June 23, 2021 - BusinessWest

Wellfleet Sign, Logo to Top Tower Square High-rise

By BusinessWest Staff June 23, 2021

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield residents and motorists on I-91 will soon see the full name and logo of Wellfleet, a Berkshire Hathaway insurance company, prominently displayed on the city’s skyline.

Signage installation began last week on the western side of the 28-story Tower Square office building at 1500 Main St., at the center of Springfield’s downtown business district.

Agnoli Sign Co. of Springfield is responsible for planning, fabricating, and the complex installation of Wellfleet’s name and logo about 300 feet in the air.

Wellfleet relocated its corporate headquarters to Tower Square in 2019, occupying 80,000 square feet within three floors. Wellfleet has about 210 employees, with the majority based at the Tower Square office.

Founded in 1993, Wellfleet is one of the leading providers of health and accident products to the higher-education market, and its Wellfleet Workplace division offers businesses supplementary health coverage and income-replacement products for their employees.

“After a delay due to the pandemic, we’re excited to be installing the Wellfleet sign on the Tower Square building,” said Drew DiGiorgio, Wellfleet President and CEO. “We take pride in our Springfield roots, and our state-of-the-art offices at Tower Square are the perfect home for our growing company.”

Tower Square is owned by investors Vid Mitta (managing partner), Dinesh Patel, Rohit Patel, and Kamlesh Patel.

Amtrak to Relaunch Valley Flyer Service on July 26

By BusinessWest Staff June 23, 2021

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Starting on July 26, Amtrak and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will restart the Valley Flyer round-trip train service between Greenfield and New Haven, Conn., which suspended three trains on March 30, 2020 due to fewer travelers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In August 2019, Amtrak and MassDOT launched a new, state-supported passenger train called the Valley Flyer, which travels between Greenfield and New Haven with intermediate station stops. In New Haven, the train connects with Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor service and Metro-North’s New Haven Line service.

Valley Flyer station stops Greenfield, Northampton, Holyoke, and Springfield, Mass.; and Windsor Locks, Windsor, Hartford, Berlin, Meriden, Wallingford, and New Haven, Conn.

Market Mentors Welcomes Five New Team Members

By BusinessWest Staff June 23, 2021

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Market Mentors, a marketing, advertising and public-relations agency, announced the addition of five new team members. The hires span multiple departments, including account services, copywriting, digital advertising, and public relations.

“Over the past year, our agency and our people have demonstrated their exceptional talents and resilience in the face of adversity,” company President Michelle Abdow said. “We are growing in every sense of the word and are excited to welcome these five new hires, each of whom brings a wealth of expertise.”

Elizabeth Barry joined the agency as a public-relations specialist. She has extensive experience gleaned from time spent producing morning news at FOX61 and WFSB in Hartford, Conn. A graduate of Endicott College and Southern New Hampshire University, Barry holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in communications. In her new role, she writes press releases as well as short- and long-form copy, and works to earn media opportunities for clients.

Chase Hoffman joined the team as an account executive. He possesses previous agency experience and is a graduate of Westfield State University, earning a communications degree with a public relations concentration.

Christopher Proulx joined the agency as a digital advertising specialist. A graduate of American International College and Westfield State University and holding Google Ads and Analytics certifications, he runs digital advertising campaigns on Google and across social-media channels. In addition, he researches and develops keyword strategies as part of SEO/SEM best practices.

David Smith joined the firm as a content writer, penning short- and long-form copy for digital and print placements, websites, blogs, and social media. After earning his degree in communications at the University of Connecticut, he worked in broadcast media at WWLP-22 News in Springfield and FOX61 in Hartford.

Sara West serves as an account director, leveraging her education at the University of Colorado at Denver and experience amassed from working her way up in the industry. Her primary responsibilities include managing accounts and creating, managing, and executing multi-channel marketing campaigns incorporating SEO, social media, inbound marketing, HubSpot, e-mail, mail, and print campaigns, as well as events to drive customer acquisition for clients.

“Beyond these wonderful new hires, our team continues to grow,” Abdow said. “We currently have other open positions, with plans to add more in the coming months.”

Market Mentors boasts a wide variety of clients in industries including automotive, banking and finance, education, energy, healthcare, home improvement, legal, manufacturing, nonprofit, political, and retail.

OMG Inc. Celebrates 40th Anniversary

By BusinessWest Staff June 23, 2021

Daily News

AGAWAM — OMG Inc., a leading manufacturer and global supplier of fasteners, products, and value-added components and technology for the commercial roofing and residential construction markets, announced its 40th anniversary serving diverse construction markets.

Established in 1981 under the name Olympic Fasteners Inc., the company originally distributed fasteners for commercial roofing applications. In the mid-1980s, after several years of prosperous growth, the company began manufacturing and marketing its own line of construction fasteners at its current plant in Agawam.

Recognizing that on-site customer service and support were critical to its long-term success, the company began building a strong sales and technical support network of direct company employees, which today is the largest of its kind in the commercial roofing industry. By the early 2000s, the company had changed its name to OMG Inc.

What started as a fastener company has expanded over the years into a diversified manufacturer of components and technology for both commercial roofing and residential construction applications.

Through its two operating divisions — OMG Roofing Products and FastenMaster — OMG has developed many innovative products and technologies. Most notable from OMG Roofing Products are OlyBond insulation adhesives, RhinoBond induction technology for installing thermoplastic roofing membranes, and its exclusive Vortex Breaker drain technology for commercial roof drains. Notable FastenMaster products include the line of LOK products for structural wood-to-wood connections in residential applications, the Cortex hidden fastening system for composite decks and trim, and FrameFAST, a tool for structural framing applications.

Today the company has nearly 600 employees globally and more than 400 in Western Mass., making it one of the area’s largest employers. In addition, the company operates manufacturing plants in Agawam, Addison, Ill., and Rockford, Minn., and has a global sales force of more than 100 in North America, Europe, and Asia. Company capabilities include cold forming, stamping, heat treating, cathodic e-coating, adhesive formulating, and mixing, as well as packaging. OMG produces more than 1 billion fasteners each year.

Nominations Sought for Healthcare Heroes Class of 2021

By BusinessWest Staff June 23, 2021

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — 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. And that’s where you come in.

The nomination deadline for the class of 2021 has been extended to Friday, July 8. We encourage you to get involved and help recognize someone you consider to be a hero in the community we call Western Mass. in one (or more) of these seven 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 by clicking here. For more information, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

Small Businesses Seek Shelter from the Storm of Cyberattacks

By George O'Brien June 23, 2021

Cover Story

Beyond the Firewall

The recent spate of high-profile cyberattacks, many involving paid ransoms featuring six or seven zeroes, has brought an ongoing, and escalating, problem even more to the forefront. Businesses are being advised that the problem needs to be managed — before the worst happens. That means having a detailed plan involving many layers to keep things safe.

As he talks about cybersecurity, Charlie Christianson, owner of CMD Technology Group, equates that art and science (mostly science) to an onion.

By that, he means it has layers — many of them — with each one being important to the desired end in this matter: keeping one’s data, business, financial information, and perhaps life and livelihood safe.

“The goal isn’t to have one be-all, end-all product or solution that’s going to protect you — it’s a variety of things,” he explained. “It’s about trying to put as many layers between the threat on the outside and the asset, which is at the core.

“Most people understand the firewall discussion,” he went on. “But what they’re starting to understand is that it’s not just the stuff that protects you — it’s your staff, it’s your people, it’s the training, it’s the education, it’s the policies, and having all that in place.”

Christenson, like everyone else in this business, has been making this onion analogy — or whatever phraseology they use to get their points across — quite often these days. That’s because cybersecurity — mostly in the form of high-profile, as in very high-profile, attacks — has been in the news lately. Again. Or still, to be more accurate.

These attacks have come one after another: the Colonial Pipeline, the steamship service to the islands in Massachusetts, the meat company JBS, and many others.

Collectively, what these hacks have shown that businesses across all sectors are vulnerable, and this isn’t a problem for other people to worry about.

That has always been the case, said those we spoke with, but the recent spate of cyberattacks and the relentless coverage of them have served as a needed wakeup call for business owners of all sizes, most of which — the number varies depending on who you talk to, but it’s at least 50% — are simply not ready to handle or respond to the kind of attacks seen lately.

Charlie Christianson likens cybersecurity to an onion; both have, or should have, many layers.

Which brings Christianson back to his onion, and Phil Bianco to diabetes, or type 2 diabetes, to be exact.

“It’s always easier to prevent diabetes than to treat it after the fact,” said Bianco, chief technical officer with Melillo Consulting, which has three offices in the Northeast, including one in Springfield. “It’s the same thing with security — it’s always easier to manage things prior to the incident and be prepared for that and act appropriately.”

Elaborating, he said there are many elements to the process of managing before something bad happens, everything from having your system assessed so that vulnerabilities can be identified to acting on the recommendations listed in that assessment; from training employees on how spot suspicious e-mails to knowing what to do and whom to call when your system is attacked.

And while Melillo and all other firms in this business sector will do remediation — coming in after the hack and putting things back as they were, to the extent possible — and “stop the bleeding,” as Bianco put it, businesses would find it much better, and cheaper, if they hired the same company to handle preparation and prevention and work to eliminate the cuts that cause the bleeding.

“The goal isn’t to have one be-all, end-all product or solution that’s going to protect you — it’s a variety of things. It’s about trying to put as many layers between the threat on the outside and the asset, which is at the core.”

The high-profile cyberattacks of the past few weeks are an indication of how widespread the problem is, but they are also misleading to some extent, said those we spoke with, because they have involved mostly larger businesses and entities with very deep pockets, as evidenced by the size of the ransoms they paid. The sobering reality is that small businesses are a more attractive target because they are likely to be less prepared for such an attack.

“Cyberattacks are really a numbers game, and small businesses are less likely to invest in the cybersecurity practices, so they’re seen as low-hanging fruit,” said Lauren Ostberg, an attorney with the Springfield-based firm Bulkley Richardson (and a member of BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty class of 2021), who helped spearhead the launch of the firm’s cybersecurity practice.

Lauren Ostberg says small businesses, many without IT teams or sophisticated cybersecurity systems, are low-hanging fruit for hackers.

“And these attackers also sell each other pre-made malware, so less sophisticated attackers can just send out 100 different phishing e-mails, see what sticks, and then attack there,” she explained. “So nonprofits are at risk, small- to medium-sized businesses are at risk, and, in most cases, they don’t have the insurance to back them up to minimize that risk, and they don’t realize how vulnerable they are.”

Everyone should now understand just how vulnerable they are, said those we spoke with, adding quickly that some remain slow to take action and adjust to what is a troubling new world order. Those who don’t adjust do so at their peril, said these experts, adding that recent events show just how easy it is to be attacked, and how painful, costly, and time-consuming it is to repair the damage that’s been done.

What the Hack?

As they talked about those behind all the cyberattacks going on in the world right now, those we spoke with used a wide array of descriptive adjectives to let people know just whom they’re dealing with.

Words like sophisticated, diabolical, persistent, and relentless were used early and quite often, as was another that should get the hair up on every business owner: automated.

“It is only a matter of time before any organization falls victim to one of these attacks,” said Joel Mollison, president of Westfield-based Northeast IT, who said this inevitability shouldn’t prompt paralysis, but instead well-thought-out action to prevent (to the extent possible) such an attack, and then recover as quickly and painlessly as possible if an attack does occur.

“It’s always easier to prevent diabetes than to treat it after the fact. It’s the same thing with security — it’s always easier to manage things prior to the incident and be prepared for that and act appropriately.”

Mollison puts it in clear perspective, if anyone wasn’t already sure.

“Typically, we find that most organizations have basic security measures in place, but rarely understand their level of potential exposure or impact on operations during such an event,” he said. “The ability to recover from one of these events varies widely based on size of the organization, data volume, and locations of data and services. Even in the best-case scenarios, this process can take many days or weeks.

“Business operations are almost always crippled to a marginal capacity while systems are recovered,” he went on. “The financial impact, even without having to pay a ransom, is often devastating, and most cyber liability policies are underfunded, which compounds the problem. There are also compliance, reporting, and legal factors that are part of the recovery process that are often overlooked.”

Stan Bates, director of Business Development for Melillo, agreed. Relating some recent and current cases his firm is handling, he said they effectively communicate how widespread the problem is, what issues and problems are confronting business owners, the costs involved (and there are many of them), and the direction this matter is taking.

Given the sophistication and persistence of today’s cybercriminals, Joel Mollison says it’s only a matter of time before any organization falls victim to an attack.

One involves a large nonprofit in the healthcare sector, he said, adding that this client found out the hard way all that can be involved with returning things to the way they were before the attack.

“It got hit really hard, and they called us to help fix the situation,” Bates recalled. “They were hacked, they put their system down, they were out of e-mail, they were out of just about everything you can think of. The sad part was they weren’t prepared to know what to do, and to top it off, their insurance company forced them to use their security group, which had a limited knowledge of their network, and pay for those services, while also paying us to come in and help those guys understand what they had and fix it.

“They’re up and running,” he went on. “But it took about two weeks.”

Another case involves a small machine shop in the Hartford area, he said, adding that this small business has been informed that, if it wants to keep getting contracts from the federal government, it must meet a series of guidelines regarding cyberattacks and being fully prepared for them. “It’s going to run about $4,000 to $5,000 a month for us to monitor and secure his system and hit the score the federal government is telling him to hit.”

