to translate among those different domains,” she said. “A lot of our clients have been operating within a lot of silos — operations does this, clinical does this, IT, marketing, strategy, all these pieces. Especially in digital strategy, they often don’t have the staff that can translate among all those different components. We’re able to translate and accelerate that implementation.

“That’s hard, and there aren’t a lot of other firms out there doing that,” she added. “It’s something that really differentiates us.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Springfield Needs Its Symphony

By Editorial June 9, 2021

Opinion

Editorial

Going back to the start of the pandemic, we expressed concern for the survival of not only the businesses in Springfield and across the region, but also the institutions that contribute to the quality of life we all enjoy here.

That’s a broad category that includes a number of museums, the Basketball Hall of Fame, the Springfield Thunderbirds and other sports teams, and arts venues ranging from Jacob’s Pillow to Tanglewood to the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. All of them are part of the fabric of this community.

Among all those, perhaps the one we feared for the most was the symphony, which has seen several changes in leadership over the past decade and has seemingly struggled to attract younger and broader audiences. If there was an institution that couldn’t afford to be on the sidelines, out of sight, and in many cases out of mind, it was the SSO.

“Reading between all the lines, it appears that concerns about the future of the venerable, 75-year-old institution are very real and quite warranted.”

These fears gained some legitimacy last week when musicians who play for the orchestra issued a press release that doubled as both warning and call to action. These musicians, some of whom have been playing for the SSO for decades, raised questions about how committed the SSO’s board is to everything from giving long-time maestro Kevin Rhodes a new contract to a 2021-22 season for the SSO. They asked for “an encore, not a curtain call.”

The SSO’s interim executive director, John Anz, responded by saying many of these issues are intertwined, and the orchestra cannot proceed with a new contract for Rhodes or a 2021-22 season until negotiations with the musicians’ union are resolved.

Reading between all the lines, it appears that concerns about the future of the venerable, 75-year-old institution are very real and quite warranted.

We sincerely hope the SSO is able to rebound from what is certainly the greatest challenge of its existence. Springfield needs these institutions to become the destination that we all hope that it can be.

Indeed, many things go into making a community livable — jobs, neighborhoods, schools, a thriving downtown, and, yes, culture. Springfield has already lost CityStage; it simply cannot afford to lose another thread of its fabric.

This is especially true as the state and the nation emerge from this pandemic. We’ve heard the talk that large urban areas are now less attractive to some segments of the population, who are now looking more longingly toward open spaces and less crowded areas. And we’ve seen dramatic evidence of this in our own real-estate market.

Springfield is to emerge as a player in this new environment, a true destination, then it will need institutions like the SSO to create that quality of life that both the young and old are seeking out as they search for places to call home.

The SSO has certainly been rocked by this pandemic. Emerging from it will be a stern test. We certainly hope it can move forward and be part of Springfield and this region for decades to come.

Andy Yee: An Appreciation

Opinion

Editorial

By George O’Brien

Andy Yee

Andy Yee, who passed away late last month, was the true definition of a serial entrepreneur. Even though he had a number of businesses, especially restaurants within the Bean Group, he was always looking for that next challenge, that next opportunity.

He took on each project with an abundance of energy and enthusiasm that was as inspiring as it was contagious. And many of his undertakings were not just business ventures — they were game changers in our local communities, difficult yet successful efforts to save institutions such as the Student Prince in downtown Springfield and the White Hut in West Springfield from being relegated to the past tense.

In 2015, BusinessWest named Yee and several of his business partners, including Peter Pan Chairman and CEO Peter Picknelly and Kevin and Michael Vann, as Difference Makers for their efforts to save the Student Prince. And that title certainly fit him. He was a difference maker as a business owner and entrepreneur, as a family man, and as a leader in the community.

“He was a difference maker as a business owner and entrepreneur, as a family man, and as a leader in the community.”

The Student Prince was struggling when Yee and Picknelly stepped forward. Theirs was a business proposition, to be sure, but it was much more than that. It was an effort to save something that had become a part of the fabric of the city and of the region. It was more about community than it was about dollars and cents — although Yee, a very smart businessperson, was also focused on the dollars and cents as well.

The same was true with the White Hut in West Springfield — a different kind of restaurant, to be sure, but with a very similar brand of emotional attachment. Today, both establishments live on, and Yee is a huge reason why.

As a business writer who interviewed him dozens of times over the past two decades, I was always struck by how energetic he was, how hands-on he was in every endeavor he became involved with, and how he always had one eye on the present and the other on the future, trying to anticipate what was to come and be ready for it.

That is the essence of a leader, and that’s another word that fits Yee like a glove.

His latest endeavor is a restaurant project in Court Square in Springfield, another landmark that needed someone to step forward and give it a new direction, a new future. Yee was part of a large team doing just that.

We sincerely hope this project moves forward. It will be difficult without his leadership, his enthusiasm, and his ability to get the tough projects done. It will be a fitting tribute — yet another one — to how he had the ability to not only open a business, but change a community for the better — and make a huge difference.

He will be missed.

Bradley International Airport

The addition of new flights from carriers

Facility Gains Altitude After Pandemic-induced Declines

The addition of new flights from carriers Breeze Airways and Sun Country Airlines is one of many signs of progress and vibrancy at Bradley International Airport.

Kevin Dillon can see a number of signs of much-needed progress at Bradley International Airport, starting with the parking garage.

Until quite recently, it was all the parking the airport needed to handle not only the passenger volume at the facility, but all the employees as well. In fact, it was far more than enough. But over the past few months, things have started changing.

“Now, most days, we’re starting to fill the parking garage, and we opened up two additional surface lots — and that’s a good sign,” said Dillon, executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority, adding that there are many others indicating that Bradley is gradually returning to pre-pandemic levels of vibrancy, including the restaurants and retail shops that are reopening their doors after being closed for months, new carriers introducing routes out of the airport, and, most important, climbing passenger totals.

“We’re pleased with the way the numbers are starting to roll out, although we still have a ways to go,” he said, noting that most all travel at present is leisure in nature. “At the beginning of the year, we were still down 60% compared to pre-pandemic levels; now, on any given day, we’re down 40% to 50% — it can shift any day. And it really does seem to correspond with the vaccine rollout here in the region. The more people got vaccinated, the more people started to fly. The more people start to fly, the more people see that, and they start to get a level of confidence.

“As we look toward the summer, we are expecting a very healthy summer travel period,” he went on. “What you’re starting to see in terms of some of these airline announcements and route announcements is a recognition on the part of the airlines, as well, that this recovery is well underway.”

Elaborating, he said it’s difficult to project where the airport will be by the end of the summer in terms of those passenger-volume numbers, but he believes that, if current trends continue (and most all signs point toward that eventuality), then Bradley might be down only about 25% from pre-pandemic levels — a big number, to be sure, but a vast improvement over the past 14 months.

Overall, a number of factors will determine when and to what extent Bradley fully recovers all it has lost to the pandemic, including everything from business travel to international flights.

Let’s start with the former, which, by Dillon’s estimates, accounts for roughly half the travel in and out of Bradley.

While some business travel has returned, the numbers are still way down from before the pandemic, he said, adding that the next several months could be critical when it comes to the question of when, and to what extent, business travel comes back.

He expects the numbers to start to improve once businesses set their own internal policies for when employees can return to the office and resume many of the patterns that saw wholesale changes after COVID-19 arrived in March 2020.

“If you still have people telecommuting for COVID purposes, what does that say to the employee about required business travel?” he asked, adding that there has to be a “reckoning” within the business community as to where it’s going with some of its pandemic-related policies.

“If you still have people telecommuting for COVID purposes, what does that say to the employee about required business travel?”

Dillon said there are two types of business travel. One involves businesses traveling to see customers, a tradition he expects will return once COVID-related fears subside. The other is inter-company travel, where a business sends an employee from one of its locations to a different one. It’s this kind of travel that seems most imperiled, if that’s the proper word, by teleconferencing, Zoom, and other forms of technology, and it’s this mode that will likely lag behind the other.

As for international flights, these, too, will be among the last aspects of the airport’s business to return to something approaching pre-COVID conditions, said Dillon, noting that Air Canada is severely limited by severe restrictions on travel to that country. Meanwhile, Aer Lingus, which initiated flights out of Bradley in 2016, is still ramping up after restrictions on overseas flights were lifted in the fall of 2020. Nothing has been confirmed, but he is anticipating a return of that carrier in the spring of 2022.

Meanwhile, getting back to those signs of life — and progress — that Dillon noted, some new additions to the list were added late last month in the form of two new carriers. Actually, one is new, the other is an existing freight and charter carrier expanding into passenger service.

The former is Salt Lake City-based Breeze Airways, the fifth airline startup founded by David Neeleman, which will launch non-stop flights out of Bradley this summer, including Charleston, Columbus, Norfolk, and Pittsburgh. The latter is Sun Country Airlines, which will be expanding its footprint at the airport with the introduction of passenger service to Minneapolis.

Dillon noted that several of those new destinations, and especially Charleston and Norfolk, are primarily leisure-travel spots, meaning they could get off to solid starts as Americans look to make up for lost time when it comes to getting away from it all.

Looking at the big picture, Dillon said decisions in Connecticut and Massachusetts to move up their ‘reopening’ dates and accelerate the return to a ‘new normal’ will only help Bradley gain altitude as it continues to climb back from what has been a dismal 14 months since the pandemic struck.

—George O’Brien

The Clark Art Institute

This Berkshires Staple Has Exhibited Patience and Flexibility

The Clark, which now features exhibits indoors and outdoors at its Williamstown campus, will take it slow as the state enters the ‘new normal’ and gradually increase capacity. Photo by of Jeff Goldberg coutesy of Clark Art Institute

Victoria Tanner Salzman says it was a complete coincidence that the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute’s first-ever outdoor exhibition opened just a few months after COVID-19 arrived in Western Mass.

It takes years of planning to bring such an exhibit to fruition, she explained, and that was certainly the case with Ground/work, a collection of eight works created by six international artists that are found in varied locations across the Clark’s sprawling, 140-acre campus in Williamstown.

“These installations are embedded in a landscape that is ever-changing — both daily and seasonally,” according to a description on the institute’s website. “Ground/work highlights the balance between fragility and resilience that both nature and the passage of time reveal, while offering fresh experiences with every visit.”

Tanner Salzman, the Clark’s director of Communications, noted that “this exhibit has given our visitors the opportunity to see art outdoors, indoors, or both. And we’ve gotten tremendous response from our visitors about the experience; you can wander our trails and walk through our meadow and come upon these pieces and hopefully enjoy them.”

The phenomenal timing of Ground/work has been one of the many factors that has enabled the Clark to more than weather what has been a protracted and quite challenging storm, said Tanner Salzman, adding that others include a host of virtual initiatives and limited visitation marked by strict adherence to COVID policies and best practices to keep visitors and staff safe at all times.

“We’re taking this as opportunity to put our toes in the water and begin to feel more acclimated to going back to the new normal, if you will.”

“At certain points over the past year, the governor’s orders increased capacity, but we chose, at those points, to remain at a lower capacity just out of concern for the comfort of our visitors and the safety of everyone,” she explained. “We’ve either been at the capacity level prescribed by the state or below it.”

And as the state moves up its timetable for fully reopening the economy and removing restrictions on businesses of all kinds, the Clark will continue to be diligent and err, if that’s even the right word, on the side of caution, she told BusinessWest.

“We are taking it slowly, but we will increase our capacity; our current operating capacity is permitted to be 50%, but we’ve chosen to operate at a lower capacity,” she explained, adding that the facility planned to increase to that 50% level on May 29. And moving forward, it plans to increase the numbers as the conditions permit. “We will adjust upwards as we feel it’s best for everyone to do so.

“We’re taking this as opportunity to put our toes in the water and begin to feel more acclimated to going back to the new normal, if you will,” she went on. “We’ll take a look at it on a weekly basis, and certainly our hope is to be in a position in the summer where we’ll hopefully bump it back up. But we have not made that decision yet.”

While watching and adjusting as the conditions permit, the Clark will apply some of the lessons it learned during the pandemic, said Tanner Salzman, echoing the sentiments of business owners and managers across virtually every sector of the economy.

And many of these lessons involve using technology to broaden the Clark’s audience and bring its collections and programs to people who might not otherwise make it to Williamstown.

“We were learning lessons every day throughout this, and I’m sure that some of the practices that we adopted during this period will find a carry-over life as we move forward,” she explained. “We are certainly looking very hard at virtual events and continuing them; we found great success in doing such events, and we recognize that it allows us to open our doors to people who cannot necessarily be here to walk through them for an event. Instead of just having people at a live event at the Clark, we’ve had people tuning in from all around the world, people regularly coming onto live Zoom calls from California, Florida, all over, so we will want to continue that.

“I think there’s a hybrid model out there that we settle into as we move forward,” she went on, adding that there was a very limited amount of virtual programming before COVID. “We’ve done all sorts of things over the past year-plus, from gallery tours to lectures; Q&A conversations with curators to podcasts. We’re enthusiastic about finding ways to adapt these virtual programs into the menu we offer on a regular basis.”

Looking back on 2020, Tanner Salzman said the opening of Ground/work was certainly slowed by COVID. Pieces were arriving from the around the world, she explained, and as borders were closing and studios were closing as well, the process of bringing those works to Williamstown became more complicated and time-consuming, with the exhibit taking shape over time.

“We had to be more flexible and a little more patient,” she said, adding that these qualities have served the Clark well in very aspect of coping with the pandemic and effectively serving art lovers from across the country and around the world.

And flexibility and patience will continue to be the watchwords as this institution continues through that phase known as the ‘new normal.’

—George O’Brien

Picture This

Picture This

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

Brewing Up Business

One Way Brewing opened its doors at 807 Maple Road in Longmeadow on May 22, marking the launch of Longmeadow’s first brewery. One Way Brewing released a flagship beer, Kickstarter, a New England IPA. Pictured at top: two of the many customers who showed up at the event, which featured lines stretched around the building for much of the day. Above, Jason Tsitso, partner and head brewer, loads up six-packs of beer for sale at the kickoff event

Honoring a Legacy

Springfield’s Sinai Temple and the Jerome S. Gurland Human Relations Award Committee recently selected Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) as the 2021 award recipient. GSHFH Executive Director Aimee Giroux (pictured, right) met with Rabbi Jeremy Master (left) on May 26 to accept the honor. Award namesake Rabbi Gurland of Longmeadow, who passed away on May 20, had been an advocate for community service and interfaith relations. Giroux said the funds will be used to promote community involvement, primarily with youth volunteers through construction on its Bay Street project.

Customers’ Choice Community Grants

During a May 18 celebration at Look Park, Florence Bank awarded $100,500 to 32 community organizations through its 19th annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program. Each year, Florence Bank customers are invited to vote for their favorite local nonprofit; to qualify for a community grant, organizations must receive at least 50 votes. In 2020, almost 7,000 votes were cast. Pictured: Monica Curhan, senior vice president and Marketing director, joins President and CEO Kevin Day in leading the awards presentation.

The Sheraton Springfield

Downtown Mainstay Sees New Signs of Life, Anticipates Many More

Stacey Gravanis says the phones starting ringing seemingly within minutes after the governor announced the new timetable for the final stage of his reopening plan.

Stacey Gravanis doesn’t particularly like that phrase ‘new normal’ (and she’s certainly not alone in that opinion). She prefers ‘return to life’ to describe what’s happening at her business, the Sheraton Springfield, and the broad hospitality sector.

And that choice of phrase certainly speaks volumes about what’s been happening — or not happening, as the case may be — in the hotel industry over the past 14 months. In short, there haven’t been many signs of life, at least life as these facilities knew it before COVID-19.

“The bottom just fell out,” she said, for all categories of business for the hotel — corporate and leisure stays, events, conventions, visitors to the casino, weddings, even the business from the military and airlines (flight crews flying into Bradley staying overnight came to a screeching halt in mid-March 2020). And it would be months before any of that came back, and then it was mostly the airline and military business, said Gravanis.

“Our customers are reacting. I have said there’s not going to be this switch that flips, and the business is just going to come back. But it felt like that day, someone did flip a switch because the phones were going crazy. What we budgeted for June … we already have it on the books.”

“When it first started, we were tracking the loss on a weekly basis; we had a spread sheet that we would review,” she recalled. “And then we just stopped reviewing it, because everything, everything, canceled. Reviewing it was pointless; we were just focused on how to rebuild.”

That rebuilding process started over the last two quarters of 2020, she said, adding that, by May, occupancy reached 40%, 10% above what she actually budgeted, said Gravanis, who then provided needed perspective by noting that, in a ‘normal’ May, buffeted by college graduations and other events, occupancy reaches 90%.

She expects the numbers to continue climbing, and while she expected the timeline for fully reopening to be accelerated, and was preparing for that eventuality, the response from the public has been more immediate and more pronounced than she anticipated.

“Our customers are reacting,” she told BusinessWest. “I have said there’s not going to be this switch that flips, and the business is just going to come back. But it felt like that day, someone did flip a switch because the phones were going crazy. What we budgeted for June … we already have it on the books.”

On the other end of those phone calls have been clients across a broad spectrum, including everything from leisure travelers with newfound confidence to book rooms for this summer to those planning to participate in a recently announced three-on-three basketball tournament, to brides looking to bring more guests to weddings that were booked for this June and July.

“Some wanted to double their numbers,” she recalled. “We had a wedding for 175 people that’s now 250 people, booked for the end of June.”

The hotel can handle such developments, she said, but it requires staffing up, which is one of the question marks and challenges moving forward, said Gravanis, adding that another concerns just when — and to what extent — corporate travel, a large and important part of the portfolio at the Sheraton, returns.

“We’re seeing a slow, slow return of business travel,” she explained, adding that corporate gatherings are critical to the hotel’s success, accounting for perhaps 40% of overall group/convention business. “We have heard some encouraging news from some of our tower tenants [Monarch Place] that they will be starting to return in June. We knew it would be the last to come back.”

But will it return to pre-COVID levels?

“I feel that it will,” she said, offering a few questions, the answers to which are on the minds of everyone who relies on business travel. “Who’s not sick of being behind a screen? And are those Zoom meetings as productive as bringing everyone together and putting them in the same room?”

As for staffing, she said the Sheraton has benefited greatly from corporate direction to keep key personnel amid large-scale furloughs and layoffs, on the theory that it would be difficult to replace them. That theory certainly has validity, she said, and keeping those personnel has helped the hotel as it returns to life.

Still, the Sheraton, like most businesses in this sector, is struggling to find enough help to handle the new waves of business now arriving.

“You may have 25% of your interviews actually show up,” she said with a noticeable amount of frustration in her voice — because she handles the interviews. “The hiring crisis hasn’t really hurt us yet because we have such talented managers, and every employee who works for us can work in multiple disciplines — they’re all cross-trained; our front-desk people can also drive a shuttle and jump into laundry. That said, we’re struggling just like everyone else.”

She remains optimistic, though, that these struggles won’t interfere with this downtown landmark’s long-awaited return to life.

—George O’Brien

Agenda

Agenda

Free Music Fridays

June 4 to Sept. 3: Live music will returns to MGM Springfield with the new Free Music Fridays Concert Series. Every Friday, some of the area’s most popular rock bands will perform on the Plaza at MGM Springfield starting at 7:30 p.m., weather permitting. Kicking off the 2021 series is FAT featuring Peter Newland. Additional local favorites such as Trailer Trash, Darik and the Funbags, and Michelle Brooks-Thompson, among others, are scheduled to perform throughout the summer. The Plaza Bar will reopen for Free Music Fridays, offering summer cocktails, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages, among other options. Guests also can enjoy MGM Springfield’s diverse food and beverage offerings before or after the concerts, with options including the Chandler Steakhouse, Tap Sports Bar, and Southend Market venues including Bill’s Diner, Jack’s Lobster Shack, Wicked Noodle, and Hearth Grill. For additional details on the Free Music Fridays Concert Series, including lineup updates, visit mgmspringfield.com.

Asnuntuck Foundation Golf Tournament

June 15: Asnuntuck Community College’s foundation and Aerospace Components Manufacturers will host a golf tournament fundraiser — the program’s 13th annual tournament and the first year the fundraiser will be held at Tunxis Country Club in Farmington, Conn. Proceeds from the event will benefit to the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center at Asnuntuck, which features leading-edge technology and has educated more than 9,000 students since 1998. Additional sponsors committed to the tournament include Air Industries Group/Sterling Engineering, Aerospace Alloys Inc., Aeroswiss, Advance Welding, Pilot Precision Products, Kaman Precision Products, Willington Nameplate, Accu-Rite Tool and Manufacturing Co. Inc., and Jarvis Surgical Inc. Golfers will pay $150 for 18 holes of golf. The entry fee also includes a cart, goody bags, and two drink tickets. The day will also include a barbecue lunch and fountain drink, along with dinner and an ice cream sundae bar. Golfers will have a chance at door prizes, and awards will be presented to top golfers during the dinner portion of the evening. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. with tee-off at 1 p.m. Golfers will play with a ‘shamble,’ which is a modified scramble. This format has each golfer hit their tee shot, and the group picks the best one and plays their own ball from there. Visit birdease.com/amtgolf to register and learn about sponsorship opportunities. For more information, contact event coordinator Joshua Ware at [email protected] or (203) 228-2768.

‘Cook Your Way to Hormone Health’

June 17, 24: Bella Foodie LLC announced 2021 dates for its “Cook Your Way to Hormone Health” virtual cooking workshop with Renae Taply of Tap into Wellness. This event will help women in the community learn how to optimize their hormone health through foods and balancing the plate. The workshop will be held 100% virtually, but attendees will still feel the excitement of an in-person event. During the event, participants will be guided through creating meals utilizing phase-specific foods that naturally support hormone balance. The event will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. on both dates. Tickets to the event cost $45 upon registration. After registration, participants will receive an ingredient list for the cook-along portion with Ashley Tresoline, owner of Bella Foodie. During the two-part workshop, participants will learn how food can affect the hormones; learn seasonal recipes for every phase of one’s hormone life; and engage in a talk about hormone health and wellness. The sessions will include Q&A time, a cook-along portion and demonstration, and handouts on hormones, recipes, and meal guidance. To register, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/cook-your-way-to-hormone-health-tickets-154772991183.

AIC President’s Cup Golf Outing

June 18: American International College (AIC) will host its 13th annual President’s Cup Golf Outing at Wintonbury Hills Golf Club in Bloomfield, Conn. Proceeds from registrations and sponsorships directly benefit AIC scholarship programs, which are essential in the college’s support of students and future alumni. Since the President’s Cup Golf Outing began in 2007, the tournament has raised more than $500,000 toward scholarships for deserving students. Many sponsorship opportunities are available in addition to foursome and individual golfer registrations. The event’s gold sponsor is C&W Services. Given recent modifications to some COVID-19 restrictions, the tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 9:30 a.m., with check-in and continental breakfast available in advance. A BBQ lunch will be served, and an awards dinner at the conclusion of the tournament will round out the day. For more information about the President’s Cup, including sponsorship support, foursomes, and individual golfer participation, or to donate items for the raffle, call (413) 205-3520 or e-mail [email protected]. Registration is available online at www.aic.edu/presidentscup. The registration deadline is Friday, June 11.

Dress for Success Tag Sale

June 18-24: Dress for Success Western Massachusetts will host another of its popular clothing tag sales — this time outside under a huge tent in the parking lot of the Eastfield Mall. Hundreds of women have refreshed their wardrobes at past tag sales, while at the same time supporting Dress for Success’ mission to empower women to achieve economic independence. Women can choose from an extensive array of clothing, shoes, accessories, and more. These new and gently used items include selections from name-brand fashion houses such as Anne Klein, Evan Picone, Ellen Tracy, and many more. Customers can fill a shopping bag for only $25. Individuals with clothing they would like to donate can call (413) 732-8179 to make an appointment. Because the tag sale is outside, there will not be rooms to try on clothes. If anyone buys something that doesn’t fit, they can pass it on to friends or others in need. For everyone’s safety, shoppers are asked to wear a mask while inside the tent. Volunteers are needed on June 14-17 to set up, June 18-24 to staff the tent, and June 25 to break down the event. Anyone interested should e-mail [email protected].

Healthcare Heroes Nominations

Through June 24: In the spring of 2017, the Healthcare News and its sister publication, BusinessWest, created a new and exciting recognition program called Healthcare Heroes. It was launched with the theory that there are heroes working all across this region’s wide, deep, and all-important healthcare sector, and that there was no shortage of fascinating stories to tell and individuals and groups to honor. That theory has certainly been validated. But there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of heroes whose stories we still need to tell, especially in these times, when the COVID-19 pandemic has brought many types of heroes to the forefront. Nominations will be accepted in seven different categories: Patient/Resident/Client Care Provider, Health/Wellness Administrator/Administration, Emerging Leader, Community Health, Innovation in Health/Wellness, Collaboration in Health/Wellness, and Lifetime Achievement. The Healthcare Heroes event is presented by Elms College. Nominations can be submitted at businesswest.com/healthcare-heroes/nominations. For more information, call (413) 781-8600.

Blue Sox Youth Baseball Clinics

June 28 to July 1; July 5-8; July 12-15: The Valley Blue Sox of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, in coordination with presenting sponsor Holyoke Medical Group, announced three youth baseball clinic dates. At these clinics, to be held in three different locations around Western Mass., participants will hone their hitting, pitching, and fielding skills with instruction from Blue Sox players and coaches. The dates and locations are as follows: June 28 to July 1, 9 a.m. to noon, Hadley Elementary School fields (rain date July 2); July 5-8, 9 a.m. to noon, Mackenzie Stadium, Holyoke (rain date July 9); and July 12-15, 9 a.m. to noon, Spec Pond Recreation Area, Wilbraham (rain date July 16). The registration cost for each clinic is $120. The clinics are open to children ages 6-13. Every child who participates in the youth clinic will receive two tickets to the Blue Sox Clinic Night on Wednesday, July 21. This night is a way to commemorate the work put in during the clinics, and every child will have the opportunity to take the field with the Blue Sox during the pregame ceremonies. To register for these youth clinics, click www.bluesoxcamps.com for the Hadley or Holyoke clinic, or www.wilbrahamrec.com for the Wilbraham clinic. For more information, visit www.valleybluesox.com and select ‘Youth Clinics’ from the drop-down menu.

40 Under Forty Gala

Sept. 23: BusinessWest’s 15th annual 40 Under Forty gala will take place at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The class of 2021 was introduced to the region in the magazine’s May 12 issue, and the profiles may be read online at businesswest.com. Tickets cost $80 and will go on sale on June 7. This is expected to be a sellout event, and tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. To reserve a spot, call (413) 781-8600, or e-mail [email protected].

Shrine Is Poised to Rebound from a Season of Hard Losses

The Basketball Hall of Fame

John Doleva stands in the new Kobe Bryant exhibit at the Basketball Hall of Fame, which is drawing considerable attention and is now one of many reasons for optimism at the shrine.

John Doleva says it was probably within minutes after Vanessa Bryant, widow of the NBA star and entrepreneur Kobe Bryant, posted an Instagram photo of her in the new exhibit at the Basketball Hall of Fame dedicated to Kobe — a photo that has garnered 17 million ‘likes’ — when the phone started ringing.

On the other end were people — from this region, but also across the country — who wanted to know more about the exhibit and how long it would be running.

“The phones been ringing off the hook,” said Doleva, the long-time president and CEO of the Hall. “We’ve had calls from all across the country, but especially from California, with people saying, ‘I want to come see it; don’t take it down.’”