Something’s Phishy

These anecdotes are just some of many that help tell the story of how cybersecurity is becoming a huge issue for business owners and managers, one they can no longer ignore — not that they could really ignore it before.

Indeed, such sobering messages have been delivered with increasing frequency over the past several weeks as the high-profile attacks — and the ransom payments that include six and sometimes seven zeroes — come with increasing regularity. And they have certainly stimulated some interest within the business community, and also government offices and nonprofits, to be ready, or at least more ready.

“The conversations have changed. In the past, there were certain people you could talk to until you were blue in the face, and it was purely a dollars-and-cents discussion: ‘you want me to spend how much in a firewall, or this piece of software?’ Now, it’s ‘what can we do?’”

“The conversations have changed,” Christianson said. “In the past, there were certain people you could talk to until you were blue in the face, and it was purely a dollars-and-cents discussion: ‘you want me to spend how much in a firewall, or this piece of software?’ Now, it’s ‘what can we do?’”

Ostberg agreed. “People are taking the matter more seriously, and they’re taking me more seriously when I tell them they have to plan for cybersecurity incidents,” she said. “I’ve noticed an increase in concern, especially about ransomware, which can really cripple a business.

“The Massachusetts regulations and the advice I give my clients provide a lot of good ideas about ways to prevent or mitigate some of the risk that would be caused by some of the hacks we’re seeing,” she went on. “And it’s focused on building layers of prevention.”

At or near the top of any list of prevention measures is training, specifically involving the detection of phishing e-mails, which comprise the entry point for most of the hacks that occur today, according to those we spoke with.

Members of the team at Melillo Consulting, from left, Phil Bianco, Doug Morrison, and Stan Bates.

As they talked about these e-mails, they summoned some of those same adjectives as they tried to convey just how sophisticated they have become.

“The phishing is getting more elaborate, and the social engineering that goes behind it is far more advanced than what we’ve seen in the past,” said Doug Morrison, practice director for the Development Operations team at Melillo. “It used to be that the e-mails were intentionally easy to sleuth out, because that way they could weed out the people they didn’t want; they wanted the people who were easily fooled to click on the link. But now, it’s getting very elaborate and very difficult to tell real e-mails from the fake e-mails.”

With this level of sophistication, Bianco said, it really is only a matter of time before someone makes a mistake and opens the door for a cyberattacker. But training and knowing to be on alert and skeptical of everything remotely suspicious are still critical to help minimize such incidents.

“Know who you’re doing business with,” he said. “Trust an e-mail if it’s someone you’ve done business with in the past. And if it isn’t someone you’ve done business with in the past, be skeptical of that; if you’re in question, send it over to your IT team, and let them take a look at it. If they see a bad e-mail, they can tell you immediately, ‘hey, we’ve seen this before, this is not something you should work with — please delete this or quarantine this,’ or, if they haven’t seen it, they can send it on to an anti-spam or anti-virus protection service that they’ve engaged with, and that individual or group can look at it across multiple things that they’ve seen.”

In dealing with suspicious e-mails, Bates cited his own firm as an example of the kind of rigorous training that can and should go on.

“We do quarterly training — each employee has to take a test and pass it,” he explained. “It’s terribly difficult, but it instills in your mind some of the things that are going on out there. Just the other day, we got hit, but everyone in the organization was smart enough, because of their training, to delete before they opened.”

Backup Plan

Because of the seeming inevitability that these sophisticated phishing attacks will succeed, businesses of all sizes need to have all the other layers of that onion to fully protect themselves from attacks — the training and the policies, in addition to the hardware and software.

“You have to have all the other layers in place because you simply cannot rely on humans not to click on e-mails at the pace that they’re required to do,” said Morrison, noting, as others did, that subsequent layers include a firewall, backing up all information, and encryption of information.

As noted, there are layers to backing up information, said the experts we spoke with, noting that the best solution is to isolate the backups as much as possible from the main network.

“Most companies do back up, but these malwares that do ransomware are pretty sophisticated,” Bianco explained. “The average time that that individual has compromised your network is typically a month or more. And in that month or more, they can go through and encrypt your backups as well as your production-installed system, your code bases, and things like that.

“Know who you’re doing business with. Trust an e-mail if it’s someone you’ve done business with in the past. And if it isn’t someone you’ve done business with in the past, be skeptical of that.”

“And they have a pretty sophisticated map of what your environment looks like, so we’ve been working with customers to do what’s called air-gabbing backups,” he went on. “Once that infrastructure is backed up, it’s completely separated from your network, so it can’t be encrypted.”

Christianson agreed, and noted that such independent, often off-site backup systems need to not only be in place, but be monitored as well.

“We’ve all heard the stories … people think they’re backing up for a long period of time, only to find out that, when they need it, the backups are not working,” he said. “That’s why people are starting to realize that it’s really important to have these systems monitored in some fashion, and that there are multiple layers.”

As for whether to pay that ransom … most consultants, and lawyers like Ostberg, certainly recommend against that practice, although that hasn’t stopped many of those who have been attacked from paying out millions in Bitcoin.

“One of the things that’s just awful is seeing people pay the ransom,” Christianson said, “because that’s not the answer. You’re just encouraging them to come back — and they will come back, not to mention the fact that they give you the key and you get your data, but you have no idea what they dropped in there and left for a back door.

“Honestly, in some cases, the only way to know is to reformat it, reinstall it all, scan the heck out of the data, and bring it back from the ground up,” he went on. “Or, manage a good disaster-recovery backup plan.”

Which brings him all the way back to that onion he referenced at the top. It should have many, many layers, he said, with more added as they become available and necessary, because what worked and what was enough a few years ago probably isn’t enough now, and certainly won’t be enough a few years and maybe even a few months from now.

That’s how quickly and profoundly the scene is changing when it comes to cybersecurity and protecting a business, nonprofit, school system, government agency, or household from those who would do it harm.

Managing the problem is all-important, said those who spoke with, but what’s most important is managing it before the worst happens — because doing so can often prevent the worst from happening.

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

New Challenges Emerge in Employee Benefits — but More Options, Too

By Contributor June 23, 2021

Insurance Special Coverage

Give and Take

With five generations in today’s workforce, employee benefits are no one-size-fits-all proposition — yet, they remain a key issue for employers looking to attract and retain a skilled workforce. Striking a balance between what employees want and what the business can afford is certainly a challenge — but the flexibility and options available to employers these days makes the task a little easier to navigate.

By Mark Morris

Between demographic changes in the workforce and the impact of the pandemic, employers face multiple challenges these days in offering health insurance and other benefits to their workers.

In the U.S., 49% of people receive health-insurance coverage through their employer. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, that percentage represents approximately 156 million Americans. Many of those workers also receive coverage for dental care and disability, as well as access to a retirement plan as part of a complete benefits package.

And, despite the increasing costs of health insurance, employers are not cutting back on this essential coverage, said Peter Miller, partner with Millbrook Benefits and Insurance Services in Springfield.

“They are trying to strike a balance between offering a benefits package that is attractive to new hires, while also trying to control costs and keep the business running,” he noted.

Traditional benefits, such as healthcare coverage and retirement plans, have always been important to employees. According to Patrick Leary, vice president of Work Benefits Research at LIMRA in Windsor, Conn., traditional benefits make up the core of an employer’s value proposition to employees.

In putting together a benefits package, an employer decides whether a particular offering will be paid 100% by the employer, or use a cost-sharing approach in which employees contribute as well. A third option, known as a voluntary benefit, is completely paid for by the employee.

LIMRA provides research for the insurance and financial-services industry. One significant trend Leary has studied is the expanding demographics of the workplace.

“There are now five generations in the labor force,” he said. “The oldest workers are staying longer, while Gen Z is just beginning to enter the workforce.”

Each generation has different benefit needs, and they are all looking to their employer to address them. Voluntary benefits are one way for an employer to accommodate different needs among a diverse employee population.

Peter Miller

“They are trying to strike a balance between offering a benefits package that is attractive to new hires, while also trying to control costs and keep the business running.”

“A company can offer a broad-based plan where some benefits appeal to younger workers and some to older,” Leary said. “Because they are voluntary benefits, the employer can address the various needs of their employees without increasing their costs.”

He emphasized the importance of employers working with a benefits consultant to find the right mix. “Part of the process involves the employer understanding their current employees and the types of workers they plan to recruit for the future.”

Employers typically add benefits to make their companies more attractive to the specific types of workers they seek. For example, Miller has been discussing benefit packages with a tech company looking to attract engineering graduates from prominent colleges. While traditional benefits are important, flexible work arrangements and college debt-repayment programs also have a strong appeal to this group.

“It’s important for employers to think outside the box to make themselves more attractive to the people they’re trying to hire,” he said.

College debt repayment offered as a formal benefit is relatively new, but it’s quickly becoming a popular benefit as more graduates enter the workforce saddled with large debt obligations.

Meredith Wise, president of the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast, said employers are using different tactics to help new employees manage their student-loan debt. Some employers offer a hiring bonus so new employees can pay off a chunk of their student loan.

Another approach allows employees to pay down their debt and contribute to their retirement savings at the same time. Based on his conversations with employers, Leary said the 401(k)/student-loan payment approach strongly resonates with young employees.

“The amount the employee pays each month toward their debt is matched up to 5% by the employer in a 401(k) plan,” Wise said. “This is helpful to young workers who would not normally be thinking about their retirement savings because they are saddled with debt.”

What COVID Wrought

There’s nothing quite like a worldwide pandemic to remind everyone of the importance of having healthcare coverage. After 14 months of operating during the pandemic, the benefits professionals BusinessWest spoke with cited two notable trends: an increase in telehealth offerings and usage, as well as an increased demand for mental-health services.

“There’s definitely been an increase in utilization for traditional medicine and mental health,” Miller said.

Wise agreed. “Employers are looking at the mental-health benefits covered under their policies and, in many cases, are augmenting those benefits with employee-assistance programs,” she noted.

A survey released in March by America’s Health Insurance Plans reported that 56% of employees said their telehealth and mental-health services are more valuable now than they were a year ago, before COVID-19.”

Offering wellness programs as a benefit is another trend that has gained popularity in the last several years. “Employers are adding or increasing benefits around wellness, nutrition, stress management, and other areas,” Wise said.

In addition to health wellness, Leary said employers are increasingly offering financial wellness programs as a benefit.

Patrick Leary

“Some older employees might be sandwiched between taking care of their children and their parents at the same time, while others are looking at their planning needs for retirement.”

“If an employee is stressed out about their personal finances, it affects their productivity at work,” he said, pointing out that financial wellness is a benefit that can help employees at every stage of their careers by providing guidance tailored to their individual needs.

“It’s a chance to help younger employees get off to a good start and to check in with older Millennials, now approaching their 40s, about retirement planning and the telehealth benefit they can access,” Leary explained. “Some older employees might be sandwiched between taking care of their children and their parents at the same time, while others are looking at their planning needs for retirement.”

Because employees have so many different needs, communication around benefit offerings becomes essential. As COVID disrupted so many other norms, it also caused significant changes in benefit communications. But in this particular case, Miller said, the change was an improvement.

For years, the model for enrolling employees into a company’s benefit plan involved on-site meetings and speaking directly with as many employees as possible to make sure all their questions and concerns were addressed. Miller said the strong in-person presence continued even after the actual enrollments were done online.

“We’re doing many of our open-enrollment meetings now on Zoom,” he said. “One advantage is that you can gather employees no matter where they are for the live presentation, and they can ask questions, either by shouting them out or using the chat box.”

For employees who may be on vacation or traveling, the Zoom meeting is recorded and uploaded to a video-sharing platform like YouTube.

“Lots of people want to discuss their benefit options with their spouse,” Miller said. “Now they can, because everyone can access the presentation whenever they want.”

Miller said the video gives employers a tool they can use for the entire plan year. “When a new hire comes in, they can be directed to the link and listen in on the entire employee-benefit presentation. The video approach was one of the few positive developments that resulted from adjusting to COVID concerns.”

Sometimes, a new employee benefit can emerge from a catastrophe. At the onset of COVID, Leary said, employers were frantically setting people up at home just to keep their businesses in operation.

“Several months later, they began seeing the benefits of having people work from home,” Leary said. “While many are discussing a hybrid approach, where employees split their time between the office and home, working from home to some degree is now undeniable.”

Because his business lends itself to working remotely, Miller said his employees definitely perceive it as a benefit.

“If you asked me last February if working from home would be feasible, I would have said ‘no way,’” he noted. “But it not only works, it works very well.”

Help Wanted

These days, employers need every benefit they can offer when recruiting new employees. Despite businesses itching to expand, Miller said, employers face new challenges in doing so. “I’ve been doing this nearly 30 years, and I don’t ever remember so many different employers saying they can’t get good people.”

Local employers he’s speaking with are increasingly hiring workers from other states to meet their needs.

“My clients are looking for health plans that are more robust and have a national presence,” Miller said. “I’m hearing that from employers right here in Western Mass.”

For many, traditional benefits remain important, but they make up only a part of the employment experience. Leary said the move to remote work means employers and benefit consultants need to think in new ways to communicate benefits and enroll employees in a new hybrid environment.

“You can make the argument that flexible work schedules and the ability to work autonomously without having a manager look over your shoulder are also benefits that go beyond traditional health, dental, and disability plans,” Miller said.

It’s a trend to keep an eye on — one of many employers need to consider as they determine which benefits will attract and retain employees in a changing economy — while making sense for the company’s bottom line.

You May Owe Sales Tax in Other States

By Contributor June 23, 2021

Accounting and Tax Planning Special Coverage

Selling Online?