Vanessa Bryant’s Instagram post, followed soon thereafter by an article on her visit to the Hall in Us Weekly magazine and the response to both, is one of many things going right for the Hall of Fame a year and change after everything — as in everything — started going wrong.

Indeed, at the start of 2020, the year was shaping up as potentially the best in the Hall’s history. A star-studded class, headlined by Bryant, Tim Duncan, and Kevin Garnett, was going to be inducted that September. Meanwhile, a series of major additions and renovations to the Hall were being completed, prompting expectations for a surge in visitation. A commemorative coin was slated to be launched, one that was projected to become a major fundraiser for the shrine. And plans were being finalized for a massive three-on-three basketball tournament, with the Hall as a major player — and drawing card for participating teams.

And then … it all went away.

The induction ceremonies, a major source of funding for the Hall, were pushed back several times, and eventually to last month, and moved to Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. The commemorative coin was scrapped, and the three-on-three tournament, dubbed Hooplandia, was scrubbed as well.

“The phones been ringing off the hook. We’ve had calls from all across the country, but especially from California, with people saying, ‘I want to come see it; don’t take it down.’”

As for the Hall’s renovation, COVID-19 actually provided an opportunity to slow down the pace of work and add two new attractions — the Kobe Bryant exhibit and another exhibit that allows visitors to virtually join the set with TNT’s NBA broadcast team, which includes Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal, and read a few highlights.

In recent weeks, visitation to this new, more modern, more immersive Hall has been steadily increasing, said Doleva, who expects that pattern to continue, and for a number of reasons, ranging from Vanessa Bryant’s Instagram post to the fact that many people who might otherwise be heading to the Cape or Martha’s Vineyard this summer will be coming to Western Mass. for day trips because they can’t book rooms or cottages at those destinations.

“Our traffic right now is ahead of pre-pandemic, 2019 numbers, and our pre-bookings for upcoming weekends are excellent,” he noted. “On a normal Saturday in May, we would get 300 to 400 people; last Saturday (May 22), we had 660. School is not out yet, and yet we’re still seeing a few hundred on a weekday.

“Our projections are that this will be the best summer we’ve ever had; we’re going to be aggressive in our promotion of visitation — we didn’t invest $21 million to hope and pray people come,” he went on, adding that he’s expecting 100,000 visitors to visit this summer, a 30% to 40% increase over what has been typical over the years.

And the governor’s moving of the reopening date from Aug. 1 to May 29 will certainly help in this regard, he said, adding that June and especially July are key months for the shrine.

“We were anxiously awaiting the green flag — and now we’re ready to run,” he told BusinessWest, noting that, while some businesses were not fully ready for May 29, the Hall was, and especially grateful for gaining nine critical weeks.

Overall, Doleva believes 2021 will, in many respects, be the year that 2020 wasn’t for the Hall. There will actually be two induction ceremonies, with the class of 2021, headlined by former Celtics Paul Pearce and Bill Russell (to be honored as the first black coach in the NBA), to be celebrated in September at the MassMutual Center, as well as a return of collegiate basketball tournaments that benefit the Hall. Meanwhile, Doleva is also projecting a strong surge in corporate events and outings at the Hall as the business world gradually returns to something approaching normal.

He said the Hall boasts a number of amenities, including a theater with seating for several hundred and Center Court, which can seat more than 400 for a sit-down dinner and now includes a 14-by-40-foot video screen.

“We’re getting a lot of interest, a lot of calls,” he said, noting that a few banquet facilities closed due to COVID, and the Hall stands to benefit whenever the business community and other constituencies are ready and willing to gather in large numbers again.

Getting back to those calls from California and the Kobe Bryant exhibit, Doleva said the typical lifespan for such a display is at least three to five years, and perhaps longer. He joked that those at the Hall are telling those callers, ‘why don’t you buy your tickets today, and we’ll hold it until you come.’”

Enthusiasm for that exhibit is just one of many reasons why those at the Hall of Fame believe they can fully rebound from a year that saw a number of hard losses.

—George O’Brien

People on the Move

People on the Move

Seth Stratton

Fitzgerald Attorneys at Law and MGM Springfield announced that attorney Seth Stratton will be leaving his position as vice president and legal counsel of MGM Resorts’ Northeast Group by mid-June to rejoin Fitzgerald as the firm’s managing shareholder. In this leadership role, he will assist the firm’s clients on a wide range of business-related matters, including corporate governance, commercial development, regulatory matters, and dispute resolution. During his time with MGM Springfield, Stratton oversaw legal affairs, regulatory compliance, and government relations in connection with the development, construction, and opening of the $950 million MGM Springfield destination resort casino in downtown Springfield. In 2019, his role expanded to serve as property general counsel and officer for two operating MGM casinos: MGM Springfield and Empire City Casino in Yonkers, N.Y. In that capacity, Stratton provided strategic oversight, management, and direction for legal, regulatory, compliance, risk, and government-affairs functions for both casino complexes and served as an officer and executive committee member for each property. He will now bring this business, development, and management experience to his work with Fitzgerald.

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Crystal Neuhauser

Bay Path University announced that Crystal Neuhauser has been named vice president of Institutional Advancement, effective June 21. Neuhauser comes to Bay Path after serving as the associate vice president of Advancement at Franklin Pierce University, where she increased overall giving by 41% in 2020. Prior to Franklin Pierce, she directed advancement and development initiatives at Yale University, Quinnipiac University, and Mitchell College, and also worked within the nonprofit community sector. Her career experience spans fundraising, donor relations, alumni engagement, grants, and corporate contributions. She also served on a strategic planning subcommittee at Franklin Pierce. Neuhauser is currently working toward a doctorate of education in educational leadership at New England College. She earned her master’s degree in organizational leadership from Quinnipiac College and her bachelor’s degree in business management from Albertus Magnus College. At Bay Path, Neuhauser will serve as a member of the executive staff. In this role, she will provide strategic leadership for fundraising, including responsibility for annual giving; corporate, major and planned gifts; endowment; capital campaigns; alumni and constituent-relations efforts; stewardship; and advancement services. As a nonprofit higher-education institution, Bay Path depends on the generosity of donors to fund scholarships and important initiatives that make a difference in students’ lives.

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Rachel Rubinstein

Springfield College announced that Rachel Rubinstein has been named dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, effective July 12. Rubinstein was professor of American Literature and Jewish Studies at Hampshire College for 16 years, where she also served as the dean of Academic Support and Advising for six years. She subsequently became Holyoke Community College’s inaugural vice president of Academic and Student Affairs, a position that combined two previously separate divisions. Most recently, she has been serving as senior advisor to the deputy commissioner of Academic Affairs and Student Success at the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, where she has focused on supporting initiatives in the state’s equity agenda. The child of immigrants from Mexico, Rubinstein’s scholarship focuses on migration, multi-lingualism, racial formation, and literary nationalism, as well as on pedagogies in the fields of ethnic and race studies. She is the author of Members of the Tribe: Native America in the Jewish Imagination, as well as the co-editor of Arguing the Modern Jewish Canon and, most recently, Teaching Jewish American Literature, a volume in the MLA’s Options for Teaching series. She received her bachelor’s degree in English from Yale University and her PhD in English and American literature from Harvard University.

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Nicole Domnarski

FSB Financial Group, the investment division of Florence Bank, announced that Nicole Domnarski, after working two years as an assistant financial advisor, has transitioned to financial advisor. She began her career in the financial-services industry 24 years ago and has been employed by FSB Financial Group for the past 10 years, helping advisors protect and preserve clients’ wealth. As a financial advisor, she will work directly with individuals and business owners to develop strategic, long-term financial plans to help customers achieve their financial goals and objectives. Domnarski is a graduate of Springfield Technical Community College and is a chartered retirement planning counselor certified by the College for Financial Planning. She is an investment advisor representative with Commonwealth Financial Network, and holds Series 6, 7, 31, 63, and 65 registrations. She is also licensed to sell both life and health insurance.

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The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) announced the appointment of Denise Hurst as vice president for Community Impact and Partnerships. In this redesigned role meant to deepen community engagement and drive program efficacy and representation, Hurst will oversee community investments, including grants, scholarships, and new efforts to strengthen advocacy, technical assistance, data and research, and evaluation in regional projects and initiatives. This appointment is the latest example of CFWM’s ongoing commitment to advance equity in the region by elevating community voices, cultivating new coalitions and partnerships, and advancing the organizational effectiveness of nonprofits. Hurst joins the Foundation after serving Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) as vice president of Advancement & External Affairs, where she led development for the college as the executive director of the STCC Foundation, and later oversaw marketing, communications, and government affairs. Prior to that, she was appointed regional manager of the Massachusetts State Lottery in Western Mass. by state Treasurer Deb Goldberg and has worked as site director for the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, as well as an adjunct professor at Cambridge College. She comes to CFWM with a wealth of knowledge, experience, and established networks across Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties. For more than a decade, Hurst served as an elected member of the Springfield School Committee. She led the charge to establish the Minority Caucus for the Massachusetts Assoc. of School Committees (MASC) and served as the former chair of the caucus, as well as the former vice president of MASC. Hurst has been honored with several awards, including BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty class of 2014, 2015 100 Women of Color in New England, and 2015 Top 25 Women to Watch in Western Mass., and most recently as the 2019 Woman of the Year by the Professional Women’s Chamber.

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Nancy Creed

Nancy Creed, president of the Springfield Regional Chamber, has been elected president of the Massachusetts Assoc. of Chamber of Commerce Executives (MACCE) through 2022. MACCE is a Massachusetts-based organization that offers resources and networking opportunities to its member chamber of commerce professionals across the Commonwealth. Creed has amassed more than 25 years of strategic alliance building, communications, public relations, media relations, and government and community outreach experience. She has served as president of the Springfield Regional Chamber since 2016. Prior to becoming chamber president, she served as vice president of Marketing and Communications. She holds a bachelor’s degree in magazine journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, is certified in nonprofit organization management through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management, and is a 2000 graduate of the Springfield Regional Chamber’s Leadership Institute. Creed has served in a variety of capacities on the MACCE board, including Region 1 vice president, secretary, and vice president.

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Michael Sullivan

Julius Lewis

UMassFive College Federal Credit Union announced the retirement of Michael Sullivan, longtime board director and original founding member of the credit union, at its 54th annual meeting in March. New director Julius Lewis was also elected to the open position at the virtual event. Sullivan’s legacy extends well beyond UMassFive in the world of credit unions. While he served originally as a UMassFive board member beginning in 1982, and as the credit union board chair at UMassFive from 1986 to 1993, he concurrently held the titles of director, vice chair, and chair of Mass CUNA (1986-1998). During this time, he was instrumental in the merger of the two state credit-union leagues that eventually became the Cooperative Credit Union Assoc. (CCUA). As a thank you for his many contributions, UMassFive has dedicated the board room in its Hadley executive area as the Michael Sullivan Board Room in his honor. Newly elected board member Julius Lewis has been a member of the credit union since 2010 and, throughout the years, has helped promote UMassFive’s products and services within the local community. He is a graduate of the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, which played a major role in launching his professional career in the financial industry. He has worked as an independent financial consultant, specializing in insurance products since 2003. In 2006, Lewis created and began hosting The Lewis & Morrow Financial Hour, a weekly financial radio talk show broadcasted throughout the region and online. In 2017, he started his company, JDL Financial, and has received several awards and achievements within his profession. UMassFive welcomes his new perspectives and ideas to the board.

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Mill Town announced it has hired Dennis Robinson as the company’s chief operating officer and president of Bousquet Enterprises, a group of recreational and hospitality businesses based in the Berkshires. Beginning immediately, Robinson will be responsible for the management, operations, and financial performance of the company’s operating business portfolio. He will also oversee major capital projects related to these sites, which include Bousquet Mountain Ski Area, Bousquet Sport (formerly Berkshire West Athletic Club), the Camp by Bousquet (formerly the Lakeside Christian Camp), the Gateways Inn, and Mission Bar & Tapas. Robinson brings more than three decades of management experience to the team. Following an MBA from Harvard Business School, he spent nine years with the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority, the ownership entity of the Meadowlands and MetLife Stadium. From 1999 to 2007, he was the senior vice president of Business Operations for the NBA in New York. Upon returning to the New Jersey Sports & Expo Authority in 2008, he led facility management of Giants Stadium, Meadowlands Racetrack, Monmouth Park Racetrack, and the IZOD Center. More recently, Robinson held leadership roles at Formula 1 and was the chief of staff and acting secretary of State for the state of New Jersey from 2015 to 2017. Robinson has an undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University, where he was a varsity football player; a master’s degree in sport management from UMass Amherst; and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

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Kate Keiderling

OMG Inc. appointed Kate Keiderling to the position of director of Human Resources and Environmental Health and Safety (HR/EHS). In her new position, she is responsible for developing and executing strategies that continue to provide a culture that is safe, healthy, supportive, inclusive, open, and creative. In her new role, she will work closely with the senior management team to plan and execute business strategies that address corporate safety, as well as effective personnel management. She is also responsible for improving the company’s current HR/EHS structure, programs, and processes as necessary to support OMG employees and business goals. She reports to Hubert McGovern, president and CEO of OMG. Keiderling joined OMG Inc. from Paradigm Precision in Manchester, Conn., where she was director of Human Resources for North America. Earlier, she spent 16 years in various HR positions with Pratt & Whitney, most recently as associate director of Human Resources for military engines. She also worked for the Travelers Insurance. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Elms College and a master’s degree in human resource development from American International College.

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Fred Mills

New England’s largest healthcare-centric managed service provider and value-added reseller is positioning itself for national growth with the addition of Fred Mills as its new vice president of Sales. Mills joins baytechIT after stints as senior director of Worldwide Healthcare Alliances and Business Development for data-management provider Commvault, and director and general manager at Hewlett Packard Enterprise for Healthcare in the Americas. The effort is also part of a national sales strategy for the entire Pixel Health portfolio of companies under the direction of newly appointed Chief Revenue Officer Barbara Casey. BaytechIT was founded in 2018 as a partnership between Pixel Health and Baystate Health System. The company’s U.S.-based call center and field-services staff supports more than 150 hospitals, clinics, and independent medical practices, with more than 16,000 devices under management. The company maintains sales partnerships with Microsoft, HPE, Cisco, Hewlett Packard, Dell, and Lenovo, among others. Mills will support clients throughout the U.S. and will be based in Raleigh, N.C. He holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and finance from the Boston College Carroll School of Management.

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Emma Redman

SkinCatering Salon & Spa, located inside Tower Square in downtown Springfield, announced the promotion of its spa coordinator, Emma Redman, to its leadership team as the new salon & spa manager. Redman will oversee daily operations and social-media coordination, while leading a growing unit of nine employees. After several years in customer service at Six Flags New England, acting in local theatre productions, and working as a special-effects and bridal makeup artist, Redman began as a part-time front-desk employee at SkinCatering in 2019 and was quickly promoted to full-time spa coordinator just a few months later. In 2020, Redman’s support during the spa’s temporary closure during the COVID-19 pandemic was invaluable as she adeptly navigated the unknown to help preserve SkinCatering’s extensive client base for their return. As SkinCatering Spa evolved into SkinCatering Salon & Spa in December with its expansion in its new location on the first floor of Tower Square, Redman’s responsibilities increased, and she continued to show great leadership promise, SkinCatering owners Leanne Sedlak and Kim Brunton Auger said.

Company Notebook

Company Notebook

Wahlburgers Opens at MGM Springfield

SPRINGFIELD — Wahlburgers announced that its restaurant at MGM Springfield is now open to the public and ready to serve guests. The Wahlburgers MGM Springfield team is looking forward to becoming a part of the community and providing guests with an exciting dine-in experience as well as offering takeout. The popular casual dining concept founded by brothers Mark, Donnie, and Executive Chef Paul Wahlberg, and the subject of A&E Network’s Emmy-nominated reality show for 10 seasons, will feature a chef-inspired menu that brings guests its signature lineup of burgers along with entrée salads, sandwiches, and more. The restaurant’s full bar will offer a large selection of craft cocktails, wines, and local beers. Wahlburgers Springfield MGM is located at 1028 Main St., at the corner of Main and Union streets in downtown Springfield. The 4,900-square-foot restaurant will be open daily for lunch and dinner. In honor of the late family matriarch, Alma Wahlberg, the chain’s Springfield location includes a special ‘Alma’s table.’ This design element is adorned with photos from her childhood through her adult life, along with snapshots of her family members. Those who join the WahlClub rewards program by downloading the Wahlburgers app will have access to exclusive promotions, earn points for every dollar spent, and redeem rewards for free food and merchandise. Online ordering and delivery are also available via the Wahlburgers app.

One-day HCC Campaign Raises $122K for Student-support Programs

HOLYOKE — Led by auto dealer Gary Rome, trustees, alumni, and friends, Holyoke Community College raised $122,000 for student-support programs last month during its one-day “Together HCC: Drive to Change Lives” campaign. Organizers had set a goal of 150 donors for the 24-hour fund drive on April 27. The final tally was 295. Rome, an HCC Foundation board member, had issued a donation challenge of $10,000 if the campaign met its goals of securing 150 new donors and 1,000 social-media posts using the hashtag #TogetherHCC. He presented a check to HCC officials at his Holyoke dealership on May 4. In addition to Rome, Peg Wendlandt and Gary Wendlandt, Jim Izatt, Dylan Pilon, trustees Robert Gilbert and Charlie Epstein, HCC Foundation board member Mike Roundy, and the HCC Alumni Council all posed match and challenge gifts for the campaign. Alumnus Myke Connolly, owner of Stand Out Truck, donated the use of his mobile billboard. In addition to his #TogetherHCC donation, Connolly created the Stand Out Truck Celeste Berger Annual Scholarship at HCC to be awarded this spring to a current HCC student of marketing, business, or entrepreneurship.

Monson Savings Bank Supports Shriners Mini Golf Tournament

MONSON — As part of its efforts to support the health, happiness, and overall well-being of local children, Monson Savings Bank has embraced Shriners Hospitals for Children – Springfield as a continued community partner, with MSB making its second donation to the children’s hospital this year. Monson Savings Bank President and CEO Dan Moriarty met with Stacey Perlmutter, director of Development for the hospital, and special guest Fezzy Bear, the Springfield Shriners’ adored ambassador, to present the bank’s $1,500 donation to the Shriners’ Putting for a Purpose Mini Golf Tournament. Shriners Hospitals for Children – Springfield is a pediatric hospital that specializes in treating orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal-cord injuries, urology, cleft lip, and cleft palate. The children’s hospital offers both inpatient and outpatient levels of care, with services including rehabilitation, fracture care, and sports health and medicine. Shriners provides treatment to children regardless of families’ financial capabilities and relies on donations from events, like its fund-raising Putting for a Purpose Mini Golf Tournament, to provide expert care to children. This year’s event is set to take place Sept. 9-11 at Stony Falls Miniature Golf at McCray’s Farm in South Hadley.

Healthtrax Physical Therapy Opens in West Springfield

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Healthtrax Physical Therapy recently opened its third clinic combining restorative clinical treatments inside Healthtrax Fitness, 155 Ashley Ave., West Springfield. Treatments are provided by physical therapist Brian Ferreira. Working as a physical therapist since 2006, he is a certified in manual therapy and earned his master’s degree in physical therapy at the University of Hartford. He is experienced in advanced manual-therapy skills and outpatient orthopedics. Services not only target the current issues (pain, weakness, etc.), but address underlying movement impairments, and treating these biomechanical dysfunctions results in better, more sustainable outcomes for each patient based on medical history, co-morbidities, and goals of therapy, Ferreira noted. The scope of diagnoses the center can treat includes low back and neck pain, rotator-cuff tendinitis, tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow, knee and hip pain, plantar fasciitis, ankle sprains, spinal stenosis, hand and thumb pain, osteoarthritis, degenerative disc and joint disease of the spine, nerve pain and sciatica, poor balance and unsteady gait, and general deconditioning due to disease or illness. Open to the public and Healthtrax Fitness members, Healthtrax Physical Therapy treats patients of all ages and abilities, including adult and youth athletes, pre- and post-operative patients, workers’ comp injury patients, motor-vehicle accident patients, children with orthopedic conditions, and those needing work conditioning or hardening.

BFAIR Partners with Boston College School of Social Work on Project

NORTH ADAMS — BFAIR partnered with the Boston College School of Social Work on a project with graduate students this spring as part of its “Creating and Sustaining Social Enterprises” course. This course focuses on important concepts and stages in considering revenue-producing programs in a nonprofit setting to add financial stability. Students are involved in basic data gathering and analysis and organize their conclusions in a business plan for the enterprise effort. As such, they conducted a brief survey to provide BFAIR with information regarding its service that provides employment for people with disabilities and is beneficial to the environment. BFAIR’s Bottle and Can Redemption Center, located in North Adams, helps the community by providing residents with a way to exchange redeemable bottles and cans for cash while remaining true to its mission. The culmination of the course resulted in an expansion of BFAIR’s Bottle and Can Redemption Center in the form of a pop-up service working with the North Adams Housing Authority, Berkshire Housing, and the city of North Adams. The pop-up service will give these locations the opportunity to redeem or donate their bottles during certain timeframes during the week at six different locations in North County starting in June.

Bradley International Airport Adds New Non-stop Destinations

WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — The Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA) announced that Bradley International Airport is one of the launch airports for Breeze Airways. The newly founded carrier announced its official, national debut with the rollout of a route network across the U.S. At Bradley, it will launch four new non-stop destinations this summer, including Charleston, S.C. (currently operating), and Columbus, Ohio; Norfolk, Va.; and Pittsburgh (all beginning July 22). The new non-stops will operate on a single-class Embraer aircraft, with a two-by-two seat configuration. Breeze Airways offers booking flexibility that includes no change or cancellation fees for flights changed or canceled up to 15 minutes before scheduled departure. The CAA also announced that Bradley has launched new non-stop service to Minneapolis with Sun Country Airlines. The service to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport operates twice a week. In September, Sun Country Airlines will also be launching new non-stop service from Bradley International Airport to Orlando, Fla.

Carr Hardware TV Spots Win Gold Telly Award

PITTSFIELD — Carr Hardware announced that its “Dewitts” advertising campaign, created by Clayson Creative, has won a Gold Telly Award for 2021 in the business-to-consumer category. In the ads, the Dewitts are the world’s worst do-it-yourselfers and are in constant need of help from the experts at Carr Hardware. See their latest videos at shop.carrhardware.com/the-dewitts. The Telly Awards, the world’s largest honor for video and television content across all screens, has announced this year’s winners, including Jennifer Garner’s “Pretend Cooking Show” series, RadicalMedia’s “Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel” documentary series, Partizan’s “Fantastic Voyage” campaign, and the Clayson Creative/Carr Hardware “Dewitts” campaign. Founded in 1979, the Telly Awards are judged by the Telly Award Judging Council, a group of leading video and television experts from some of the most prestigious companies in entertainment, publishing, advertising, and emerging technology, such as WarnerMedia, NBC News, Framestore NY, and Vimeo, to name a few. Carr Hardware plans to bring more Dewitts videos to its customers in the upcoming year.

SSO Musicians Say Leaders Show Lack of Commitment to Future

SPRINGFIELD — In a recent letter to supporters and the media, a group representing Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) musicians leveled a number of complaints at SSO leadership, claiming that the lack of a 2021-22 concert schedule, failure to replace departed Executive Director Susan Beaudry or renew the contract of Music Director Kevin Rhodes, and a dispute over the musicians’ collective bargaining agreement have put the future of the organization in doubt. Musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (MOSSO) alleges that the SSO board of directors’ executive management committee has effectively shut down the organization. MOSSO noted that the SSO board has essentially eliminated artistic leadership by minimizing Rhodes’ role and putting off renewing his contract, which expired on May 31, and has launched no national search for Beaudry’s successor. For the time being, Development Director John Anz is serving as interim executive director. According to MOSSO, the SSO board’s solution to current financial challenges has been to eliminate staff positions and drastically reduce the number of performances and players performing. MOSSO maintains that the board’s own endowment and fundraising reports show that SSO finances are improving and that, instead of cutting performances, the SSO should continue growing its successful development program, start applying for grant funding (as have similar performing organizations), and turn over management of the SSO to an executive director with a proven track record of success. The SSO board claims that the 2021-22 season cannot be planned in the absence of a successor to the 2017-20 collective bargaining agreement (CBA), but MOSSO notes that federal law requires that the terms of an expired CBA remain in effect until a new agreement is reached.

River Valley Counseling Center Wins $50,000 Technology Makeover

HOLYOKE — River Valley Counseling Center (RVCC) announced it has been awarded a $50,000 technology makeover from Insight Enterprises and Intel. RVCC is one of three winners in the Connected Workplace Makeover Contest, which was created to help businesses address the effects of aging technology. As a winner, RVCC will receive IT consultation from Insight and $50,000 worth of new 11th Gen Intel Core Processor devices, including Intel vPro Platform PCs built for business. The contest targeted small and mid-sized companies of fewer than 1,000 employees that have been particularly strapped for resources or may be struggling to adapt IT systems and processes to the shifting marketplace amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The contest focused on three areas of critical IT needs: productivity; updating tools, particularly for remote work; security; and total cost of ownership. More than 1,200 U.S. organizations submitted contest entries sharing why they needed a workplace makeover. RVCC was named the winner in the productivity category. Intel Evo vPro PCs will allow RVCC to service clients in a timelier manner, roll out better telehealth options, stay secure, and be HIPAA-compliant. Over the next month, Insight and Intel will be conducting on-site consultations with RVCC to help the team identify the best technology upgrades for their clinic located at 303 Beech St. in Holyoke. It is expected that productivity based at this location could improve by up to 25% by replacing poorly running computers, including some still running on Windows Vista.

Holyoke Medical Center Opens Two New Behavioral-health Units

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Medical Center opened and began providing care in two new behavioral-health units on June 1. The new units are located in the main hospital at 575 Beech St., Holyoke, and consist of one 16-bed adult behavioral-health unit and one 18-bed geriatric behavioral-health unit. These units are in addition to the 20-bed adult behavioral-health unit that has been serving the community since 1989. “Holyoke Medical Center has always been committed to providing the care and services that meet the needs of our community. As an independent community hospital, we are also able to adapt quickly as those needs change,” said Spiros Hatiras, president and CEO of Holyoke Medical Center and Valley Health Systems. “The construction for these two units started in January of this year, when the veterans staying with us since April 2020 were able to return to the Soldiers’ Home. In less than five months, our team was able to transform and build two state-of-the-art units, designed specifically to support the needs of the growing number of behavioral-health patients throughout our region.”

Incorporations

Incorporations

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

AGAWAM

Hardina Enterprises Inc., 124 Anthony St. Agawam, MA 01001. Richard R. Hardina, same. Construction, building, management.

BELCHERTOWN

Mexcalito Taco-Bar Inc., 281 Mill Valley Road, Belchertown, MA 01007. Antonio Marquez Diaz, same. Restaurant.

CHICOPEE

Pagan Auto Repair Inc., 136 Exchange St., Apt. 2 Chicopee, MA 01013. Joselito Pagan, same. Auto repair.

EAST LONGMEADOW

A&M Distributor Inc., 303 Pease Road, East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Angela Marino, same. Food bakeries distribution.

FEEDING HILLS

Blue Way Express Inc., 44 Greenock St., Feeding Hills, MA 01030. Alexandr Zgerya, same. Transport.

HOLYOKE

620 Industries Inc., 620 Beaulieu St., Holyoke, MA 01040. Kristofer Emmett Craddock, 280 Nassau St. Springfield, MA 01129. Agricultural industries.