In the early days of e-commerce, states attempted to get out-of-state companies to collect sales tax on transactions into the state — without success. Enter the Supreme Court, which issued a landmark decision that physical presence is no longer needed, and if a company’s activity has substantial ‘economic nexus’ with a state, it can be required to collect sales tax. That means online businesses of all kinds may have tax exposure they’re not even aware of.

By Kristina Drzal Houghton, CPA, MST

The shutdown of stores and malls during COVID-19 fueled the already-prospering world of internet shopping. Many businesses were forced into direct-to-consumer marketing on their own webpages or using e-commerce online marketplace companies such as Wayfair, Amazon, and Etsy, just to name a few.

So, why is this important to you? Well, if you are one of those businesses who started selling direct to consumers on your website or if you turned a previous hobby into a business venture that markets using an online marketplace that does not collect sales tax for you, you might have a significant tax exposure you’re not even aware of.

In the 1980s and 1990s, states attempted to get companies to collect sales tax on transactions into the state. These companies were predominantly located out of state and were making sales via mail or telephone calls. The companies were not collecting sales tax on the transactions.

The states were less than pleased. One state, North Dakota, passed a law requiring any company engaging in ‘regular or systematic’ solicitation in the state to become registered for and collect sales tax. In 1992, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a company needed to have a physical presence (employees, property, or offices) in a state before the state could require the company to collect sales tax. This landmark case was Quill Corp. v. North Dakota.

Quill made sales-tax compliance easy for companies: if a company was physically present in a state, it had to collect sales tax for that state. If the company was not physically present in a state, it did not have to collect sales tax, although it was inevitable that there would be some controversy about when companies were ‘present.’

Seeing revenues were on the decline, states began adjusting their tax laws or regulations. One by one, states devised new requirements to make companies collect sales tax. States enacted various laws or promulgated regulations to creatively find nexus, such as Massachusetts, which taxed sales based on an electronic ‘cookie’ on a computer, and New York, which developed so-called click-through nexus, taxing internet sales that were derived from clicking through advertisements on websites.

South Dakota was one state that enacted an economic nexus law. The South Dakota law says that if a seller makes $100,000 of sales into the state or has 200 or more sales transactions into the state in a calendar year, the seller must collect sales tax. The law did not impose sales taxes retroactively; it law was designed to provoke litigation and for the issue it raised to reach the U.S. Supreme Court as quickly as possible. South Dakota pursued four large companies it knew would meet its threshold. Three of those companies sued: Newegg, Overstock.com, and Wayfair.

The case became known as South Dakota v. Wayfair Inc. After rocketing the case through state courts and losing, South Dakota took its arguments to the U.S. Supreme Court and won. Now, physical presence is no longer needed; if a company’s activity has substantial nexus with a state, the state can require the company to collect sales tax on sales into the state.

“If you are one of those businesses who started selling direct to consumers on your website or if you turned a previous hobby into a business venture that markets using an online marketplace that does not collect sales tax for you, you might have a significant tax exposure you’re not even aware of.”

Almost all states with economic nexus allow an exception for small remote sellers, which is determined by a remote seller’s sales and/or transactions in the state (the economic-nexus threshold).

Any remote seller whose sales into the state meet or exceed a state’s economic-nexus threshold must register with that state’s tax authority, collect and remit sales tax, validate exempt transactions, and file sales-tax returns as required by law. Remote sellers whose sales and/or transactions in a state are under the state’s threshold don’t need to register; however, they do need to monitor their sales into the state, so they know if they develop economic nexus.

Unfortunately, state economic-nexus thresholds vary widely. This seriously complicates nexus determinations.

In a post-Wayfair sales-tax world, how are states enforcing the new economic-nexus rules and identifying companies that fall within them? Given the budget shortfalls due to COVID-19, states are identifying new ways to increase their revenue, and what better way than enforcing the Wayfair economic-nexus rules as they relate to sales-tax obligations?

Accordingly, states have taken a broader perspective on enforcing economic-nexus rules on various sellers (including internet retailers) by creating new registration and collection tools for all registered sellers. Under this new nexus standard, it is important to note that, if states find that the taxpayer purposefully did not comply with state law, then the departments of revenue (DORs) can not only require that the taxpayer pay back sales tax, but also assert that it is liable for penalties as well as interest.

Since the Decision

In the nearly three years since the Supreme Court in Wayfair upheld South Dakota’s economic-nexus law, overruling the court’s physical-presence precedents, states have faced challenges enforcing this new nexus standard on remote internet sellers, given that traditional audit approaches leverage information that is geared toward identifying sellers with some physical identity or connection within the state.

For example, if employees work in the state, the entity is required to file payroll taxes, or if the entity owns real property, then DORs can obtain real property and tax records to help validate sales tax compliance or identify potential audit targets. Economic nexus, however, provides fewer avenues for states to prove that an entity should collect sales tax in comparison to traditional physical-presence standards, where data is more readily available.

On the other hand, some states are taking an aggressive approach in seeking out taxpayers for compliance with the new nexus rules. For example, DORs are sending out more nexus questionnaires to various companies to, for all intents and purposes, scare them into compliance. Companies should take great care in responding to these questionnaires because states can use this information to force reporting for sales tax and other areas of taxation. To find targets, state auditors have been known to visit an e-commerce site and place an order to see if the seller charges sales tax. If no tax is charged, a questionnaire is then mailed to the seller.

Auditors can also check on companies that advertise heavily in their state or have achieved some level of public notoriety. States will also continue to look for sellers that may have established facilities in their state to make sales or store inventory. A facility or in-state inventory constitutes old-school physical presence and can be the basis of an audit stretching back to well before economic-nexus standards came into existence.

Some states are now ostensibly working to make sales-tax compliance and collection easier for taxpayers. Some examples include websites that allow users to manually calculate sales tax based on address, or an application programming interface (such as California’s) that can be integrated into retailers’ online order forms to determine the appropriate rate and taxing location in real time.

A majority of states now have such a lookup tool in one form or another. Arkansas has a tool for searching by ZIP code or address. The state of Washington’s lookup tool incorporates a state map, allows searching by geographical coordinates, and calculates the tax for any given taxable amount of sale. Colorado’s site incorporates a clickable map and provides a breakdown of tax-rate components.

Companies should be aware of and monitor their physical and economic presence nexus on a quarterly basis. Also, companies should defend against and challenge state assertions concerning sales-tax nexus rules, as well as petition Congress for clearer and more equitable nexus guidelines, especially during these times of financial upheaval caused by COVID-19. If organizations decide to register to collect sales tax in a state, they should take advantage of any benefits and tools the state is providing.

A company will be in a better position to manage its sales-tax collection responsibilities for a state if it determines whether it has physical or economic nexus before it receives a notice, letter, or nexus questionnaire from the state DOR.

Kris Houghton is a partner and executive committee member at Holyoke-based accounting firm Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.; (413) 536-8510.

Maintaining Balance Is Tricky in a Post-pandemic World

By Joseph Bednar June 23, 2021

Special Coverage Work/Life Balance

Blurred Lines

During the pandemic, work arrangements were, in some ways, clearer than they are now — in short, remote work was the norm. Now, however, businesses and their employees are grappling with balancing company needs and culture with workers’ desire to maintain flexibility regarding when and where they get their jobs done. At the center of all of this is the amorphous, yet critically important, concept of work-life balance — and how, in some ways, remote work has made it even more challenging to achieve.

The employees at Paragus IT have been returning to the office — but will be allowed to keep working at home some days.

Getting work done during the pandemic was … messy, Delcie Bean said. But it got done.

“In the heat of the pandemic, we had to have maximum flexibility and understood that everyone was doing their absolute best to get done what needed to get done and make sure the clients were taken care of,” the CEO of Paragus IT told BusinessWest. “It was going to be messy, but we had to get through it.”

Emerging from COVID-19, then, has been a time for employers to assess what happened and what they learned about the many different ways people can get their work done — and still have time for themselves.

“What did we lose having everyone remote, and what did we gain?” Bean said. “We realized it was some of both columns A and B — there were certainly some benefits and some risks.

“Really, we found it’s very employee-specific,” he went on. “Some employees really need the structure of the office — they get up, commute, work in the office, commute, relax at home. That’s what helps them separate work from life. Others were really flourishing with a blend, doing work from home; they were good at setting up boundaries and not having their work bleed into their life.”

Despite the evidence showing that many workers flourish at home — achieving work-life balance by establishing firm boundaries — that blurring of lines between work time and family time is a concern, according to area company leaders we spoke with. The result, oddly enough, can be even less balance than before.

“With more people working from home and having increased autonomy over their work schedule, it becomes more challenging to differentiate between work time and personal time,” said Patricia Coughlin, Human Resources director at Wellfleet in Springfield.

In Bean’s case, the post-pandemic strategy that developed was to require employees to work in the Hadley office at least three days — a gradual shift, actually, beginning with one day in June, two days in July, and three days starting in August. Anyone who wants to be on site every day is welcome to do so.

Patricia Coughlin

“With more people working from home and having increased autonomy over their work schedule, it becomes more challenging to differentiate between work time and personal time.”

“There are certain things that are lost when you’re 100% remote,” he said, giving examples like mentoring new employees and collaborative projects. “But if remote is working for you, we don’t want to stop you.”

He understands that some people need to be in the office to function because they have too many distractions at home.

“It depends on their personality. My home is not a distraction at all — once the kids are in school, my home is quiet, with nothing to distract me,” he said, adding, however, that there’s also nothing there to energize him.

“I need energy from other people to function at my best. We all work a little differently, process things a little differently. A lot of flexibility is good, as long as that flexibility works for both the employees and the company — but working at home can lead to issues with work-life balance if the work never goes away.”

Amy Roberts, chief Human Resources officer at PeoplesBank in Holyoke, said the bank’s leaders learned the organization can be effective while incorporating different types of work arrangements.

“When the pandemic hit and we had to move to a remote workforce for much of our corporate team, there was no question that our associates were dedicated and would get the job done,” she noted. “We had concerns about remote work as it relates to data security, customer impact, and overall engagement of our workforce. But we saw pretty quickly that we were able to operate, meet the needs of our customers, and keep our team engaged.”

For that reason, the bank is now working to establish a hybrid model for many roles and will continue to evaluate increased flexibility for team members. “We may also consider fully remote roles, but at this time those will be very limited.”

Amy Roberts says PeoplesBank wants to develop strategies with its employees to avoid overly blurring the lines between work and family time, especially when working at home.

Like Bean, she noted that collaboration can suffer when people are not physically working together. “It’s such a big part of our day to day that we have to ensure people can easily get things done and make decisions as a team from anywhere. We feel this is an important aspect of any sustainable hybrid work model.”

Coughlin agreed that the pandemic made Wellfleet’s leaders more aware of the different ways people not only work well, but collaborate with their peers and find satisfaction in their work. As a result, the company plans to offer hybrid work arrangements and telework options as part of its model going forward.

“We learned from our employees that there is no one-size-fits-all methodology in creating an effective work environment,” she noted. “Throughout the pandemic, it became apparent that the ‘typical’ work arrangement may not be effective for all people.”

She added that this flexible approach is an attractive model that will allow Wellfleet to expand its talent pool while improving overall job satisfaction and increasing opportunities for growth and effectiveness. Again, however, the key is communication and setting boundaries.

“Supervisors and employees should set clear expectations of work schedules, availability, and when responses to e-mails are expected,” she said. “Maintaining this communication reduces the likelihood that employees feel the need to be available while on their personal time.”

Unhealthy Relationship

That latter concern is one employment experts across the country have been pondering. Constance Grady, a staff writer for Vox, recently penned an article titled “How Capitalism and the Pandemic Destroyed our Work-life Balance,” arguing that, in a precarious, COVID-disrupted economy, workers became even more attached to their work, in often-unhealthy ways.

“Those of us who were lucky enough to have jobs we could do from home brought our work into our living rooms, our kitchens, our bedrooms,” she wrote. “We pivoted. We shared strategies for how to be productive and overcome the stress of trying to work during a global health emergency. We challenged ourselves to meet and even exceed our pre-pandemic goals, against unfavorable odds. Despite everything, we prioritized work.”

But treating work as a sacred object has consequences, Grady argues. “We have treated work as something to be taken home and cherished. Work is our lover. And this year, we took it to bed.”

Bean understands that risk. “We’ve always strongly encouraged employees to have work-life balance as much as possible and encouraged people to unplug at the end of the day and not resume work until they’re back in the office again,” he said. “That worked much better in the pre-pandemic world, where there were cleaner lines between work and home.”

Paragus has long offered employees ‘discretionary time’ for personal obligations and appointments, which they can make up later. “We try to give employees freedom to schedule their work around what works for both them and the company.”

But over the past year, those lines blurred, with more people shifting their schedules or even working sporadically, a couple hours on and a couple off — especially when they were helping their homebound kids navigate the world of remote learning.

Hopefully, a return to something approaching normal, even if it does include some remote work, will sharpen those lines a bit. What helps, Bean said, is making firm decisions on what the home is actually for, especially at night.

“I’m very strict. When I get home, the phone goes on the counter and stays there until I go to bed. It’s rare for me to check e-mail at home, and it’s rare for me to work weekends. I try my best to model that you don’t need to work all night and on weekends to keep up; you can do your job during your work hours, then be with your family. You need that balance, and your family needs you there.”

Beyond that, he added, employees need to decompress from work in order to be productive the next day. “You need that separation time to process. You’re never able to let it sink in and reflect when you’re just going, going, going.”

Roberts agreed. “We are concerned about the blurring of lines with people who are working at home,” she said. “We are looking at this issue to determine if there are other ways we can ensure this balance with our plan for long-term workplace flexibility.”

Ideas include encouraging employees to work in a dedicated space, and at the end of the work day, leaving that room behind and closing the door — in other words, stick to the set work schedule.

“Obviously, if a customer issue occurs at the end of our day, we aren’t walking away, but in most cases we have seen that people have done a good job maintaining their normal work hours from any location — home or office.”

Understanding employee needs helps them to create balance while meeting the company’s needs, Coughlin added.

“When people have the flexibility to manage their schedule — for example, to attend a personal appointment and make up time later in the day — that can have a really positive impact on productivity. And everyone’s different; some people are more productive early in the morning, some are more productive in the evening, and others work best within a very set schedule.”

From a company perspective, she went on, it’s important to establish general standards that allow all employees the opportunity to achieve a healthy work-life balance — and it’s important to engage with employees to better identify what is meaningful to them.

“Work-life balance, and what that means, can really vary from person to person,” she noted. “One employee might be driven by the satisfaction in completing a task, while another takes satisfaction from counting hours ‘clocked in.’”

Creating a Culture

The bottom line, Coughlin said, is that Wellfleet’s people are fundamental in creating its culture, so it’s important to engage with them, through various platforms, to identify and implement ways to support a healthy work-life balance.

To that end, it offers education and trainings to improve work efficiencies, as well as communication regarding company benefits workers can utilize for personal purposes. Supervisors also work closely with employees to coach skills like prioritizing tasks, setting realistic goals, and time management.

“Wellfleet believes a healthy work-life balance fosters a culture in which employees are able to perform their job duties in a productive manner,” she added. “Good balance and increased flexibility in the workplace can help prevent burnout, reduce stress, and promote overall wellness.”

The company also offers employees the flexibility to adjust their work schedules to attend appointments and encourages them to use paid time off for their personal well-being, Coughlin said. “We saw the need to internally emphasize this message throughout the pandemic, although the ways we promoted this adapted to the circumstances.”

Wellfleet isn’t the only company re-emphasizing the need for workers to take time off, even if they’re not taking as many week-long vacations as before. HR Daily Advisor recently published a story on work-life balance that included input from several employers across the U.S. noting that employees have been de-emphasizing long vacations in favor of three-day weekends, staycations, and mental-health days off — as well as taking less time off overall.

“We have always focused on promoting a healthy work-life balance, and I don’t think remote work will change the way that we encourage our team to pay attention to this balance,” Roberts said. “Some of the ways that we promote this balance is our official work week being 38 hours, generous time-off plans, and fun team events and activities throughout the year. Our managers also do a good job of making sure they balance their expectations to ensure that a healthy work-life balance is a real thing.”

At the same time, Bean said, workers at any number of companies may have begun seeing those remote and flexible work models of the past 16 months as a permanent aspect of work-life balance — or, at least, they hope so. That could cause tension down the line, as employers, already struggling to retain talent in many industries, may have to negotiate such arrangements moving forward.

“However, another part of me knows behaviors and habits don’t change easily,” he added. “We, as a country, have 200 years of working 8 to 5 and going home. I don’t know if the pandemic was long enough to permanently break this muscle memory.”

If he’s right, companies adopting hybrid models now may eventually shift back to the typical, on-site work schedule of the past.

“Maybe people will work from home more than before,” he said. “But I don’t think this was that disruptive that we’ll fundamentally change the way we do work. It comes down to a lot of factors.”

Those factors range from employee desires to company needs and what type of culture an employer wants to promote. And the day might come when the current job surplus lessens and employers feel they have more leverage.

“How comfortable are you with making a decision, if an employer tells you to come back to the office or find new employment?” Bean said. “We’ll see how those things play out, and we’ll find out if the changes are temporary or long-term — and, if they’re long-term, how impactful they’ll be.”

Until then, employees will continue to get their work done in whatever way their company allows — and, hopefully, not take it to bed.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Westfield Grateful to Move Past Pandemic

By Contributor June 23, 2021

Community Spotlight Special Coverage

Community Spotlight

By Mark Morris

The final phase of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail in Westfield should be complete this fall.

For Donald Humason, the phones ringing at Westfield City Hall is a sure sign the pandemic is nearing its end.

While recognizing that some people suffered devastating personal and economic loss, Humason remains grateful that, on the whole, Westfield came through the last 14 months better than expected. He credits the team at City Hall for working tirelessly with state officials to secure grants for Westfield agencies and businesses.

“At our weekly department meetings, I would always ask if we were prepared for the eventual end of the pandemic, so we would be ready when the phones start ringing again,” the mayor said. “Thanks to everyone’s efforts, I feel we are ready.”

Because construction crews continued working through the pandemic, Westfield saw progress on several infrastructure projects. In April, the main structure was installed for the Greenway Rail Trail bridge that crosses Main Street. As the trail continues through Westfield, it will be an elevated path with exit ramps that drop down to local neighborhoods and businesses. Humason expects the final phase of the trail to be complete this fall.

“This last section of the trail is taking longer because there are several overpass bridges which are more complicated to build than the pathway itself,” he said.

Meanwhile, Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport recently broke ground for a $4.7 million taxiway project that will benefit both military and civilian air traffic. Another improvement at Barnes involves a private company looking to build three new aircraft hangars, Humason noted.

“These are not the sexy projects, but they need to get done so we can keep everything working.”

Massachusetts state and federal legislators are currently on a campaign to bring the next generation F-35 fighter jets to the Air National Guard’s 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes.

Humason said he appreciates having a fleet of F-15 fighter jets based at Barnes, but it’s worth pursuing the newer jets, too. “We are competing with several states in the Northeast to get the F-35s. We’ve modernized the base, and we’re ready to accommodate them if we are chosen.”

On the other side of the city, work has begun to replace Cowles Bridge on Route 202 that connects Westfield to Southwick. This state project marks one of the last bridges in Westfield that hasn’t yet been updated. Because the city is situated between several rivers, Humason said, Westfield is like an island in some ways because many entries into town involve crossing a bridge. He predicts Cowles Bridge will be completed in about two years.

“While it’s not a big bridge, it carries every important infrastructure in the city, so that makes it a more complex project because several utilities have to be involved in moving the structures under the bridge,” he explained.

Other projects, such as pump stations and sewer replacements, are also in the works. While these projects are not as high-profile as bridges and bike paths, they are essential, the mayor said. “These are not the sexy projects, but they need to get done so we can keep everything working.”

Meanwhile, infrastructure work of a different kind — expansion of Whip City Fiber, a division of Westfield Gas & Electric — continues to build momentum and become an increasingly powerful force in efforts to attract and retain businesses (and residents) in Westfield and several surrounding communities.

Tom Flaherty, general manager of the G&E, told BusinessWest there are now just under 11,000 subscribers in Westfield and 19 surrounding hilltowns, with the goal, one he considers very attainable, of reaching 15,000 within the next three years.

The high-speed internet, as well as low-cost, reliable electric service from the municipal utility, have become strong selling points for the city, said Flaherty, noting that businesses looking to relocate or expand put such services at or near the top of their list of considerations for such initiatives.

“The reliability of our electric and natural-gas infrastructures and the lower cost in comparison with other utilities — we’re more than 40% cheaper — are a huge consideration when people are coming out this way looking for houses,” he explained. “Whip City Fiber is a significant selling point when people are relocating and when businesses are relocating.”

As an example, he cited Myers Infosystems, which recently relocated from Northampton into the site of the former Piccolo’s restaurant on Elm Street, and cited energy costs and high-speed internet as key considerations in that decision.

Survive and Thrive

Eric Oulette, executive director of the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, said many of the businesses in Westfield were able to stay open last year because they quickly adapted once the pandemic hit. In particular, he pointed to the adjustment restaurants made last June when they were able to offer outdoor dining.

“They figured it out and made outdoor dining another feature they could offer,” Oulette said. “It was successful and allowed them to keep their doors open.”

With only a few chain restaurants in the city, Oulette said local restaurants are able to promote their individual personalities and offer many different experiences. That environment also encourages other types of small businesses to locate in Westfield.

Mayor Donald Humason said the city was successful meeting the needs of residents, students, and seniors during the pandemic, and will now put more focus on business needs.

Humason told the story of three new businesses that opened in April on School Street. Hilltown Chic (small gifts, candles, etc.), Be Bella Boutique (clothing), and Boho Hair Studio are all women-owned businesses. The owners got together and decided to hold their grand openings on the same day.

“We went right down the street and cut the ribbon in front of each shop,” Humason said. “It felt like a street carnival, and the businesses all received extra publicity for it.”

Speaking of new businesses, Westfield has granted four licenses for cannabis dispensaries. Only one, Cannabis Connection, is currently open, with the others at various stages of getting ready to open.

“We are still early in the process with cannabis in Westfield, so, from a revenue perspective, we consider these eggs we have not yet put in our basket,” Humason said.

As businesses pick up their activity, he added, they will need more workers — and, like everywhere else, Westfield has far more job openings than candidates.

In May, Mestek joined with the chamber and about a dozen other businesses and held a job fair in the field across from Mestek, with each exhibitor setting up a tent to speak with interested job seekers.

“We are still early in the process with cannabis in Westfield, so, from a revenue perspective, we consider these eggs we have not yet put in our basket.”

The idea for the job fair started with Peter Letendre, plant manager at Mestek, which manufactures HVAC equipment and performs metal fabrication for other industries. The company had recently acquired its main competitor and was relocating the operation from Long Island to Westfield, bringing 60 to 70 new manufacturing positions along with the move. Traditional recruiting wasn’t working to fill those jobs, so Letendre had to look at other ways to find people.

“I’m on the board at the chamber and began talking with other members about holding a job fair,” he said. “That way, we could all help each other by attracting candidates for our respective companies.”

In addition to Mestek, exhibitors included Six Flags of New England, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Northwestern Mutual, and several others. A few weeks after the job fair, Letendre reported that Mestek had hired about 15 employees, with another 10 in the process of coming on board.

Many of the positions offered by the job-fair exhibitors offered starting pay that was higher than minimum wage. For instance, Letendre said, the entry-level starting rate at Mestek is $15.50 an hour, and after 90 days, if the employee performs well and demonstrates good attendance, the pay increases to $16. As they acquire more skills, their wage can rapidly increase from there.

From working with sheet metal to assembling HVAC units and warehouse work, Letendre said Mestek offers lots of opportunity for growth. “You can start off in manufacturing, then keep improving your skills and build a solid career here.”

Plans are underway for a second job fair at the end of the summer. While many would-be job seekers are currently receiving supplemental unemployment benefits, that program ends in September, Oulette noted. “Right now, there are lots of companies looking to hire above minimum wage, so my one message to job seekers is, don’t wait until the fall when the unemployment benefits end, because there will be much more competition.”

While he is the new executive director of the chamber, Oulette is no stranger to Westfield. He worked with the Boy Scouts of America Western Massachusetts Council for five years and was president of the Rotary Club of Westfield in 2019 and 2020. He accepted a director of Development position for the Boy Scouts in 2020 that had him spending several days a week in New Hampshire. When the pandemic kept him at home, he wanted to stay in Western Mass. and accepted the chamber position in April.

While new to chamber leadership, Eric Oulette is no stranger to civic life in Westfield, including service with the Boy Scouts and the Rotary.

Oulette is the first to admit he had to “fill some big shoes” following Kate Phelon, who retired in September after 12 years leading the chamber. He appreciates how welcoming everyone has been as he transitions into the new post.

“It’s just like starting any new job where information is coming at you like you’re drinking from a firehose,” he said with a laugh.

Back to Business

Flaherty, like Oulette, is optimistic about the city’s prospects for continued residential and commercial growth, noting that it has a number of strong selling points, including location, strong schools and neighborhoods, and, as mentioned earlier, lower-cost energy and an expanding fiber-optic network.

And this expansion may soon take Whip City Fiber well beyond the city’s borders, he said, adding that the utility is in discussions with West Springfield about a pilot program to bring high-speed internet service to areas of that city as it advances plans to build a town-owned internet utility in partnership with Westfield G&E.

“We’re looking at four potential pilot areas that would be installed over the next year while the city goes through the process for the community to become a municipal light plant, or MLP,” he explained, adding that expansion into the neighboring city could eventually bring another 13,000 subscribers to the service.

Meanwhile, there are preliminary talks about taking the service to other communities as well, Flaherty said.

“There’s a good level of trust concerning our product and our capabilities — we have all the infrastructure, we have the billing system, we have the customer in place, we have the utility capabilities, the bucket trucks, and the line personnel,” he noted, adding that the company is well-positioned for continued growth.

As is Westfield itself. Oulette and Humason are grateful the city was not forced to confront big job losses or high numbers of business closings. Despite the pandemic, the mayor noted, Westfield kept moving forward.

“While our schools faced issues of whether they were going to hold classes remotely or in-person, we still continued with education,” he said. “We were still able to serve our senior citizens even though we couldn’t meet at the Council on Aging. We were also able to keep our infrastructure projects moving despite the pandemic.”

Humason added that, because Westfield has taken care of residents, schools, and seniors, he now looks forward to giving more attention to expanding businesses in the city. “I’ve said this since the day I was sworn into office: Westfield is open for business.”

Borawski Insurance Builds on 90-year Tradition of Service

By George O'Brien June 23, 2021

Insurance

Cover Story

From left, Bob Borawski, Dave Malek, and Mark Rosa, the leadership team at Borawski Insurance.