LUDLOW

Roupa Inc., 36 Massachusetts Ave., Ludlow, MA 01056. Carlos F. Martins, same. Self-service laundromat and other related services.

NORTHAMPTON

Fifteen Foods Inc., 38 Main St. Northampton, MA 01060. Endamian Stewart, 316 South St. Northampton, MA 01060. Educational programs.

PITTSFIELD

Dorn Davis Corp., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. James Smith, same. Developing and creating intellectual property, BR.

SPRINGFIELD

43 Sullivan Street Inc., 15 Ludlow Ave. Springfield, MA 01151. Luke Ross, same. Purchase, sell, hold, develop, and manage real estate.

Black Star Construction Inc., 843 Chestnut St., Springfield, MA 01107. Jose Miguel Perez, same. Construction and construction management.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Olive Tree Painting Inc., 64 Hanover St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Ashlee E. Rios, same. Painting services.

WILBRAHAM

Sinking Feeling Inc., 77 Manchonis Road, Wilbraham, MA 01095. Matthew V. Blanchard, same. Clothing retail.

Taylor Sales Inc., 11 Delmor Circle Wilbraham, MA 01095. Elizabeth Faye Hebert, same. Designer eyewear sales.

Doing Business as Certificates

DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the month of May 2021. (Filings are limited due to closures or reduced staffing hours at municipal offices due to COVID-19 restrictions).

DEERFIELD

No. 6 Design Build
43 Sugarloaf St.
Eric Parham

RK Woodworking
2 Porter St.
Ryan Kurkulonis

Sheep & Shawl
12 Mountain Road
Elizabeth Sorenson

Stillwater Meadow Farm
230 Stillwater Road
Michael Didonna

Yellow Rose Birth Services, LLC
34 King Philip Ave.
Jacqueline Tuttle

HADLEY

Blueprint Gallery
8 Railroad St.
Timothy Brewer

Energy Unwinding, LLC
234 Russell St., #201
Kimberly Kyounghokoh

King of Stonewalls
38 Greenleaves Dr., #201
Horacio Gomes

PetSmart
367 Russell St.
PetSmart, LLC

LONGMEADOW

Flagship Dental Group
123 Dwight Road
Melissa Tedford

Laterreur Landscapes and Gardens
34 Oakwood Dr.
Richard Laterreur

Lukino
127 Hazardville Road
Luong Vu

Neumann Associates
122 Knollwood Dr.
Sandra Neumann

One Way Brewing
112 Longview Dr.
Zachary Schwartz

Restorative Health and Wellness
175 Dwight Road, #109
Shalonda Edwars

Sheffield Reserve
241 Sheffield Ave.
Sonny Mello

Yerlot
962 Frank Smith Road
Marpreet Sandhu

WESTFIELD

Comfort Air
21 Barbara St.
Vladimir Lesnik

First Choice Storage, LLC
402 Southampton Road
First Choice Storage, LLC

Genesis Construction, LLC
28 Otis St.
Genesis Construction, LLC

Guided Touch Therapy
26 Orange St.
Thomas Campbell

I.K. Air Conditioning
7 St. Pierre’s Lane
Ivan Kulyak

Khalil Transportation Co.
136 Meadow St.
Khaleel Al Saadi

Lawrence P. Zabielski, CPA
65 Broad St.
Lawrence Zabielski

Palais Arrache
38 Elm St., #1
Zoe Pusey

Readings by Brandy
69 Southwick Road
Readings by Brandy

Salvador Burgos
27 East Bartlett St.
Salvador Burgos

Stanton Contracting
147 Tannery Road
Richard Stanton III

Westfield Gulf
288 Elm St.
Siddhi Vinayak Corp.

Xander’s Spot Barber Shop
24 Elm St.
Eddie Assad

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Al Nassir International Market
217 Elm St.
Abdullah Nassir

Asian Mart
753 Union St.
Gopal Gurung

Bartman
149 Circle Dr.
Bartholomew Moriarty

Beauty Nail
201 Elm St.
Thao Hai Ly

Body Love Essence
35 High St.
Delicia Walker

Laxmi Transportation Inc.
425 Union St.
Arjun Tamang

Marsupicool Design
14 Dewey St.
Katherine McClelland

New Hope Bookworks
26 Gilbert St.
Bertha Hickling

NV Concepts Unlimited Inc.
95 Apple Ridge Road
Timothy Bonito

Powerhouse Gym
1452 Memorial Ave.
Richard Medway

Sunny Side Up, LLC
46 Morgan Road
Barbara Lewko

Then G Creations
240 Dewey St.
Angelica Geas

Bankruptcies

Bankruptcies

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

Arventos, Faith H.
9 Homestead St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/13/2021

Boulanger, Frederic
1 Ingram St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/13/2021

Catalano, Richard Dwayne
Catalano, Diane
110 Amherst St.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/12/2021

Durant, Compton
1418 Worcester St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/07/2021

Ellsworth, Darrell K.
26 Richmond Lane, 2nd Fl.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/06/2021

Faust, Kenneth P.
26 Oak Hill Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/30/2021

Francis, Mark Robert
103 Ludlow Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/12/2021

Freytes, Libnie Y.
83 Firglade Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/11/2021

Gunawan, Yenna S.
1020 Old Hardwick Road
Barre, MA 01005
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/01/2021

Heming, David S.
33 Woodmont St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/15/2021

King, Dexter C.
690 Burt Hill Road
Tolland, MA 01034
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/13/2021

Kittler, Scott M.
Kittler, Lynda P.
a/k/a Fiel, Linda Phay
203 Cadwell Road
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/30/2021

Maxwell, Nehemiah Washington
33 Cloran St.
Springfield, MA 01109-2203
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/04/2021

Monday, Shonn K.
98 Greenwich Road
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/13/2021

Owczarski, Matthew
Owczarski, Julie A.
45 Glenoak Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/07/2021

Rivera-Cotto, Vilma I.
1360 Berkshire Ave.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/12/2021

Southworth, Michael E.
13 Martin Farms Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/30/2021

Weber, Raymond R.
209 Main St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/05/2021

Young, Joseph M.
350 West St., Lot 34
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/13/2021

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

284 John Ford Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $372,500
Buyer: Eliot W. Greenwald
Seller: Todd T. McKenna
Date: 05/10/21

Old Stage Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Margaret J. Burrington
Seller: Rhonda L. Shippee
Date: 05/07/21

COLRAIN

1 Church St.
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: John J. Shivock
Seller: Megan N. Weller
Date: 05/14/21

DEERFIELD

36 Snowberry Circle #A
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Jean Schwartz
Seller: Ragus LLC
Date: 05/05/21

ERVING

26 Ridge Road
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $342,500
Buyer: Robert Holst
Seller: Michael E. Doyle
Date: 05/13/21

GREENFIELD

110 Beech St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Brooke M. Steinhauser
Seller: Michael C. Stempel
Date: 05/07/21

19 Bradford Dr.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $12,750,000
Buyer: CCM Properties Group LLC
Seller: Corridor Greenfield LLC
Date: 05/05/21

183 Chapman St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Jason M. Bessette
Seller: Robert D. Parda
Date: 05/04/21

316 Chapman St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Michael A. Mullin
Seller: Mitchell E. Clark
Date: 05/10/21

68 Cheapside St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: David M. Steiner
Seller: Bruce G. Thomas
Date: 05/12/21

28 Davenport Way
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $515,000
Buyer: Xianmei Li
Seller: Irena Vartanyan
Date: 05/03/21

23 Eastern Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $272,200
Buyer: Sheriann Ahearn
Seller: Mark A. Sirum
Date: 05/07/21

54 Ferrante Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Lindsay M. Comeau
Seller: James A. Burgess
Date: 05/11/21

155 Hope St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $122,000
Buyer: Justin M. Lapointe
Seller: John Delabruere
Date: 05/06/21

37 Mary Potter Lane
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Danny Mason
Seller: David Howe
Date: 05/07/21

152 Petty Plain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Tanya Bryant
Seller: Donald M. MaCleod
Date: 05/10/21

61 Smith St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Fiodor Tahiji
Seller: Anna E. Ripley LT
Date: 05/12/21

40 Summer St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $251,000
Buyer: Virginia G. Nowakoski
Seller: Lewis Z. Culver
Date: 05/14/21

LEVERETT

10 Hannabrooke Dr.
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $149,000
Buyer: Jonathan S. Klate
Seller: Merritt, H. R. 2nd, (Estate)
Date: 05/05/21

83 Juggler Meadow Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $582,582
Buyer: Jacob Park
Seller: A. K. Zimmerman TR
Date: 05/07/21

MONTAGUE

197 Avenue A
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: 108 Properties LLC
Seller: SW Kazimierza Society
Date: 05/13/21

7 Bridge St.
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Travis C. Whittle
Seller: Seth R. Ainsworth
Date: 05/05/21

22 West Main St.
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Pioneer Valley Redevelopers
Seller: Pioneer Valley Redevelopers
Date: 05/03/21

NORTHFIELD

87 Hinsdale Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $258,700
Buyer: Luzmin Fernandez-Saldana
Seller: Christopher E. Weir
Date: 05/05/21

1058 Millers Falls Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Viorel Marin
Seller: Albert P. Krejmas
Date: 05/11/21

ORANGE

10 2nd St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $117,000
Buyer: Denise MacAllister
Seller: Stephanie C. Cross
Date: 05/07/21

100 Adams St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $219,000
Buyer: Stephanie C. Cross
Seller: Frances D. Hadsel
Date: 05/07/21

79 Fountain St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Hans Rickheit
Seller: Tammi-Lynn M. Labier
Date: 05/14/21

120 Fountain St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $294,900
Buyer: Carline L. Lemoine
Seller: Kurt C. Enko
Date: 05/06/21

Tully Road #2
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Brenda Brier
Seller: Robert H. Robinson
Date: 05/12/21

SHELBURNE

67 Baker Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $272,000
Buyer: Harold Norris
Seller: Ayesha Lateef
Date: 05/10/21

430 Montague Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Gus Sideris
Seller: Stephen C. Westerling
Date: 05/12/21

2 South Maple St.
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Andrew E. Smith
Seller: Diane Poland
Date: 05/14/21

SHUTESBURY

32 Leverett Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: A9N Group LLC
Seller: KJF Group LLC
Date: 05/03/21

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

58 Alhambra Circle North
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $267,500
Buyer: Lindsay Cournoyer
Seller: Wesley Gutowski
Date: 05/07/21

165 Anvil St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Ankit Patel
Seller: Michael J. Pellerin
Date: 05/07/21

110 Coronet Circle
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $263,000
Buyer: Ryan M. Perreault
Seller: Stephen J. Perreault
Date: 05/07/21

70 Faymore Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $301,000
Buyer: Uziel Soto
Seller: Karla L. Camacho-Rivera
Date: 05/11/21

163 Florida Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Luis E. Moya
Seller: Susan Mansi
Date: 05/10/21

16 Forest Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $380,300
Buyer: Amy M. Kelly
Seller: Frank A. Cavallo
Date: 05/14/21

57 Hastings St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Monique A. Simon
Seller: Christopher M. Chechile
Date: 05/10/21

62 Maple St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $250,100
Buyer: Christopher W. Pass
Seller: Marjorie Colli
Date: 05/06/21

BLANDFORD

246 Brookman Dr.
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Kelly M. McVoy
Seller: Digregorio RE LLC
Date: 05/07/21

19 Herrick Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Raymond C. Hultay
Seller: Jacob N. Smith
Date: 05/07/21

BRIMFIELD

1119 Dunhamtown Brimfield Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $317,000
Buyer: Adam C. Blake
Seller: Karen L. Wallace
Date: 05/05/21

CHESTER

116 Route 20
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Jacob Sanders-Leis
Seller: Beverly A. Garceau
Date: 05/14/21

CHICOPEE

34 Beverly St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $187,950
Buyer: CIG 4 LLC
Seller: Rimor Properties LLC
Date: 05/14/21

95 Boutin St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Guy C. Meade
Seller: Meade, Francis J. 3rd, (Estate)
Date: 05/04/21

614 Britton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: William Ishler
Seller: Kari L. Trombley
Date: 05/14/21

1035 Burnett Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $328,000
Buyer: Luz M. DeLaPaz-Cartagena
Seller: Jeffrey Lareau
Date: 05/10/21

90 Cambridge St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $242,000
Buyer: Bryan Trapp
Seller: John-Michael Mikkola
Date: 05/06/21

50 Chapel St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $214,200
Buyer: Katelyn Plasse
Seller: James P. Demers
Date: 05/14/21

134 College St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $291,000
Buyer: Elizabeth M. Roy
Seller: Jeannette M. Sterniak
Date: 05/13/21

53 Cyran St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Tyler E. Theriault
Seller: Frank N. Laflamme
Date: 05/07/21

214 Dayton St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Jonathan Solivan-Reyes
Seller: Anthony Dominguez
Date: 05/10/21

14 Harrington Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $151,000
Buyer: Nefy I. Campos
Seller: Victor E. Mikalunas
Date: 05/12/21

63 Homer Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Michae Leonidovich-Dipon
Seller: Daniel Maslowski
Date: 05/12/21

82 Jamrog Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Griffin Fitzell
Seller: Guiel, Gerald E., (Estate)
Date: 05/07/21

64 Maplewood Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Waldemar Moreno
Seller: Laura L. Dugre
Date: 05/14/21

141 Mary St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $176,000
Buyer: Alexandra P. Schoolcraft
Seller: City Of Chicopee
Date: 05/07/21

251 McCarthy Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $319,900
Buyer: Pierre A. Monast
Seller: Mary T. Lacroix
Date: 05/13/21

786 McKinstry Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Zachary R. Beaulieu
Seller: Tyler J. Chick
Date: 05/14/21

108 New York Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Vanessa Rodriguez
Seller: Matthew Yacubek
Date: 05/14/21

57 Parenteau Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $292,000
Buyer: Ashley Nesby
Seller: Sylvia R. Macciomei
Date: 05/07/21