As he talked about insurance, and also about the agency started by his grandfather almost 91 years ago, Bob Borawski drew a number of analogies to the banking industry.

Specifically, he referenced an ongoing pattern of mergers, acquisitions, and overall consolidation that has left fewer players, and far fewer smaller, independent agencies.

In banking, said Borawski, who has been on the board at Florence Bank for many years now, this activity has created opportunities for those players with a track record of strong customer service and the ability to fill a void left by those agencies swallowed up by larger interests with fewer ties to — and employees living in — the 413. At the same time, while rates and prices are always important in banking, relationships are more important.

And, by and large, it’s the same in insurance, Borawski said.

“Anyone can give a rate that’s a half or five-eighths of a percentage point less,” he said in reference to banks. “But beyond the rate, you want to have a good relationship with your client. Like an independent bank, we have a focus on being independent — we’ve chosen not to be gobbled up by one of the larger players because we think independence is important. We still think people appreciate being local.”

Dave Malek, vice president of the company, who came aboard nearly 30 years ago, agreed.

“It really is all about relationships,” he noted. “And I think that is what gets lost when you get swallowed up by a larger conglomerate.”

In essence, Borawski said, he, Malek, and the other 15 employees at this company launched at the height of the Great Depression in 1930, are continuing a pattern of personalized customer service and relationship building that was started by his grandfather, Alexander Borawski, and continued by his father, Robert.

“These days, people are always saying, ‘we can save you…,’ ‘we can save you…,’ ‘we can save you…’ — and that’s great until something goes wrong and all that savings took coverages away and didn’t provide what you should have had.”

And this pattern has served the company well, especially when it comes to commercial lines, where the Borawski company has built a large and diverse portfolio that continues to grow.

Indeed, at present, commercial accounts comprise roughly 75% of the book of business, said Malek, adding that the portfolio includes everything from manufacturers to auto dealers; nonprofits to general contractors.

And this commercial business has spawned growth in numerous areas, especially employee benefits but also personal lines, said Borawski, adding that the ability to provide a wide range of products and services to customers has been a formula for growth going back nine decades, but especially in the past 30 years as the company has sharpened its focus on its commercial portfolio.

The first and second generations of leadership at Borawski Insurance: Alexander Borawski, left, and Robert Borawski.

Overall, this agency has been conducting business in much the same way it has since the doors opened, even if COVID-19 forced some changes when it came to where employees were working and how work was done.

Moving forward, the business plan calls for simply “more of the same,” said Borawski, adding that the company intends to take full advantage of the trend toward consolidation within the industry and continue its focus on relationship building.

“You’re either moving forward or moving backward, and our plan is to continue to grow our way — organically,” he said, adding that he believes the company is certainly well-positioned to achieve that goal.

For this issue and its focus on insurance, BusinessWest talked with several team members at Borawski to get a full understanding of not only where it’s been, but where it wants to go and how it intends to get there.

Independent Thinking

Borawski told BusinessWest that, upon graduating from Stonehill College in 1980, he had no plans to join the family business. Instead, he went to work for then-emerging office-supply company W.B. Mason as a salesperson.

“There were probably 35 people there at the time; I really liked it and had no intention of leaving,” he said, adding that his career took a critical turn a few years later when, while he was home for Thanksgiving, his father, who joined the agency in the early ’60s, commenced a discussion on succession.

“He said, ‘what am I going to do with this business?’ and we continued to talk,” Borawski recalled, adding that, soon thereafter, he came back home to join the company as a salesperson; eventually, he would succeed his father as president in 1992.

By then, he was also working to take a friendship on the golf course with Malek to a much different level. The two were members at what was Hickory Ridge Country Club in Amherst (the club closed a few years ago), and while talking golf and shop — Malek had been in the insurance business for roughly a decade by then — a discussion commenced about Malek coming to the Borawski agency and “helping build something,” Bob said.

That something was the aforementioned commercial-lines division that has grown so dramatically over time.

“We made a lot of cold calls over those years,” said Borawski, adding that, in addition to that time-honored strategy, the business has benefited tremendously from referrals that have led to new customers of all sizes in both the commercial- and personal-lines sides of the business.

Overall, the company has decided to grow organically, not through acquisition, as many others have. Again, as in banking, growing organically means, to a large extent, taking customers from other players, something that’s accomplished through hard work, a strong track record, a deep portfolio of products and services, relationships with carriers (Borawski works with more than 30 of them), and — here comes that phrase again — relationship building.

“Business just doesn’t fly in the door — you’ve got to go find it,” he explained. “You have to hunt it and track it.”

That’s because the competition, as in banking, is fierce. To stand out, an agency has to possess those qualities listed above, said all those we spoke with, and especially a desire to work with clients to find solutions for them, not just get a signature at the bottom of a policy — or series of policies.

“One of the things that we try to do differently is evaluate someone’s insurance program, and not just from the perspective of price,” Malek said. “It’s important to understand what their needs are and what we’re trying to provide for them, rather than just focus on the bottom-line price, because, in most cases, that doesn’t end up working out.

“Insurance is an intangible. You can’t touch or feel it until you need it. And we try to get people to understand just that — that everything is great until something goes wrong. And when it goes wrong, you need to know that you’re going to be put back to where you were prior to that.”

“You get what you pay for, and we work to get people to pay for the right coverage,” he went on. “These days, people are always saying, ‘we can save you…,’ ‘we can save you…,’ ‘we can save you…’ — and that’s great until something goes wrong and all that savings took coverages away and didn’t provide what you should have had. No one goes to the cheapest doctor for a reason.”

Mark Rosa, senior account executive, agreed, and noted that he and others in similar positions at the company strive to be advisors, not merely salespeople.

“It’s not just a game of show and tell and salesmanship — we want to advise as well,” he noted, adding that business owners who are experts at whatever business sector they have chosen are not necessarily — and not likely to be — experts on the many different insurance and employee-benefit products available today and which ones might be best for their company.

This desire to advise is another strong attribute that has served the company well during this time of consolidation within the industry, said Rosa, adding that, with those mergers and acquisitions, a personal brand of service is generally lost, creating opportunity for those who can still provide it.

“From a new-business standpoint, many people have made up their mind that they want to go somewhere else,” he explained. “It doesn’t take much for a client to figure out that things won’t be the same as they used to be. They figure that out pretty quickly, and that’s when the phone starts to ring.”

Bottom Line

While there are certainly many direct comparisons between banking and insurance, there are some important differences as well, Malek explained.

“Insurance is an intangible,” he noted. “You can’t touch or feel it until you need it. And we try to get people to understand just that — that everything is great until something goes wrong. And when it goes wrong, you need to know that you’re going to be put back to where you were prior to that.

“One of the things that we pride ourselves on is that we’re able to give people that sense of comfort to understand that their business is going to run just as if nothing happened,” he went on, adding that not all agencies can successfully provide this level of comfort.

Those that can think independently — in every sense of that phrase — can do it better than others. And that’s what has allowed this company to thrive for almost a century now, and prompt it to look toward the future with no plans to change how it does business.

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

Proposed Changes to Capital Gains, Estate Taxes Create Headaches

By Contributor June 23, 2021

Accounting and Tax Planning

Death and Taxes

By Jim Moran, CPA

On April 28, the Biden administration released its FY 2022 revenue proposals. Along with raising the corporate tax rate to 28% and the top individual rate to 39.6%, widespread changes have been proposed to the capital gains tax rate and estate tax.

Under current federal law, upon death, property passes to a beneficiary at fair market value, with a few exceptions. This means the beneficiary’s basis generally becomes the value of the property at the decedent’s date of death, also referred to as ‘step-up in basis.’ For gifts made during a donor’s lifetime, the donee receives the donor’s basis in the property. This means the donee’s basis remains the same as the donor’s basis, generally original cost plus any improvements. No taxable gain or loss occurs upon the transfer of the property. Gain or loss is realized only when the property is eventually sold.

Under the Biden administration’s proposal, transfers of appreciated property upon death, or by gift, may result in the realization of capital gain to the donor or decedent at the time of the transfer. This means tax may be triggered at the date of the transfer regardless of whether the property is subsequently sold. This would be accomplished by eliminating the step-up in basis upon death of a decedent and requiring a tax be paid on a portion of the value of a gift made.

Fortunately, the Biden proposal would allow a $1 million per-person exclusion from recognition of unrealized capital gains on property either transferred by gift or held at death. The per-person exclusion would be indexed for inflation after 2022 and would be portable to the decedent’s surviving spouse under the same rules that apply to portability for estate- and gift-tax purposes (making the exclusion effectively $2 million per married couple). It is important to note, however, in the case of gifts, the donee’s basis in property received by gift during the donor’s life would be the donor’s basis in that property at the time of the gift to the extent that the unrealized gain on that property counted against the donor’s $1 million exclusion from recognition.

“Under the Biden administration’s proposal, transfers of appreciated property upon death, or by gift, may result in the realization of capital gain to the donor or decedent at the time of the transfer. This means tax may be triggered at the date of the transfer regardless of whether the property is subsequently sold.”

Tangible personal property (other than collectibles) would also be excluded from the triggering of gain. The exclusion under current law for certain small-business stock would remain, and the $250,000 per-person exclusion under current law for capital gain on a principal residence would apply to all residences currently allowed under IRC Section 121 and would be portable to the decedent’s surviving spouse, making the exclusion effectively $500,000 per couple.

The Biden proposal allows for some exempt transferees. Property transferred by a decedent to a charity would be exempt. Transfers by a decedent to a U.S. spouse would be at be the carryover basis of the decedent, and capital gain would not be recognized by the surviving spouse until the surviving spouse disposes of the asset or dies.

In addition to transfers upon death or gift to an individual, transfers of appreciated property into, or distributed in kind from, trusts (other than revocable grantor trusts) and partnerships may be treated as recognition events for the donor or donor’s estate. Valuation is another important concern in regard to a partial interest. The transfer of a partial interest would be at the ‘proportional share.’ Valuation discounts for minority interests will not apply.

Under Biden’s proposal, the donor would report any deemed recognition events on the donor’s gift-tax return. A decedent would report any capital gains on an estate-tax return or, potentially, a separate capital-gains return. A decedent would be able to offset capital gains against any unused capital-loss carry-forwards and up to $3,000 of ordinary income on their final individual income-tax returns. Any capital-gains taxes deemed realized at death would be deductible on the decedent’s federal estate-tax return if required.

The proposal would be effective for gains on property transferred by gift and on property owned at death by decedents dying after Dec. 31, 2021.

With a 50/50 partisan split in the U.S. Senate, it is currently unclear what the final proposal will end up being. Now is the time to start thinking about the how the proposed changes will affect you. Make an appointment with your tax or financial-planning professional to discuss what steps you should consider taking. You may need to be willing to act quickly should these proposals become reality.

Jim Moran, CPA, MST is a manager with Melanson CPAs, focusing on commercial services and tax planning, compliance, and preparation.

Employers Need to Know the Facts on Paid Family and Medical Leave

By Joseph Bednar June 23, 2021

Special Coverage Work/Life Balance

Avoiding the Pitfalls

Tim Netkovick calls it the “kicker” in the law — and it’s a kick that could bruise an unsuspecting employer.

The law in question is the state’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) law, portions of which went into effect on Jan. 1, with others to follow on July 1. The law essentially makes Massachusetts the most generous state in the country when it comes to allowing workers to take leave for medical and family-care reasons.

And employers need to be careful how they respond to claims, said Netkovick, an attorney with the Royal Law Firm in Springfield.

“If somebody has utilized PFML, there is what I call a kicker in that statute that says, if there’s any adverse action taken against the employee within a certain period of time, then it’s presumed to be in retaliation,” he told BusinessWest.

Indeed, if an employee challenges an employer’s actions following leave taken under the PFML law, the burden is on the company to prove there was some justifiable reason for taking the adverse action that had nothing to do with the leave request.

“The law does have a very strong anti-retaliation provision baked in. Often, these types of laws do have an anti-retaliation provision, but this one is a little unique,” said John Gannon, an attorney with Skoler, Abbott & Presser in Springfield.

“If an employer does take some kind of negative action against the employee — termination, suspension, demotion, even a negative performance review — within six months of the last day they took leave, there is a presumption that the employer retaliated,” he explained. “The employer can rebut that presumption, showing the motive for the decision is not linked in any way to paid family or medical leave use, but it does open the door to more potential litigation in this area.”

It’s a challenge to prove the action was justifiable, though not impossible, Netkovick said. Still, it’s not a headache employers really want to deal with.

“That’s a challenge we’ve seen come up a few times, where there were issues with the employment relationship before that, and then, all of a sudden, someone goes out on PFML leave,” he said. “There’s not really a lot of guidance on that yet. It might be assumed to be in retaliation, but if you can show something concrete that has happened, hopefully you can get someone to agree with you in the court system. You have to make sure you have your documents in order.”

The PFML law runs concurrently with other applicable state and federal leave laws, such as the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Massachusetts Parental Leave Act. Similar to the federal FMLA, a Massachusetts employee who returns to work after taking leave under PFML law must be returned to same or similar position as he or she had prior to their leave.

The new law requires employers to provide eligible employees up to 26 total weeks of leave in a benefit year. Currently, employees may be entitled to up to 20 weeks of paid leave to manage their own serious health condition, and may also receive up to 12 weeks of paid leave to bond with a child who is newly born, adopted, or placed in foster care, and up to 26 weeks to care for a family member in the Armed Forces.

On July 1, employees will also be able to receive up to 12 weeks to care for a family member — the employee’s spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, parent of a spouse, or parent of a domestic partner — with a serious health condition.

“There’s a department called the Department of Family and Medical Leave that oversees this whole program, and approves and denies claims,” Gannon said. “They’ve done a pretty effective job of getting the word out there about this program, particularly back in 2020 and early 2021 when it was going live. I remember seeing radio ads, print advertising, a lot of online ads as well.”

As a result, employees tended to know about it, and many held off on, say, elective surgery or put off parental leave for a newborn until after Jan. 1, so they could access the full benefits of the new law, he noted. “We did see a spike [in taking leave] in January and February, and we anticipate we’ll see another spike in July or August of this year when the family-leave components go live, and employees can take leave to care for family members with serious health conditions.”

A Rising Need

Patrick Leary, vice president of Work Benefits Research at LIMRA in Windsor, Conn., noted that interest in PFML started to rise several years ago, but has accelerated in recent years, especialy last year.

“More people became caregivers for their parents or other family members affected by COVID,” Leary said. “On top of that, parents took leave to care for their children when remote learning kept them at home.”

Peter Miller, a partner with Millbrook Benefits and Insurance Services in Springfield, added that Massachusetts’ PFML law offers benefits similar to a short-term disability benefit, but won’t replace the need for employers to provide short-term disability insurance.

Leave under the PFML program applies to most W-2 employees in Massachusetts, regardless of whether they are full-time, part-time, or seasonal. Unlike the federal FMLA, the Massachusetts PFML law says an employee is not required to work for a minimum length of time in order to be eligible for leave. However, an employee must meet minimum-threshold earning requirements in order to be eligible for leave under the law.

Notice requirements for the new law work both ways; employers must provide written notice of the PFML program to all employees within 30 days of the employee’s start date, while employees must inform their employers of their need to take leave under the law at least 30 days before the start of the leave, and before filing an application for leave with the state. Where reasons beyond an employee’s control prevent them from giving such advance notice, they must inform their employer as soon as is practical.

Employers don’t have to offer their workers the state benefit; they can opt out of it and apply for an exemption from paying PFML contributions, but only if they purchase a private plan with benefits that are as generous as the state’s plan, and which provide the same job protections, including the anti-retaliation provisions.

“You have two options — you can deal with the state Department of Family Leave they set up, or you can have your own third-party administrator,” Netkovick said. “The private plan has to be set up to match the state plan. There’s no requirement it has to be better, but it has to at least match with the state plan.”

One reason a company might do so is because a third-policy benefits administrator offered that service, and the employer may prefer communicating with that entity over dealing with the state.

Gannon agreed. “One of the perceived advantages to going with private plans is that you do have a little more control over the administration of the plan,” he said, noting that it can be frustrating when the state gets it wrong — for instance, if an employee has been granted 22 weeks of leave rather than 20 because of an administrative error, to cite a hypothetical example.

“There’s nothing you can do to reverse that, which is frustrating for employers,” he told BusinessWest. “With private plans, at least in theory, you can reach out to the plan administrator and ask, ‘why did you approve this for 22 weeks as opposed to 20?’ With the state, it’s more challenging to do that.”

One thing is clear — in allowing employees to take amounts of leave not typical across the country, the state is layering on an additional staffing challenge at a time when companies in myriad industries are already challenged by worker shortages.

“If the state department or your third-party administrator makes the determination this person qualifies under PFML, then there’s really not much you can do,” Netkovick said. “I know that’s created staffing issues for a couple of our clients, but they’ve been able to work that out. If there’s some kind of mandated ratio, I could see that becoming an issue — you might have to hire people on a temporary basis.”

Gannon agreed it can be a hurdle, particularly since employees are eligible for leave starting from day one on the job.

“It has been a challenge from a staffing perspective, especially these days,” he said. “Staffing would be a challenge without all these job-protected forms of leave, and now we have PFML, too.”

Know the Facts

One key requirement of the PFML law is that employers need to put it in writing for their workforce.

“It doesn’t have to be in the handbook, but it has to be in writing, advising people of their rights under PFML and the qualifications,” Netkovick said, adding that some companies have made it a part of the handbook because they were revising that manual anyway. “But others have made it as a standalone policy that everyone has to sign off on.”

Gannon has also seen employers approach the communication question in different ways. “We’ve had clients doing a complete update of their handbook, not just to make sure they’re compliant with this law, but to determine whether other policies need to be changed,” he said, such as call-out procedures that give an employer enough time to manage absences from a staffing perspective.

Of course, those written policies need to make clear the anti-retaliation elements of the law, too. If an employee files a lawsuit against an employer for violation of the PFML law and the employer is found to be in violation, numerous remedies are available to the employee, including reinstatement to the same or similar position, three times the lost wages and benefits, and even the employee’s attorney’s fees.

That’s why training managers and supervisors on all aspects of the law is especially important, Gannon said. “They’re the ones who may not realize how strong the anti-retaliation provisions are. Depending on the size of the business, an employer may rely on managers and supervisors, and if they unknowingly retaliate against someone, it could be a problem for the entire organization. It’s important for those in supervisory or managerial roles to understand the law and how strong those anti-retaliation provisions are.”

Netkovick agreed, adding that yearly trainings on all aspects of workplace law, including Paid Family and Medical Leave, is a good idea.

“Companies need to be aware of that retaliation provision — I think that’s the key,” he said. “It’s worthwhile to keep that in mind at the beginning, so you know what the lay of the land is in case something comes up after the fact.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

How to Spend the Stimulus Windfall

By Editorial June 23, 2021

Opinion

Editorial

As the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic winds down, another battle — yes, we can call it that — is emerging on just how the state should spend more than $5 billion in federal stimulus money coming it’s way.

Actually, there are different fronts to this conflict, the first being a large disagreement over who should control this windfall, with both Gov. Charlie Baker and the Legislature believing that they know, better than the other, how this money should be allocated.

We’re not sure either is fully qualified, but that’s another matter.

Let’s get back to the money — $5.3 billion of it, to be exact. This is the state’s share of the proceeds from the American Rescue Plan (ARP). It is, indeed, a windfall, a rare opportunity to take money with no real strings attached to it and put it to some good.

So, naturally, there has to be disagreement over who should control the money and how it should be spent — should we really expect anything else? We hope these differences of opinion can be worked out quickly (probably not, but we can hope), and that the state can commence allocating this money in ways that will create opportunity and address long-standing problems. It appears likely that the proceeds will be divided in some way, with the governor controlling a large portion and the Legislature deciding how to spend what’s left.

Already, the governor has indicated several priorities, including everything from the housing crisis to battling opioid addiction; from infrastructure work to funding the state’s announced vaccine lottery sweepstakes.

While these are worthy causes, to be sure (although we certainly believe there are better ways to spend $6.5 million than a lottery), money needs to be set aside to help the businesses of this state, many of which are still battling to fully recover from the pandemic. While many business sectors are starting to rebound, especially the hospitality industry after a brutal 15 months of stagnancy and then several levels of reopening, many individual businesses are struggling to get all the way back.

One big obstacle is workforce. Companies across all sectors are struggling to find good help, and an infusion of funds into training programs would certainly help address the ongoing labor shortages. As economic-development leaders have said for years, the problem isn’t necessarily with the numbers of people in the workforce, but the skills they possess.

Meanwhile, we share the business community’s disappointment that the governor remains opposed to allocating some of the money from the American Rescue Plan to pay for the huge deficit in the state’s unemployment insurance fund caused by the deep and very sudden job losses during the pandemic; more than 30 states have already committed to using some ARP funds for this purpose.

Baker has instead signed legislation that spreads the hike in the so-called solvency assessment over 20 years and covers $7 billion in unemployment payments tied to pandemic-related job losses.

We don’t believe that simply spreading the payments over 20 years is a real solution to this problem. The pain remains — it’s just dispersed over two decades instead of all at once. While the payments will be smaller, they will still be a burden to businesses that are, as we noted, still struggling to fully recover from the pandemic and don’t need to pay for a problem that was not of their doing.

When it comes to the ARP windfall, the phrase ‘good problem to have’ certainly comes to mind. Indeed, deciding how to allocate $5.3 billion is a test for which there are few truly wrong answers.

But it is incumbent on the governor and the Legislature to come up with the best answers, and some of these involve a business community that is far from out of the woods when it comes to this pandemic and the many challenges that remain.

Reflections on Juneteenth

By Contributor June 23, 2021

Opinion

By John Regan

Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) and the Commonwealth’s business community join with our fellow citizens in celebrating the first official state observance of Juneteenth, which commemorates the day in 1865 — June 19 — that the last enslaved people held in Galveston, Texas learned of their freedom, two years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

The day is both an historical observance and an opportunity to reflect on the accomplishments of African-Americans here in Massachusetts and throughout the nation. It is also a reminder of an event largely ignored by history texts, much like the Tulsa massacre that took place 100 years ago.

AIM — as an organization committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion — regards the day as a symbol of the importance of creating an economy that provides opportunity for all the citizens of Massachusetts.

“The Juneteenth holiday is a long-overdue teaching moment about the contributions and history of a people who were instrumental in building the country. Reminders of what has kept us apart are necessary to forming bonds that bring us together moving forward,” said Donna Latson Gittens, founder of MORE Advertising in Watertown and a member of the AIM Executive Committee.

Gov. Charlie Baker signed a bill last July making June 19 a limited-scope holiday, analogous to Patriots’ Day, Presidents’ Day, and Martin Luther King Day. Private employers may elect to observe the day but are not required to do so. Creation of the state holiday came amid a national racial reckoning following the death of George Floyd and several other black people during encounters with police.

Employers plan to mark Juneteenth in various ways.

AIM member National Grid announced that all of its U.S. employees, including 6,336 employees in Massachusetts, would be given the Friday before Juneteenth off as “a symbol of our dedication to honoring black Americans who have suffered the impacts of racism throughout U.S. history,” according to Natalie Edwards, the company’s chief diversity officer.

The company encouraged its workers to use the time off as “a day of reflection and to celebrate black communities, particularly in the neighborhoods where they live and work.”

AIM members New Balance, Foley Hoag, Boston University, Harvard University, and Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries have also instituted Juneteenth as a paid holiday. Other members, such as Fidelity Investments and Santander Bank, are conducting or sponsoring online events to discuss diversity and financial issues in communities of color.

When Baker signed the law last July, it was in recognition of “the continued need to ensure racial freedom and equality,” he said. “Juneteenth is a chance for us all to reflect on this country’s painful history of slavery and the systemic impact that racial injustice continues to have today. It is also an opportunity to recommit ourselves to the goal of creating a more equal and just society.”

John Regan is president and CEO of Associated Industries of Massachusetts.

Picture This

By BusinessWest Staff June 23, 2021

Picture This

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

Open to Making Connections

On June 9, Berkshire Bank hosted a ribbon cutting for its Reevx Labs at 270-272 Bridge St. in Springfield. Reevx Labs are collaboration spaces for the community where entrepreneurs and nonprofits can connect with peers and resources to achieve their missions. Pictured, from left: Lori Gazzillo Kiely, Berkshire Bank Foundation director and the bank’s Berkshire County regional president; Ronald Molina-Brantley, vice president, relationship manager, and team leader at Berkshire Bank; Sean Gray, the bank’s president and chief operating officer; Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno; state Sen. Adam Gomez; and Jim Hickson, managing director, middle market, and regional president of the bank’s Pioneer Valley and Connecticut region.

Spring Cleanup

On June 11, a team of volunteers from MassMutual participated in a spring cleanup of the Square One site at the Christian Life Center on Sumner Avenue in Springfield. They prepared garden beds, built shade tents, raked, organized, and more. It was the first time this team has been together in person since the beginning of the pandemic.

Remembering a Legend

While many are mourning the loss of legendary restaurateur Andy Yee, the Student Prince & the Fort celebrated his life with a 60th birthday bash on June 11. The event kicked 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 included Yee’s favorite dishes from the Fort kitchen, while the Fort bar served his favorite drink menu, and, because Yee loved music, guests enjoyed a lineup of live music with no cover charge.

Fresh Paint Springfield

The Fresh Paint Springfield mural festival recently transformed 10 large exterior walls into art in Mason Square and downtown. The locations and lead muralists include: top to bottom (below): 232 Worthington St., above the existing BLM mural, by Jeff Henriquez; 1106 State St., by Ryan Murray; Springfield City Library, Mason Square branch, 765 State St., by Betsy Casanas; and the corner of Dwight Street and Harrison Avenue, by Eric Okdeh; next page, clockwise from top left: 827 State St., by WMass Portrait Artists; Mosque 13, 727 State St., by Kay Douglas; 595 Main St., by Wane One; La Fiorentina, 883 Main St., by ARCY; Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services, 3 Rutland St., by Nero and SoulsNYC; and the Worthington Street side of the Taylor Street Parking Garage, by Stash. About 1,000 community members pitched in to create the murals, while the Community Mural Apprentice program paired 10 local artists with established muralists to learn how to engage with the community in designing and painting large, professional murals.

Agenda

By BusinessWest Staff June 23, 2021

Agenda

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.