218 Prospect St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Kevin C. Waller
Seller: Anthony G. Falcetti
Date: 05/04/21

18 Roberts Pond Lane
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $298,000
Buyer: Ashley C. Earl
Seller: Flipping Springfield Investment Group
Date: 05/06/21

89 Rochester St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Miguel A. Aguirre-Rivera
Seller: Caitlin M. Casey
Date: 05/03/21

20 Sachem St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Jacob Stetson
Seller: Sachem Street LLC
Date: 05/07/21

289 Sheridan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $339,000
Buyer: Joel Oritz
Seller: DGL Properties LLC
Date: 05/07/21

88 Vadnais St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $286,000
Buyer: Jessica Welsh
Seller: George Landry
Date: 05/14/21

69 Wanda St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Nicole M. August
Seller: Shane Brooks
Date: 05/03/21

EAST LONGMEADOW

191 Canterbury Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $549,900
Buyer: Jamie Kilty
Seller: Christine Withbroe
Date: 05/06/21

70 Gates Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Annette Quinones
Seller: Phyllis M. Smith
Date: 05/07/21

14 Lasalle St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Jeffrey J. Corless
Seller: Jonathan Guinipero
Date: 05/14/21

15 Lasalle St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $186,000
Buyer: Brital 1987 LLC
Seller: Thomas H. Ryan
Date: 05/14/21

22 Lasalle St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: JB Realty Solutions LLC
Seller: Theriault, Theresa A., (Estate)
Date: 05/07/21

58 North Circle Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Nicole A. Rodriguez
Seller: Dorinne A. Rodriguez
Date: 05/12/21

696 Parker St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $183,113
Buyer: AEM Prop Investments LLC
Seller: Sambor, Frank J., (Estate)
Date: 05/04/21

118 Patterson Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Kristen J. Russo
Seller: Shahid Ghuman
Date: 05/11/21

167 Porter Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Christopher Lupien
Seller: Sara Nunez
Date: 05/04/21

379 Porter Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Daniel McNeish
Seller: Pioneer Housing LLC
Date: 05/04/21

South Bend Lane #2
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Michael Frank Design LLC
Seller: Goldstein, Ronald I., (Estate)
Date: 05/04/21

53 Tufts St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01108
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Paulette Wright
Seller: Mark D. Templeman
Date: 05/13/21

GRANVILLE

515 South Lane
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: John P. Cunha
Seller: Malia Homebuyers LLC
Date: 05/05/21

HAMPDEN

63 Bayberry Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $245,755
Buyer: Cabana Properties 3 LLC
Seller: Emilla Chiarella
Date: 05/12/21

517 Glendale Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $515,000
Buyer: Erica Teles
Seller: Patricia A. Pastoreck
Date: 05/11/21

62 Old Orchard Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: John-Michael Mikkola
Seller: Lauri A. Mikkola
Date: 05/06/21

88 Scantic Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $339,000
Buyer: Dygo L. Tosa
Seller: Steven H. Sheldon
Date: 05/14/21

HOLLAND

169 Brimfield Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $387,900
Buyer: Megan G. Lyons
Seller: George J. Carling
Date: 05/14/21

25 Stony Hill Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Craig W. Babcock
Seller: Bradley S. Sherrod
Date: 05/13/21

HOLYOKE

173-175 Brown Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Kimberly Bermudez
Seller: Angel L. Rodriguez
Date: 05/04/21

91 Chapin St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Katherine E. Henchey
Seller: Alex Cowley
Date: 05/04/21

32 Clinton Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $149,000
Buyer: Kristy M. Reillo-Rosado
Seller: Welch, Edward, (Estate)
Date: 05/10/21

107 Cross Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $459,000
Buyer: Xinghuan Chen
Seller: Crown Meadow Corp.
Date: 05/07/21

82-84 Davis St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Gandara Mental Health Center
Seller: Carlos A. Cirino
Date: 05/13/21

419 Hillside Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $256,500
Buyer: Amanda D. Tebo
Seller: Scott Kosak
Date: 05/12/21

328 Linden St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $131,000
Buyer: Rebecca J. Foltasz
Seller: FNMA
Date: 05/14/21

188 Madison Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: 188 Madison Avenue RT
Seller: Hampson, Frederick J., (Estate)
Date: 05/14/21

65 Mountain Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $328,000
Buyer: Ashley A. Brackett
Seller: Amy B. Taylor
Date: 05/14/21

157 Norwood Ter.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Samantha Taylor
Seller: Alan D. Hogan
Date: 05/14/21

141 Oxford Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Eileen Kos
Seller: Merrill C. Desrosiers
Date: 05/12/21

7 Park Slope
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $289,900
Buyer: Alan D. Hogan
Seller: Ashley A. Brackett
Date: 05/14/21

196 Sargeant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $201,000
Buyer: Michelle J. Kyser
Seller: Mildred A. Brennan
Date: 05/12/21

105 Sheehan Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Joseph K. Prattico
Seller: Richard C. Page
Date: 05/11/21

187 South St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Holyoke 187 South St LLC
Seller: Nan Properties LLC
Date: 05/07/21

5 Washington Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Wilfredo R. Gonzalez
Seller: US Bank
Date: 05/10/21

69-71 West Glen St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Robert Everett-Moniz
Seller: Victor J. Garriga
Date: 05/05/21

LONGMEADOW

41 Deepwoods Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Aaron Terry
Seller: Charles F. Grincavitch
Date: 05/05/21

118 Field Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $243,000
Buyer: Kimberly Hickson-Torres
Seller: Janet K. Dawson
Date: 05/10/21

386 Green Hill Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $1,095,000
Buyer: Joseph N. Sarcona
Seller: Brian K. Burke
Date: 05/03/21

300 Inverness Lane
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $595,000
Buyer: Emily Keane
Seller: Joann Grimaldi
Date: 05/03/21

6 Meadow Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Christopher K. Curtis
Seller: Andrea S. Martin
Date: 05/12/21

133 Pleasantview Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $461,500
Buyer: Steven B. Kivitz
Seller: Danielle N. Finch
Date: 05/03/21

79 Wildwood Glen
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Silvio Baruzzi
Seller: H. James Law
Date: 05/03/21

LUDLOW

82 Edison Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Daniel A. Hill
Seller: David G. Lamotte
Date: 05/10/21

143 Erin Lane
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Fabio X. Conceicao
Seller: Nuno G. Costa
Date: 05/14/21

57 Haswell Circle
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Joseph K. Racine
Seller: Erica L. Tele
Date: 05/04/21

303 West St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $176,000
Buyer: Jarred R. Belisle
Seller: Mary T. Mikaelian
Date: 05/04/21

MONSON

78 Ayers Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Alan Caswell
Seller: Emerald City Rentals LLC
Date: 05/05/21

14 Hampden Court
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Larry Desreuisseau
Seller: Larry Desreuisseau
Date: 05/07/21

248 Hovey Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: George R. Landry
Seller: Jeffrey P. Spillane
Date: 05/14/21

269 Hovey Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $358,000
Buyer: Matheau J. Hohn
Seller: Bao J. Hang
Date: 05/10/21

4 Main St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Andrea J. Frykenberg
Seller: Martha M. Rickson
Date: 05/14/21

251 Main St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Monica L. Lindsay
Seller: Charles Lindsay
Date: 05/04/21

258 Old Warren Road
Monson, MA 01069
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Jingzhan Mai
Seller: Thomas J. Zelazo
Date: 05/07/21

MONTGOMERY

13 Chamberlain Road
Montgomery, MA 01050
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Craig M. Perras
Seller: Gabriella R. Steria
Date: 05/06/21

509 Main Road
Montgomery, MA 01050
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: David York
Seller: G&H Homes LLC
Date: 05/14/21

PALMER

3 Beauregard Dr.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $374,900
Buyer: Bretner Raphael
Seller: Christopher D. Valenta
Date: 05/13/21

4129-4131 Church St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Sabrina M. Cruz
Seller: Marc A. Bessette
Date: 05/12/21

300 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Thomas J. Zelazo
Seller: Maria Kubiak
Date: 05/07/21

1673 North Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Derick Jackson
Seller: Nichodemus A. Tetteh
Date: 05/14/21

1004 Oak St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Todd Young
Seller: Wayne A. Tetreault
Date: 05/05/21

2-4 State St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $318,300
Buyer: Michelle M. Rame
Seller: JNB Property Investment Inc.
Date: 05/13/21

RUSSELL

25 Blandford Stage Road
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $189,900
Buyer: Luke Paull
Seller: Ruby Realty LLC
Date: 05/14/21

SOUTHWICK

29-R Charles Johnson Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Kathleen M. Veronesi
Seller: James Hannon
Date: 05/14/21

47 Fernwood Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Nicole Argiro
Seller: Donna Kuralt
Date: 05/14/21

10 Foster Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Revampit LLC
Seller: Ronald N. Rodier
Date: 05/06/21

286 Granville Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Jian R. Wang
Seller: Mark E. Cressotti
Date: 05/10/21

11 Liquori Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: Michele L. Parrow
Seller: Christopher R. Parrow
Date: 05/11/21

Sawgrass Lane #21
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $469,000
Buyer: Thomas Mogavero
Seller: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Date: 05/07/21

SPRINGFIELD

95 Abbott St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $233,000
Buyer: Bonus Thopuathu
Seller: Michael T. Merrill
Date: 05/14/21

226 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: MS Home LLC
Seller: Timothy Nguyen
Date: 05/14/21

663 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Manuela C. Casey
Seller: Melinda S. Russo
Date: 05/14/21

123 Amherst St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $286,000
Buyer: Edgard J. Rivera-Jimenez
Seller: Chad Lynch
Date: 05/04/21

102 Arcadia Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Isidalia Serrano
Seller: Fumi Realty Inc.
Date: 05/11/21

1277 Bay St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Zoraida Perez-Sanchez
Seller: Ahmed Al-Jashaam
Date: 05/06/21

26 Beech St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $192,000
Buyer: Luis F. Cruz
Seller: Gregory Brown
Date: 05/03/21

308-312 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Queen LLC
Seller: Garken Realty LLC
Date: 05/13/21

314-1/2 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Queen LLC
Seller: Garken Realty LLC
Date: 05/13/21

318 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Queen LLC
Seller: Garken Realty LLC
Date: 05/13/21

320-322 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Queen LLC
Seller: Garken Realty LLC
Date: 05/13/21

729 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Oluwakemi O. Crayton
Seller: Joseph M. Santaniello
Date: 05/05/21

814 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Dipak M. Tiwari
Seller: Chhabi Pathak
Date: 05/06/21

70 Bolton St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Brianna Sass
Seller: Joseph E. Hastain
Date: 05/07/21

163 Bowles St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $118,114
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Ivan Marshall
Date: 05/13/21

791-793 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $282,500
Buyer: Carlos D. Vasquez
Seller: Alexander Perez
Date: 05/11/21

54 Catharine St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Siam Williams Investment Group LLC
Seller: Yorkshire Properties LLC
Date: 05/05/21

82 Chilson St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Cristina Mendoza
Seller: Tamara Feliciano
Date: 05/10/21

159 College St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: Round 2 LLC
Seller: Yorkshire Properties LLC
Date: 05/05/21

170-172 Corthell St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Joejoe Properties LLC
Seller: Djuan J. Barklow
Date: 05/03/21

68 Davenport St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Serena Sheffield
Seller: Angelika G. Rodriguez
Date: 05/14/21

38 Daviston St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Monica P. Wright
Seller: Juan A. Villalba
Date: 05/04/21

193 Daviston St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Cherina Rodriguez-Lora
Seller: Linda J. Berrios
Date: 05/04/21

88 Dimmick St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Deven M. Decoste
Seller: Jose Santos
Date: 05/14/21

251 Dorset St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Robert J. Schroeter
Seller: Wilson, John F., (Estate)
Date: 05/07/21

62-64 Draper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $292,000
Buyer: Jonathan Medina
Seller: Lam H. Nguyen
Date: 05/14/21

58 Drexel St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Myrta I. Sierra
Seller: Luis Sierra
Date: 05/14/21

172 East Allen Ridge Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Dexter Polk
Seller: Tara Adhikari
Date: 05/14/21

95 Eddy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Yesenia Valentin
Seller: CIG 4 LLC
Date: 05/12/21

71 Eddywood St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $213,300
Buyer: Tascon Homes LLC
Seller: Darlene J. Stewart
Date: 05/04/21

99 Eddywood St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Kerri F. Sullivan
Seller: Amelia E. Galik
Date: 05/04/21

88-90 Edgeland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: Zahid Farooqui
Seller: John D. Ross
Date: 05/06/21

369 El Paso St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Hutheyfa Jameel
Seller: Betty J. Duncan
Date: 05/05/21

71 Endicott St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Cassandra L. Fett
Seller: Barbara J. Nero
Date: 05/14/21

33 Florida St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Brendaliz A. Santiago
Seller: Jack R. Rodrigues
Date: 05/13/21

249 Garnet St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Kristee Picard
Seller: Erik L. Greene
Date: 05/07/21

289 Gilbert Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $389,900
Buyer: Fouzia Haji
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 05/05/21

137 Hartford Ter.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $207,263
Buyer: American Financial Resources
Seller: James A. Sims
Date: 05/12/21

34 Herbert Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Victoria Perez
Seller: Nitza B. Martinez-Hurley
Date: 05/06/21

279 Hermitage Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Kimberley A. Early
Seller: Sarah N. Early
Date: 05/03/21

332 Holcomb Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $275,500
Buyer: Jenna Esoo
Seller: Thomas H. Hofstetter
Date: 05/11/21

56 James St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Nextlife Realty LLC
Seller: Yorkshire Properties LLC
Date: 05/05/21

113 Kerry Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Shakenna K. Williams
Seller: Christopher Welz
Date: 05/13/21

163 Kimberly Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Steven D. Murray
Seller: Omar Loaiza
Date: 05/05/21

182 Lebanon St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Natasha C. Hernandez
Seller: Alexander Granovsky
Date: 05/03/21

31-33 Langdon St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $249,500
Buyer: Jeremy E. Barnett
Seller: Joseph Abdow
Date: 05/13/21

19-21 Lawe St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $389,900
Buyer: Richard W. Yen
Seller: Susan Greco
Date: 05/14/21

15 Leete St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Birch Properties LLC
Seller: MPower Capital LLC
Date: 05/12/21

42 Macomber Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $227,000
Buyer: Danielle M. Monet
Seller: Marisa L. Garib
Date: 05/12/21

272 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Jose L. Rodriguez
Seller: VIP Home & Associates LLC
Date: 05/13/21

29 Marble St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $202,000
Buyer: Shylee Hook
Seller: JJS Capital Investments LLC
Date: 05/11/21

128-130 Massachusetts Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Stefanie Mejia
Seller: USA HUD
Date: 05/04/21

30 Mazarin St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Colleen E. Burkhart
Seller: SRV Properties LLC
Date: 05/13/21

87 Melville St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $128,000
Buyer: JoeJoe Properties LLC
Seller: Alessandro Calabrese
Date: 05/04/21

247 Merrimac Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Veronica Garcia
Seller: Gary R. Cutler
Date: 05/13/21

48 Merrill Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $246,999
Buyer: Maxine Bailey
Seller: Marjorie Moise
Date: 05/06/21

94-96 Mooreland St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Whitney S. Blissett
Seller: Jerine Blissett
Date: 05/11/21

191 Navajo Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $184,000
Buyer: Jody Boss
Seller: Dennis R. Boss
Date: 05/05/21

158-160 Oak Grove Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Candice Person
Seller: RBT Enterprise LLC
Date: 05/14/21

36 Oak Grove Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: JoeJoe Properties LLC
Seller: Mark Holmes
Date: 05/11/21

248-250 Orange St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Maribel Galinato-Wills
Seller: Tat Holdings LLC
Date: 05/14/21

25 Oxford St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $328,000
Buyer: Marjorie Moise
Seller: Alexey Shishkov
Date: 05/13/21

209 Peekskill Ave.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Lissamar Cruz
Seller: MBC Properties LLC
Date: 05/07/21

75 Pemaquid St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Jose R. Alamo
Seller: Alberto Archeval
Date: 05/07/21

52 Pheland St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Nikolas Morissette
Seller: Glen T. Kaplan
Date: 05/12/21

65-67 Phoenix Ter.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Dorice V. Meyitang
Seller: Richard G. Sorcinelli
Date: 05/03/21

15 Porter St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Melissa Arroyo
Seller: Fay C. Maylor
Date: 05/14/21

115 Powell Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Erin E. Broderick
Seller: Iosif Zenchenko
Date: 05/06/21

5 Randall Place
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Michael A. Ponce
Seller: Jose Ortiz
Date: 05/14/21

96 Rhinebeck Ave.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Angelica Cruz
Seller: Stanley J. Bys
Date: 05/14/21

104 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Daniel Waldbillig
Seller: Saczyk, Elizabeth A., (Estate)
Date: 05/06/21

153 Seymour Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $224,900
Buyer: Dianary Lee
Seller: Issac Agyemang
Date: 05/06/21

46-48 Shawmut St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $151,500
Buyer: Brital 1987 LLC
Seller: Adrain Calixto
Date: 05/12/21

234 Shawmut St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Kyle Yang
Seller: John E. Dempsey
Date: 05/14/21

8 Stebbins St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Eridania Arias
Seller: Harvey Bryson
Date: 05/12/21

99 Sunridge Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Jesus Negron
Seller: Tara N. Adhikari
Date: 05/04/21

125 Sunrise Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $219,000
Buyer: Xavier Diaz
Seller: Bryan B. Bergeron
Date: 05/14/21

84 Sylvan St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: James Barnes
Seller: Ana D. Serna
Date: 05/03/21

57 Tavistock St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $242,000
Buyer: Tanasha Edwards
Seller: David M. Laliberte
Date: 05/03/21

47 Vermont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $242,000
Buyer: Amy Pagan
Seller: Miguel Rafael
Date: 05/12/21

25 Wells Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $261,000
Buyer: Jesus Pereira
Seller: Jason R. Chapdelaine
Date: 05/14/21

91 Wilber St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: David Baez-Vega
Seller: Tascon Homes LLC
Date: 05/03/21

93 Wolcott St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Paris Burton
Seller: Emerald City Rentals LLC
Date: 05/12/21

76-80 Woodside Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Maria A. Cotto
Seller: Alycar Investments LLC
Date: 05/04/21

1386-1388 Worcester St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: CIG 4 LLC
Seller: Michael P. Fraga
Date: 05/04/21

WALES

139 Union Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $233,000
Buyer: Sherri A. Knapik
Seller: Tamara E. Gething
Date: 05/04/21

WEST SPRINGFIELD

1110 Amostown Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $329,500
Buyer: Anne Hutchinson
Seller: Matthew M. Paige
Date: 05/10/21

123 Belmont Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $321,250
Buyer: Christopher Proctor
Seller: Marvin D. Blakley
Date: 05/07/21

86 Lowell St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Nicholas Katsoulis
Seller: John Crean
Date: 05/07/21

57 Meadowbrook Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Megan Young
Seller: Grant J. Young
Date: 05/13/21

63 Nelson St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Cindy S. Delgatto
Seller: Brice W. Herrick
Date: 05/06/21

91 Oakland St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Robert Bernier
Seller: Joseph Adamowicz
Date: 05/07/21

162 Ohio Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Emma M. Wood
Seller: William J. Stone
Date: 05/04/21

732 Piper Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Ronald Zemtsov
Seller: Kenneth P. Wolff
Date: 05/14/21

116 Poplar Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Maria R. Rodrigues
Seller: Ashley Enterprises Inc.
Date: 05/03/21

216 Prospect Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $281,000
Buyer: Rachel Pike
Seller: Andrew Christopher
Date: 05/14/21

2033 Riverdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Sai Leela LLC
Seller: Doctor Swami Corp.
Date: 05/07/21

68 Smyrna St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Paul Rodriguez
Seller: Colin Sokolowski
Date: 05/07/21

125 South Blvd.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Max J. Weisenbach
Seller: Ievgenii Gusiev
Date: 05/03/21

2170 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Salam A. Zebian
Seller: Lorilee K. Geissler
Date: 05/05/21

WESTFIELD

2 Ascutney Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $127,900
Buyer: Michele C. Forgey
Seller: Nico Paolucci
Date: 05/14/21

10 Carroll Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: John R. Costigan
Seller: Robert Martin
Date: 05/05/21

6 Christopher Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: W. P. Bermejo-Arcentales
Seller: C. U. Bermejo-Arcentales
Date: 05/13/21

3 Dubois St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Jack R. Davis
Seller: David Perez
Date: 05/07/21

11 Evergreen Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Sylvain P. Thibault
Seller: Joan Fraczek-Spadoni
Date: 05/03/21

22 Highland View St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Matthew J. Murphy
Seller: Michael J. Griffin
Date: 05/04/21

12 Kelly Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $448,000
Buyer: Richard C. Hasko
Seller: Charles T. Monnier
Date: 05/13/21

15 Maple St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Michelle Strattner
Seller: Gregory P. Strattner
Date: 05/06/21

3 Mill St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Benjamin J. Duga
Seller: William D. Dansereau
Date: 05/12/21

North Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: RYMC LLC
Seller: BDMG LLC
Date: 05/07/21

262 Paper Mill Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Jenna C. Falcetti
Seller: Claire P. Crean
Date: 05/04/21

24 Russell Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Kyle R. Wundt
Seller: Samantha L. Brousseau
Date: 05/14/21

954 Russell Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $362,000
Buyer: Andrew Christopher
Seller: Alex Bublik
Date: 05/14/21

212 Southampton Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Sardinhas Constante Realty
Seller: L&S Memorials Inc.
Date: 05/14/21

14 West School St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Robyn Banks
Seller: April Weiss
Date: 05/07/21

78 White St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $213,750
Buyer: Sofia J. Chlastawa
Seller: Jean M. Chlastawa
Date: 05/07/21

WILBRAHAM

47 Brainard Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Darrell R. Levesque
Seller: Elaine J. Gernux
Date: 05/10/21

9 Deer Run Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $552,700
Buyer: Ariane E. Hopkinson
Seller: Brian L. Holley
Date: 05/14/21

1182 Glendale Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $368,000
Buyer: Matthew Yacubeck
Seller: Sousa, Robert J. Jr., (Estate)
Date: 05/10/21

8 Herrick Place
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Daniel Gaouette
Seller: Pierre E. Beauchamp
Date: 05/14/21

24 Longview Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $455,000
Buyer: Kyle Short
Seller: Jason A. Mancuso
Date: 05/14/21

680 Main St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Karen L. Kubaska
Seller: Brian M. Kibbe
Date: 05/14/21

9 Old Carriage Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $359,900
Buyer: Brian M. Kibbe
Seller: Timothy S. Scully
Date: 05/14/21

12 Pidgeon Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $374,000
Buyer: Jeffrey Hurley
Seller: Kristen L. Gleason
Date: 05/04/21

8 Stirling Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $347,000
Buyer: Teresa Harvey
Seller: Patricia Smith
Date: 05/14/21

1-3 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $327,000
Buyer: Waylynn T. Garcia
Seller: Pioneer Properties LLC
Date: 05/07/21

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

52 Blue Hills Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $351,000
Buyer: Larissa R. Chernock
Seller: Pari Riahi
Date: 05/14/21

615 East Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Eames Ave LLC
Seller: Andrew W. Best
Date: 05/07/21

77 McClellan St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $455,000
Buyer: Jayant Taneja
Seller: P. C. & P. F. Schneider IRT
Date: 05/14/21

772 North East St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $815,000
Buyer: Erica A. Reisig
Seller: Joanne T. Swanson
Date: 05/14/21

63 Pokeberry Ridge
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $775,000
Buyer: Abhijit V. Deshmukh
Seller: Brett A. Marquard
Date: 05/07/21

7 Potwine Place
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: William E. Barker
Seller: FNMA
Date: 05/05/21

115 Sand Hill Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $457,000
Buyer: Dan Bevacqua
Seller: Robin A. Morris
Date: 05/12/21

632 South Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $453,500
Buyer: Alexander M. Gontar
Seller: Francis X. Bock
Date: 05/13/21

34 Spaulding St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Yair Zick
Seller: Carlson, David R., (Estate)
Date: 05/12/21

544 Station Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Nicole C. Pellaton
Seller: Susanne M. Gavin
Date: 05/07/21

Tuckerman Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Luis Builders Inc.
Seller: Phil Potts Roaring Bluff
Date: 05/04/21

BELCHERTOWN

458 Bardwell St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $336,000
Buyer: Shufang Chen
Seller: Christopher J. Waldron
Date: 05/03/21

139 Barton Ave.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $368,000
Buyer: Alison C. West
Seller: Bryan J. Litz
Date: 05/07/21

370 Bay Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Thomas E. Smith
Seller: M&G Land Development LLC
Date: 05/14/21

47 Edelcy Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Jacob N. Smith
Seller: Chevalier FT
Date: 05/11/21

726 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $307,400
Buyer: Jeremy Marmal
Seller: Luke Paull
Date: 05/05/21

64 Magnolia Lane
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $452,400
Buyer: Gene A. Wylie
Seller: J. N. Duquette & Son Construction Inc.
Date: 05/03/21

183 Stebbins St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Casey J. Dunphy
Seller: Jassen M. West
Date: 05/07/21

41 Westview Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Bryan J. Litz
Seller: Gary J. Maziarz
Date: 05/07/21

CHESTERFIELD

40 Bisbee Road
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Daniel A. Blair
Seller: James F. Fortini
Date: 05/14/21

Ireland St.
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Grant Morrow 3rd FT
Seller: Lauren Baldwin
Date: 05/13/21

134 Sugar Hill Road
Chesterfield, MA 01096
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Dale View Apartments LLC
Seller: Shirley Scott
Date: 05/03/21

CUMMINGTON

629 Berkshire Trail
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Emily Olin
Seller: Lyons, Mark J., (Estate)
Date: 05/05/21

EASTHAMPTON

47 Bryan Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $372,500
Buyer: Karen A. Johnson
Seller: Amy E. Quinlan
Date: 05/12/21

34-36 Emerald Place
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: Zoe M. Johnson
Seller: Jeffrey W. Snape
Date: 05/03/21

14 Garfield Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $422,000
Buyer: John J. Sefton
Seller: Francis P. Lepine
Date: 05/12/21

13 Gross Lane
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $304,000
Buyer: Marie Dunn
Seller: Paul R. Wheeler
Date: 05/07/21

108 Line St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Dylan S. Wells
Seller: W. Marek Corp.
Date: 05/10/21

289 Main St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $401,000
Buyer: Kyle Taylor
Seller: Harris, Therese A., (Estate)
Date: 05/13/21

29 Mutter St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $259,400
Buyer: Megan K. Cater
Seller: Diane Rossini
Date: 05/07/21

34 Rabideau Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $292,000
Buyer: Jessie Warner
Seller: Tara A. Blondin
Date: 05/14/21

Reservation Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: Michael A. Jurkowski
Seller: Michael R. Chunyk
Date: 05/07/21

10 Strong St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $278,000
Buyer: Scott A. Thompson
Seller: Michael J. Matrishon
Date: 05/03/21

8-14 Terrace View
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Nicholas D. Duprey
Seller: Ethier FT
Date: 05/03/21

44 Ward Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $176,000
Buyer: Bernd H. Gottschalk
Seller: Bogdanski, Joanne J., (Estate)
Date: 05/04/21

23 Water Lane
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: William Archambeault
Seller: Scott N. Phaneuf
Date: 05/07/21

GRANBY

7 Darrel Ave.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Shane A. Clark
Seller: Lovern, Donald J., (Estate)
Date: 05/10/21

HADLEY

6 Crestview Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Brendan M. Henrich
Seller: Roohina V. Seihoun
Date: 05/03/21