Golf Tournament to Benefit Surrendered Farm Animals

July 17: The Whip City Animal Sanctuary will be hosting its inaugural golf tournament on Saturday, July 17 at East Mountain Country Club in Westfield. Whip City Animal Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides a stable, forever home for rescued and surrendered farm animals, many of whom have been neglected or abused. The tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. Play is a four-person, best-ball scramble. The entry fee is $100 per person and includes cart, green fees, and dinner following the tournament at 5:30 p.m. There will be prizes for closest to the hole and closest to the line, along with a raffle. Various levels of corporate sponsorship are still available for those who would like to contribute. For more information about player registration and sponsorship opportunities, contact Sonia Henderson at (413) 627-6192 or [email protected].

RVCC Golf Tournament

Sept. 10: River Valley Counseling Center (RVCC), a multi-faceted mental-health agency, will hold its sixth annual golf tournament fundraiser at East Mountain Country Club in Westfield. The event is presented by Action Ambulance Service Inc. Funds raised will support the programs RVCC provides to children and teens in the community, in schools, and through local partnerships. The cost per golfer is $100 and includes greens fees, a golf cart, a gift bag, lunch, and dinner. Golfers will also be able to participate in course contests and a raffle. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. with a 10:30 a.m. shotgun start. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Visit rvccinc.org/golf for more information and to register or sponsor online.

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 per person. This is expected to be a sellout event, and tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. To reserve a spot, call (413) 781-8600, or e-mail [email protected].

People on the Move

By BusinessWest Staff June 23, 2021

People on the Move

Shannon McCarty

Bay Path University announced that Shannon McCarty will join the university as vice president for Academic Affairs, effective July 12. Her appointment comes after a comprehensive nationwide search led by the firm Academic Search and supported by a 12-member faculty and staff cross-functional search committee. McCarty comes to Bay Path from National University in La Jolla, Calif., where she serves as vice president, Teaching and Learning, and associate vice president for the Center of Innovation. Prior to that, she held several positions of increasing responsibility over 10 years at Rio Salado College in Tempe, Ariz., from residential faculty, Biology, to faculty chair, Physical Science Department, to her last appointment as dean of Instruction and Academic Affairs. As vice president for Academic Affairs, McCarty will be responsible for creating a shared vision that fosters innovation in an environment of collegiality and cooperation; developing a sustainable business and educational model that strengthens the fiscal health of the institution, building on existing assets in response to changes in the macro-environment; championing diversity equity and inclusion at the policy and curricular level to create a welcoming environment for all students, faculty, and staff; and ensuring alignment of curricular content and modalities with student and workforce needs. McCarty earned her Ph.D. in professional studies from Capella University, her master of education degree in educational leadership from Arizona State University, and her bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from the University of Arizona.

•••••

Shai Butler

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) named an interim vice president of Advancement and External Affairs, a leadership position that oversees institution-sustaining efforts, engagement writ large, and strategic communication. Shai Butler, who starts June 7, will work closely with STCC President John Cook to support the college’s mission. In this role, Butler will carry a portfolio that includes fundraising, governmental relations, strategic marketing, branding, and communication. The role also ensures deep connections with the STCC Foundation, and Butler carries the dual title of executive director of the STCC Foundation. Butler most recently served as vice president for Student Development at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, N.Y. Butler led the creation of the division of Student Development at the College of Saint Rose, where she had worked in various leadership roles since 2007. For many years, she served as the chief diversity officer. She began her career in higher education at the University at Albany – State University of New York, where she worked for over a decade, and where she previously earned a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in educational administration and policy studies. In 2014, she earned a doctoral degree in law and policy at Northeastern University in Boston. A speaker, writer, and influencer on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as well as women’s leadership, mentorship, sponsorship, and professional development, Butler is an executive contributor for higheredjobs.com. In addition, her research on educational access for low-income students opened the door for her to join 60 educators at a 2014 White House conference on increasing the number of youth and traditional college-aged students of color majoring in STEM fields.

•••••

Julie Quink

The Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants (MSCPA) announced that Julie Quink, CPA, CFE, was elected to the board of directors for its 2021-22 fiscal year. Quink is managing principal at Burkhart, Pizzanelli, P.C., where she is responsible for attestation practices, including performing and supervising engagements. The MSCPA board of directors is a group of 19 elected members that sets policies, manages programs, and oversees activities that benefit the 11,000-member organization and accounting profession in Massachusetts. With more than 30 years of experience in public accounting and three years of private, corporate accounting experience, Quink performs and consults on fraud and forensic engagements. In addition, she is involved in the accounting and consulting aspects of the practice and manages engagements of various sizes and complexity. She also performs services relative to forensic and fraud-related engagements.

•••••

The Applied Mortgage team announced that Branch Manager Lindsay Barron LaBonte has been recognized as the number-one loan originator at a mortgage company in Western Mass., for both the number of units and volume of loans funded for 2020. The May 24 special section of the Warren Group’s Banker & Tradesman magazine features the top Massachusetts loan originators of 2020. The list of rankings is pulled from the National Mortgage Licensing System public records for Hampshire, Hampden, Franklin, and Berkshire counties. Barron LaBonte and her team at Applied Mortgage have been ranked as the top loan originator at a mortgage company for both 2019 and 2020. “I am incredibly thankful for both the continuous community support throughout the years and also the committed work of my team here in Northampton and at HarborOne Mortgage,” she said. “We are proud to carry on the Applied Mortgage legacy as a second-generation, family-managed branch which continues to serve the home-ownership needs of our Western Mass. community.”

•••••

Samuel Ortiz

Country Bank announced that Samuel Ortiz has joined its Commercial Lending division. A 40-year veteran of the commercial-lending industry, Ortiz is an experienced business-development leader serving Western and Central Mass. He earned an associate degree in business administration from Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) and has attended various banking and financial programs throughout his career, including the School of Finance and Management at Fairfield University. He is also a Certified Internal Auditor. Prior to joining Country Bank, Ortiz worked for Common Capital, where he was responsible for all aspects of business-loan operations. He also owned his own consulting firm, where he provided small-business loan underwriting, as a consultant, to the Western Massachusetts Enterprise Fund in Greenfield.

•••••

Visiting Angels of West Springfield announced that Alissia Prefontaine was named Caregiver of the Month for March. She has been with Visiting Angels since November 2015 and has had more than 30 clients in that time. As the agency notes, “Ali specializes in committing to many small cases, meaning that she must form a personal bond with a wide number of clients and quickly adjust to each individual situation. She is always willing to help pick up shifts and new clients; as a result, she has dealt with a wide variety of situations and always knows exactly what to do in order to best assist her client. Whether caring for clients with dementia, on hospice care, or simply providing companionship, Ali is warmhearted and caring. For example, Ali once had a client she was very attached to. When this individual unfortunately passed away, Ali was there to support the husband as well as each and every grieving family member.”

•••••

Sara Ugalde

Following a national search, Wilbraham & Monson Academy (WMA) named former prep and collegiate standout Sara Ugalde head coach of its inaugural girls’ ice hockey team. Ugalde will take the helm of the program beginning July 1. A hockey MVP as a player at Westminster School, Ugalde helped lead Middlebury College to NESCAC championships in 2011 and 2012. Her experience with collegiate hockey coaching includes assistant women’s ice hockey coach at Trinity College, Williams College, and Colby College. She was director and coach of the Connecticut Junior Rangers and assistant coach for the NWHL Connecticut Whale, and has helped run multiple hockey camps throughout the country.

•••••

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.

•••••

American International College (AIC) announced it has promoted Nicolle Cestero, Matthew Scott, Jessica Chapin, and Michael Eriquezzo, and welcomed Velmer Burton Jr., Jennifer McDonough, and Louis Izzi Jr. to its leadership team.

Nicolle Cestero

• Cestero has been promoted to chief operating officer, executive vice president, and retains her title as chief of staff. Among the responsibilities in her newly expanded position, Cestero will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the college, while continuing to serve as advisor to the president, playing an integral role in implementing AIC’s strategic plan. Cestero will oversee the college’s legal matters and support presidential and institutional initiatives. She serves on the president’s cabinet and all individual board committees. Additionally, she will play a key role, in collaboration with the board of trustees, in the nationwide search for retiring President Vince Maniaci’s successor.

Matthew Scott

• Scott has been serving as vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students since July 2020. He will add Title IX coordinator to his area of responsibilities. With that addition, he will be the designated official from AIC with primary responsibility for coordinating compliance with Title IX, including providing leadership for Title IX activities; consultation, education, and training; and helping to ensure that the institution responds appropriately, effectively, and equitably to Title IX issues. As vice president and dean of students, Scott oversees the Division of Student Affairs, which includes Student Life, the Saremi Center for Career Development, and Dexter Health and Counseling Services.

Jessica Chapin

• Chapin has been promoted to director of Athletics and will oversee all aspects of AIC athletic programs. Chapin joined AIC in 2014 as the compliance coordinator. Among her duties, she is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the athletics department, including oversight of compliance with ensuring NCAA Division I and Division II rules and bylaws, retention, financial aid, and new-student recruitment, collaborating with offices across campus. She is the Title IX deputy coordinator for Athletics. In 2017, Chapin was appointed to a four-year term with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Management Council.

Michael Eriquezzo

• Eriquezzo has been promoted to director of Marketing and Communications. He will have oversight of all aspects of institutional digital and traditional marketing, web, and public-relations functions for the college, including the semi-annual Lucent magazine with a circulation to more than 30,000 alumni. Eriquezzo came to AIC as the art director and senior designer in 2017 from Go Graphix in East Longmeadow, where he served as project manager and creative lead, and the Children’s Study Home, where he was the external communications manager.

Velmer Burton Jr.

• Burton joins AIC as executive vice president for Academic Affairs. As part of his responsibilities, he will advance the academic priorities and goals of the college in a fiscally responsible manner, balancing expenses and revenues and managing growth, with an emphasis on new and enhanced programming, student learning, and quality of instruction in a student-centered, culturally diverse, and inclusive environment. He will oversee undergraduate and graduate degree programs in AIC’s School of Business, Arts and Sciences; School of Education; and School of Health Sciences. He comes to AIC from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where he served as senior vice chancellor of University Strategy and Performance and professor of Criminal Justice.

• McDonough joins AIC as vice president for Institutional Advancement. She brings nearly 40 years of experience in the advancement profession, incorporating institutional leadership positions and philanthropic consulting services focusing on campaigns and ongoing development, as well as alumni-engagement program planning, implementation, and assessment; talent development; and leader and partner involvement. As a former executive associate with Bentz Whaley Flessner, a national and international fundraising consulting and services company, McDonough served an extensive number of diverse private and public higher-education institutions across the country, including AIC.

Louis Izzi Jr.

• Izzi will lead the Yellow Jackets as the vice president for Athletics. He joins AIC from the University of Bridgeport (Conn.), where he served as vice president for Athletics and Enrollment Management since 2019. While at Bridgeport, Izzi was responsible for the strategic planning, leadership, development, and operational and personnel management of the university’s NCAA Division II athletics program, providing management oversight and direction of all operations and strategies related to undergraduate, graduate, domestic, international, and online recruiting efforts. Additionally, he worked closely with the university’s Office of Institutional Advancement to cultivate and steward gifts for the Athletics department.

Company Notebook

By BusinessWest Staff June 23, 2021

Company Notebook

HUB International Acquires Assets of Epstein Financial Group LLC

EAST LONGMEADOW — HUB International Limited, a full-service global insurance broker, announced it has acquired the assets of Epstein Financial Services LLC and Epstein Financial Group LLC. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Located in East Longmeadow, Epstein Financial is an independent registered investment advisor providing corporate retirement-plan consulting, compliance, and regulatory guidance, as well as wealth-management services. The agency’s experience and resources help clients maintain a successful retirement program that will assist their employees to achieve financial security. Charlie Epstein, principal and founder of Epstein Financial, will join HUB Retirement and Private Wealth in HUB New England. This move continues to strengthen HUB’s retirement and wealth-management services (HUB RPW) with the addition of talent and resources to develop more comprehensive strategies for clients. HUB RPW works to help plan sponsors create an offering that aligns with their business strategy, navigates fiduciary risk, and helps employees pursue their financial goals. The several registered investment-advisory affiliates in HUB RPW provide investment-advisory services to clients whose total assets are approximately $105 billion. Epstein Financial was represented by the consulting firm Wise Rhino Group for the transaction.

Paragus IT Launches Division to Support Automation Service

HADLEY — Paragus IT has always defined its core services as the ‘three pillars of IT’: on-demand support, security and compliance, and strategic planning. It announced it has launched a new division to support a fourth pillar: automation. A process can be automated if it is repetitive in nature, doesn’t require logical thinking or human intervention for completion, and has the potential for costly human error or inconsistency. Potential automated processes for businesses include appointment booking, employee scheduling and onboarding, issue tracking and resolution, social-media activity, and much more. “Every business has at least a handful of manual processes that could benefit from being completely automated,” Paragus CEO Delcie Bean said. “Automation can substantially save time and money while increasing accuracy, efficiency, and profitability. We are more than an outsourced IT vendor for our clients — we’re a strategic partner. By lightening their workload and eliminating these time-consuming tasks, we’re helping our clients devote additional time and resources to focusing on more important things.”