2 High Meadow Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $559,000
Buyer: Joseph R. Polino
Seller: Bethany L. Jacques
Date: 05/14/21

26 Mount Warner Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $542,000
Buyer: 26 Mt Warner RT
Seller: Jeffrey T. Reynolds
Date: 05/14/21

River Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Joseph J. Czajkowski
Seller: Marilyn E. Larose TR
Date: 05/06/21

HATFIELD

19 Pleasant View Dr.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Katherine M. Horan
Seller: Dzialo, Frederick J. Sr., (Estate)
Date: 05/06/21

HUNTINGTON

7 Pine St.
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Andrew Roberts
Seller: Sarah C. West
Date: 05/05/21

66 Searle Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $265,200
Buyer: Nathan Labay
Seller: Lone Creek Properties LLC
Date: 05/06/21

MIDDLEFIELD

13 Becket Road
Middlefield, MA 01243
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Tyler J. Main
Seller: Pensivy, Michael F. Jr., (Estate)
Date: 05/05/21

NORTHAMPTON

73 Blackberry Lane
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Linda Patterson
Seller: Deborah R. Donahue
Date: 05/14/21

16 Butler Place
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $670,000
Buyer: Kellyanne R. Mahoney
Seller: Ruddeforth FT
Date: 05/13/21

151 Chestnut St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Emily K. Brennan
Seller: Daniel E. Hewins
Date: 05/07/21

337 Elm St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $850,000
Buyer: Daniel T. Roach
Seller: Patrick J. Lonsway
Date: 05/03/21

23 Fair St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $442,000
Buyer: Lia Yanis
Seller: Chenyeh Huang
Date: 05/14/21

26 Finn St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Abraxas RT
Seller: Peter C. Volpe
Date: 05/07/21

63 Florence Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $239,300
Buyer: Dey Summer
Seller: Steven P. Jones
Date: 05/13/21

30 Hawthorne Ter.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $682,000
Buyer: Daniel L. Fierst
Seller: Jennifer A. Samolewicz
Date: 05/03/21

2 Main St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: 2 Main Street RT
Seller: Sheridan Real Estate LLC
Date: 05/12/21

117 Olander Dr. #3B
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $355,300
Buyer: Nancy L. Lowe
Seller: Sunwood Development Corp.
Date: 05/03/21

83 Pomeroy Ter.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $814,000
Buyer: Steven M. Waksman
Seller: Deborah M. Henson
Date: 05/07/21

120 River Road
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $2,200,000
Buyer: Eric Properties LLC
Seller: Equinox Partners LLC
Date: 05/12/21

66 Sherman Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $599,900
Buyer: Joan Dalin
Seller: CTNA Construction LLC
Date: 05/06/21

284 Spring St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Steven M. Sanderson
Seller: Ward FT
Date: 05/07/21

628 Westhampton Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $530,000
Buyer: Jordy Rosenberg
Seller: Jeffrey M. Gnatek
Date: 05/13/21

PELHAM

200 Daniel Shays Hwy.
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $712,000
Buyer: Timothy E. Montgomery
Seller: Mark M. Santos
Date: 05/07/21

SOUTH HADLEY

35 Chestnut Hill Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Josh M. Rilla
Seller: Joseph D. Canina
Date: 05/03/21

19 Cornell St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Chad A. Furman
Seller: Thomas A. Heim
Date: 05/14/21

36 Dale St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $214,000
Buyer: Gilroy Prop Renewal Inc.
Seller: Francis J. Galat
Date: 05/05/21

5 Enterprise St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Mark J. Burton
Seller: Brital 1987 LLC
Date: 05/13/21

105 Pittroff Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $340,600
Buyer: Genevieve Sarnak
Seller: Susan E. Labonte
Date: 05/13/21

14 Saybrook Circle
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: John R. Spear
Seller: Brian R. Stoffer
Date: 05/06/21

193 Woodbridge St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $333,573
Buyer: Susan D. Sachs
Seller: Kathleen S. Monast
Date: 05/13/21

SOUTHAMPTON

Edwards Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Alan M. Dzialo
Seller: Margaret A. Papalegis
Date: 05/04/21

Fitch Farm Way #4
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Thomas Quinlan
Seller: RGB Industries Inc.
Date: 05/03/21

150 Russellville Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Jill M. Thurman
Seller: Brendan J. Sheehan
Date: 05/07/21

WARE

3 East St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: GDS Realty LLC
Seller: CEP Real Estate LLC
Date: 05/14/21

5-7 East St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: GDS Realty LLC
Seller: CEP Real Estate LLC
Date: 05/14/21

9 East St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: GDS Realty LLC
Seller: CEP Real Estate LLC
Date: 05/14/21

261 Greenwich Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $312,000
Buyer: Tyler Chick
Seller: Jacob J. Perron
Date: 05/14/21

61 Hardwick Pond Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $227,300
Buyer: Shawn Cantwell
Seller: Brown, Patrick J., (Estate)
Date: 05/13/21

6 Highland St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Hailee B. Brohman
Seller: Foley Capital LLC
Date: 05/03/21

42 West Main St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $255,500
Buyer: Alexis Lane
Seller: New England Equities LLC
Date: 05/14/21

44 Warebrook Village
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Colton Rier
Seller: Gerald R. Harrington
Date: 05/12/21

70 West St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $164,000
Buyer: Jeff Bousquet
Seller: Diane M. Frazier
Date: 05/14/21

WORTHINGTON

438 Kinnebrook Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $349,000
Buyer: John J. McDonagh
Seller: John H. Fritz
Date: 05/03/21

265 Ridge Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Tardigrade LT
Seller: James A. Ryan
Date: 05/03/21

The Starting Gate at GreatHorse

Reopening Timeline Prompts Excitement, but Also Trepidation

Greathorse GM Bryan Smithwick is optimistic about the last two quarters of 2021, but, like all those in the hospitality sector, he has real concerns about the process of staffing up.

Bryan Smithwick believes he’s like most business owners and managers in the broad hospitality sector when he says that the news of the accelerated timeline for fully reopening the state was greeted with a mix of excitement, anticipation, and trepidation.

The first two elements are a function of just how bad 2020 was — we’ll get to that in a minute — while the third is obviously a reflection of a labor market the likes of which even those businesses owners with several decades of experience have never seen before.

“It’s like … great, we got the green light to go ahead and reopen and start hosting large audiences,” said Smithwick, general manager of the Starting Gate at GreatHorse, the high-end private golf club in Hampden. “But the labor market is so challenging right now. It’s awesome that the deadline was moved up, and moved up so significantly, but I think businesses thought they would have more time to plan, more time to really get their employees re-engaged with work — those employees who had been laid off — and even find new employees.

“The time frame was greatly reduced,” he went on. “And in the post-COVID world — I think I can say we’re in the post-COVID world now — that’s the greatest challenge we face, finding employees and getting geared up. We’re going to execute well over 80 weddings in 2021, and finding staff that can meet the business levels and get prepared is something we’re really struggling with right now.”

Looking back on 2020, Smithwick said it was certainly a great year for the golf business.

Indeed, while play was up at the public and semi-public courses, the private clubs benefited as well, with individuals and families deciding that, if they couldn’t travel, they should invest in a country-club membership.

That was certainly true at GreatHorse, which opened in 2015.

“For people who had been contemplating private-club membership, COVID really was the stimulus that made people take a hard look at all that private clubs have to offer,” he noted. “The safe-haven effect, and the relevance of clubs, was certainly strengthened during that emotional time, and we saw tremendous growth in our membership at GreatHorse, and we’ve continued to see that into the first and second quarters of 2021; we’ve really grown that side of our business.”

Unfortunately, the same could not be said of the banquet and event side of the ledger, one that has become an all-important part of the portfolio at the club.

“It’s awesome that the deadline was moved up, and moved up so significantly, but I think businesses thought they would have more time to plan, more time to really get their employees re-engaged with work — those employees who had been laid off — and even find new employees.”

Pretty much every event that was on the books after March 2020 was canceled or, in the case of weddings, pushed back a year or two, said Smithwick, adding that it was a year of “emotional conversations” with clients (and especially brides), pivoting, and trying to make the most of an extremely difficult time.

“We were only able to execute about 15% of the weddings that we had planned in 2020,” he told BusinessWest. “We were able to salvage the overwhelming majority of our weddings and shift them into 2021 and some even into 2022, but, overall, it was a lost year for revenue on that side of the business.”

While the outlook for this year is gradually improving, the shifting of those weddings slated for 2020 consumed a number of the dates in 2021 — and some in 2022 — limiting the overall revenue potential of this year and next, said Smithwick, adding quickly that projections are for a solid balance of the year — even if most weddings will not increase in size in proportion with the loosening of COVID restrictions — and an especially strong fourth quarter, with the anticipated return of holiday parties.

“It’s nice to know that we will have an opportunity this year to secure some December revenue,” he noted. “Without holiday parties, December can really be a soft month.”

But while the general outlook is positive, some question marks remain concerning the ‘new normal’ and challenges when it comes to making a full recovery, especially in regard to staffing.

Returning to that subject, and speaking for everyone who shares his title or something approximating it, Smithwick repeatedly stressed that finding and retaining good help is the most pressing issue facing those in this sector, and one that has made this transition into the new normal exciting but also daunting on several levels.

Taking a deep dive into the matter, he said a number of factors influence this problem. That list includes veterans of this industry (servers, bartenders, even managers) simply leaving it for something else during a very difficult 2020, generous unemployment benefits that have made sitting on the sidelines even when jobs are available an attractive proposition, and difficulty with bringing on interns from overseas, something GreatHorse had done with great success prior to COVID.

“Traditionally, we would work with J1 students from South Africa to England,” he explained, referring to the visa program that offers cultural and exchange opportunities in this country through initiatives overseen by the U.S. State Department. “With COVID being a world pandemic, we have not had access to the students looking to do internships in the hospitality sector; we’re really hit a roadblock with every avenue we’ve chosen, from job fairs to working with local hospitality schools to putting referral bonuses in place for existing employees.

“It’s tough, really tough. I’m not going to lie — it’s the most suppressed labor market for hospitality that I’ve seen in my career,” Smithwick went on. “Our staffing levels are not where they need to be; we’re just not having much success finding servers and bartenders, which is the key for our business model here.”

That’s why an otherwise joyous and exciting time is also being met with a dose of trepidation on the side.

—George O’Brien

White Lion Brewing

After a Year to Forget, This Springfield Label Is Ready to Roar

Ray Berry, seen here at the canning line at White Lion’s downtown Springfield brewery, is moving on from ‘cans to go’ to the next chapter in the story of this intriguing business venture.

He called the promotion ‘cans to go,’ which pretty much says it all.

Indeed, while he could brew his craft-beer label, White Lion, at his new facility on the ground floor in Tower Square, Ray Berry couldn’t sit any visitors at the attached pub because the facility wasn’t finished and painstakingly slow in its progress. But he could sell cans to go — and he did, quite a few of them, in fact — on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 2:30 to 7 p.m.

May 26 was the last of those Wednesdays, and the last day for the promotion. Berry was sad to see them go. Well … sort of, but not really.

He called a halt to cans to go so he could direct 100% of his energies into the next phase of the White Lion story, a chapter that has been delayed more than a full year by COVID-19 — the opening of that much-anticipated downtown brew pub and a resumption of outdoor events with the now familiar White Lion logo attached to them.

“We want to make sure all the I’s are dotted and T’s are crossed, take a pause, exhale, and made sure everything is in place for our June opening,” he said. “We want to be ready to really hit the ground running.”

As he talked with BusinessWest, Berry was checking the schedules of a number of prominent elected officials, trying to find a date when most of them could attend a ribbon-cutting for the opening of his downtown facility. That ceremony will be both a beginning and an end — a beginning, as we noted, of an exciting new chapter, and the end of 15 months of COVID-fueled frustration that didn’t derail White Lion, but struck at the absolute worst time for the brand born in 2014.

“COVID set us back a full year,” he said, adding that the owners of Tower Square, who also act as the general contractor for the buildout of his facility, had set May 2020 as the date for that project to turn the key and open for business. “We’ve been creative, and we’ve made a number of pivots along the way and diversified our portfolio, but the bottom line is we lost a full year and more.”

He said moving up the timetable for fully reopening the state will certainly help, giving him an additional 10 weeks of operating without restrictions that he wasn’t anticipating — although he was watching the situation closely and was hoping the date would be moved.

“We’ve been creative, and we’ve made a number of pivots along the way and diversified our portfolio, but the bottom line is we lost a full year and more.”

“We were already going to gear up for some sort of opening during the month of June,” he explained. “But we always wanted to be in a situation where any opening would be an unrestricted opening first, rather than a restricted opening, so we’re very happy to be in this new normal.”

Berry acknowledged that the office crowd that has helped make his outdoor events so successful — and will be one of his target groups for his Tower Square facility — hasn’t come back yet, may not return until the fall, and certainly may not be all that it was, sizewise, at the start of 2020. But he said that audience is just part of the success formula for this endeavor and that the ultimate goal is to bring people into downtown from outside it.

“We’ve never predicated our business model on one particular group,” he explained. “Craft breweries are destinations — they are considered experiences to the consumer. So consumers will take it upon themselves to find out where the local craft breweries are.

“Even when we had cans to go two days a week, we would have an influx of people from outside the area who would say they were driving through or were eating somewhere local downtown and looked up ‘local breweries,’ and White Lion popped up, so they came in.”

As for other aspects of the White Lion business, Berry said the beer garden that was a fixture in the park across Main Street from Tower Square will return in some form in 2021 — and at multiple locations. He’s currently in discussions with those running Springfield’s Business Improvement District and other business partners to schedule what he called “a series of special events that will encourage people to come out and support the local businesses in the downtown corridor.”

Overall, a dream that was years in the making took another full year to finally be fully realized. But, at long last, White Lion is ready to roar to life in downtown Springfield.

—George O’Brien

The Federal Restaurant Group