UMass President Says University to Drive Post-pandemic Recovery

BOSTON — University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan said the university system is emerging from the pandemic period “with its academic, research, and financial strengths fully intact” and positioned to play a major role in driving economic renewal and recovery in the Commonwealth. Speaking at a quarterly meeting of the UMass board of trustees, during which the board approved the university’s operating budget for the coming year, Meehan said there are many signs UMass has weathered the COVID-19 storm and is moving forward in its mission of service to the Commonwealth. For example, the five campuses of the UMass system recently awarded 19,000 degrees to students, the vast majority of whom will live and work in Massachusetts. Meehan projects that student enrollment will remain stable and that each of the UMass campuses will be open to students when the new academic year begins in the fall. The university is also on course to end this fiscal year with a balanced budget and projects a 6% increase in its workforce, bringing staffing back to pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile it will use $113 million in federal recovery funds to provide emergency grants to students in need while also freezing tuition for most students for a second consecutive year. Meehan noted that, while the university is currently on firm financial footing, the expiration of federal funding after this fiscal year, combined with ongoing disruption in the higher-education industry nationwide, will require continued vigilance and innovative management in the coming years. UMass expects to receive $258.6 million in total federal stimulus funding. In addition to the $113.5 million that will support student emergency grants, the university will strategically invest $145 million of these one-time funds — available through the end of fiscal year 2022 — to create a financial bridge to future fiscal years with the goal of ensuring financial stability for the long term.

White Lion Brewing Tapped as Partner at Free Music Fridays

SPRINGFIELD — MGM Springfield announced it will partner with local brewery White Lion Brewing to provide guests a wide selection of craft beer during the resort’s Free Music Fridays concert series at the Plaza. Located in downtown Springfield, the brewing company will activate a bar and beer trailer from 6 to 9 p.m. where guests can tap into local brews while enjoying live music from local musicians. Concerts are scheduled to run from 7:30 to 9 p.m. MGM Springfield kicked off the new concert series on June 4. Local favorites on the schedule this summer include FAT, Brass Attack, Trailer Trash, Darik and the Funbags, and Michelle Brooks-Thompson, among many others. For details on the Free Music Fridays concert series, including lineup updates, visit mgmspringfield.com.

Freedom Credit Union Accepting Donations for Food Bank

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. 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.

Community Foundation Announces $150,000 Grant to Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley

SPRINGFIELD — The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) announced a grant of $150,000, spread over the next three years, to the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley (HRIPV). The grant represents a significant contribution to the initiative’s capital drive to raise $1 million in commitments now to support and build capacity for the organization over the next three years. The multi-year, strategic grant is part of CFWM’s ongoing commitment to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in workplaces and promote equitable growth in the region. The funding will support HRIPV’s capacity in engaging communities across the state of Massachusetts in its signature two-day training. HRIPV has been in existence since 2012, and more than 1,000 community members have participated in its programming. Funds from the capital drive have also allowed HRIPV to develop a comprehensive online and virtual series of trainings and programming. The Healing Racism initiative will also be resuming in-person training sessions in July. Members of the community interested in participating can learn more and register online at www.healingracismpv.org. The first $50,000 grant to HRIPV will occur in July 2021. According to the Community Foundation, the multi-year funding approach will guarantee revenue stability while HRIPV meets demands for its services and continues its capital-campaign efforts. The Healing Racism Institute is led by Vanessa Otero, one of the co-founders of HRIPV and an original member of the board until assuming the position of interim director in 2020.

Chikmedia Announces Four Scholarship Winners

SPRINGFIELD — Thanks to the generosity of Summerlin Floors, Ryan McCollum of RMC Strategies, and the Springfield Thunderbirds, Chikmedia has chosen four $500 scholarship awardees for its 2021 Chik of the Future scholarships. Chikmedia, a boutique firm offering strategic marketing planning and creative PR, launched its annual scholarship this year to support future generations of marketing professionals. Chikmedia offered four $500 scholarships in 2021, and a variety of local businesses decided to match that scholarship amount. These four scholarships are being awarded to Western Mass. women who are high-school graduates pursuing a college degree in marketing, public relations, communications, or business. Shermarie Hyppolite is pursuing a double major in communication and public relations with the hope to one day become a successful public-relations professional specializing in brand building and storytelling. She aims to have her own public-relations agency that can help uplift brands and create a space in the public-relations industry for women and non-binary people of color. Claudia Gonzalez is currently obtaining her degree in marketing with the goal of working in a television and networking company. Additionally, she will be pursuing her MBA this fall at Bentley University. Kimberley Moore is completing her degree in communications with a concentration in human resource management at DeVry University. As a mother of six daughters, she made a commitment early in their life to instill the importance of education, including hard work and dedication. She is proud to say that all have finished or are still attending college, and it is now her turn to do the same. Saniya Stewart is a full-time student at American International College and a dual-enrollment student at a local community college. She simultaneously attends both colleges, working toward her bachelor’s degree and the prerequisites for a master’s degree in healthcare management. Her goal is to open a nonprofit healthcare facility in her hometown of Springfield to be an advocate for those who truly need a person to lean on.

Incorporations

By BusinessWest Staff June 23, 2021

Incorporations

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

AGAWAM

Husar Arms, Inc., 104 Ramah Circle South, Agawam, MA 01001. David N. Moore, 257 Mountain Road, Hampden, MA 01036. Manufacturing.

AMHERST

New Hadley Cleaners Inc., 358 College St., Amherst, MA 01002. Hak Yong Jang, 12 Riviera Dr. Amherst, MA 01001. Dry Cleaners.

BELCHERTOWN

Hum Inc., 545 State St. Belchertown, MA 01007. Tahira Khatoon, same. Convenience Store.

CHICOPEE

Gutter Cleaning USA Inc., 543 Springfield St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Alex John Korotich, same. Gutter Cleaning, Repair, Installation.

Trafa Trade Inc., 140 Padgette St., Unit D, Chicopee, MA 01022. Shahid Habib, 19 Spring Meadows South Hadley, MA 01075. Investments.

EASTHAMPTON

S&W Excavation Inc., 56 Adams St., Easthampton, MA 01027. Symon Dastoli, same. Excavation and Site Work Services.

HOLYOKE

Cajun Ladies Inc., 5 Columbia St., Holyoke, MA 01040. Araceli Lopez-Rivera, same. Restaurant serving Creole and Cajun food.

PITTSFIELD

About Fate, Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Sergei Bespalov, 221 River St. 9th Fl., Hoboken, N.J. 07030. Film production.

Beastfair Inc., 41 Noblehurst Ave., Pittsfield, MA 01201. John Garcia, same. E-commerce.

SPRINGFIELD

Arham Inc., 305 Walnut St., Springfield, MA 01109. Muhammed Rafiq, 311 E. Middle TPKE, Manchester, CT 06040. Fast food restaurant.

WESTFIELD

Shiva Laxmi Inc., 54 Pleasant St., Westfield, MA 01085. Umeshkumar Patel, same. Liquor Store.

Doing Business as Certificates

By BusinessWest Staff June 23, 2021

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

Bergeron Dumpster Rental
18 Stillwater Road
Derek Bergeron

O’Neil Trucking, LLC
5 Kelleher Dr.
Timothy O’Neil, Michelle O’Neil

SOUTHWICK

Bloom Salon
587 College Highway
Lindy Morin

Designer Consignor
549 College Highway, #10
Linda Ligukis

Ham Hill Tents, LLC
11 Ham Hill Road
Julie Servis

Solek Brother
230 Granville Road
Kevin Solek

WESTFIELD

AMD Services
11 High St.
Darrin Auger

Best Colors
11 Dubois St.
Igor Kaplyuk

The Busy Beavers
30 Wood Road
Jessica Boisseau

C & L Towing
1166 East Mountain Road
Clifford Laraway

Different Breed Drip
19 Lockhouse Road, Apt. 22-4
Abel Togba

Fab Gloss
81 South Maple St., Apt. 12
Morgan Sorochuk

Fast Track to College
106 Old Farm Road
Glenda Hynes

JJ’s Handy Man Services
58 Mechanic St.
Joshua Patten

JP Lawncare & House Cleaning Service
59 Orange St.
Julie Anne Peterson

Landscaping & General Labor
12 Ivy Ave.
Walter Figueroa

Lawn Pro
99 Springfield Road
William Paquette

Oleksak Home Services, LLC
31 Schumann Dr.
Oleksak Home Services, LLC

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Ashley Arms, LLC
131 Ashley Ave.
Mary Thayer

Bertera Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat
539 Riverdale St.
Michael Bertera

Carstar Fathers & Sons Collision Center
168 New Bridge St.
Damon Cartelli

Dynamic Solutions Marketing
122 Ely Ave.
Cynthia Sheridan Murphy

Hair by Emma Rose
33 Westfield St.
Emma Lane

Havenhurst Architectural Consulting
33 Havenhurst Road
Michael Nestor

Keoho Salon
1160 Westfield St.
Brenda Lane

Bankruptcies

By BusinessWest Staff June 23, 2021

Bankruptcies

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

Beynor, Derek J.
25A Oakwood Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/27/2021

Blais, Elaine R.
PO Box 111
Wales, MA 01081
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/25/2021

Bulley, Brie Amber
14 Scott St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/25/2021

Citlak, Mehmet
41 Brookfield St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/27/2021

Clarke, Candace Marie
a/k/a Clarke-Griffith, Candace M.
My Virtual Bankruptcy Paralegal
244 Damon Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/27/2021

Daniel, Joshua M.
66D King St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/18/2021

Dee, David J.
8 Margaret St.
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/27/2021

Dobek, Timothy James
44 Colonial Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/17/2021

Finklea, Kim
95 Lucerne Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/26/2021

Flores, Axelm I.
a/k/a Soto, Axel Ivan Flores
12-14 Banbury St., Fl. 2
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Date: 05/21/2021

Friend, Joyce
33 Pochassic St., Fl. 1
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/20/2021

Lavergne, Miguel
Lavergne, Katy N.
114 Bristol St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/31/2021

Licata, Seth Desmond
366 Montague City Road, Apt. C
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/17/2021

Lopez, Carmen
48 Watts St., # 1
Chelsea, MA 02150
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/25/2021

Rosie Delights
Oliveras, Jonathan Ivan
Oliveras, Rosemarie
Laboy, Rosemarie
43 Albert St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/27/2021

Shepard, Christopher B.
Shepard, Bonnie J.
a/k/a Shepard, Bonita J.
117 Main St.
Northfield, MA 01360
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/21/2021

Sylvester, Carl G.
Sylvester, Shari A.
61 Crescent St.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/25/2021

Vega Martinez, Jorge l.
381 Abbott St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/18/2021

White, Kenneth
27 Applewood Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 13
Date: 05/21/2021

Williams, Candice Robina
535 Egremont Road
Great Barrington, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/20/2021

Real Estate Transactions

By BusinessWest Staff June 23, 2021

Real Estate

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

FRANKLIN COUNTY

BERNARDSTON

51 Hillcrest Dr.
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $252,500
Buyer: Charles J. Spofford
Seller: Adam P. Harrington
Date: 05/20/21

264 Martindale Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Eric T. Schimelpfenig
Seller: Schimelpfenig 2019 RET
Date: 05/21/21

12 School Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $218,500
Buyer: Alexander Lamarche
Seller: Jonathan W. Carow
Date: 05/18/21

12 South St.
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: McKenzie Property Management Inc.
Seller: Van Bro Co. LLC
Date: 05/26/21

BUCKLAND

Crittenden Hill Road
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $312,500
Buyer: Leah M. Phillips
Seller: Gregory D. Horrocks
Date: 05/24/21

83 North St.
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $296,000
Buyer: Kelle E. Davis
Seller: C. Johnson 83 North St IRT
Date: 05/26/21

CHARLEMONT

Avery Brook Road #1
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Bayard C. Austin
Seller: Juckett FT
Date: 05/27/21

225 Main St.
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Country Development Corp.
Seller: Guerri FT
Date: 05/20/21

DEERFIELD

7 Gray Lock Lane #B
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $324,900
Buyer: William B. Collins
Seller: Ragus LLC
Date: 05/26/21

51 Upper Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Jonathan M. Friz
Seller: David J. McCahon
Date: 05/21/21

GREENFIELD

107 Fairview St. E
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: OV Properties LLC
Seller: Dmitriy D. Darmanchev
Date: 05/24/21

178 Fairview St. W
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $251,000
Buyer: Tad J. Bassingthwaite
Seller: Amy B. Patt
Date: 05/20/21

49 Forest Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Miyah K. Odle
Seller: Remick, Glenn W., (Estate)
Date: 05/26/21

64 Harrison Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Martha A. Mastroberti
Seller: Jeremy Duncan
Date: 05/25/21

194 High St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $279,900
Buyer: Elizabeth A. Pease
Seller: Robert C. Janvrin
Date: 05/19/21

19 Highland Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $420,500
Buyer: Dzanc Books Inc.
Seller: Tom Friedman
Date: 05/25/21

19 Linden Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Anne C. Taylor
Seller: Peter Sadler
Date: 05/27/21

271 Log Plain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Amanda L. Menier
Seller: Seneca Realty LLC
Date: 05/24/21

249 Plain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Edward S. Kaczenski
Seller: Sacred Heart White & Eagle
Date: 05/21/21

92 Sanderson St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Claire Jenison
Seller: Susan Miller-King
Date: 05/26/21

71 Verde Dr.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $444,305
Buyer: Jeannine Deangelis
Seller: Greenfield KMW LLC
Date: 05/25/21

34 Warner St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Herbert C. Tibbetts
Seller: W. C. & Natalie A. Koncal LT
Date: 05/26/21

163 Wells St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: 163 Wells Street LLC
Seller: Robert B. Liebenow
Date: 05/20/21

HEATH

Avery Road
Heath, MA 01346
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Bayard C. Austin
Seller: Juckett FT
Date: 05/27/21

LEVERETT

29 Old Long Plain Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $710,000
Buyer: Seth C. Heminway
Seller: Susan C. Powers
Date: 05/24/21

MONTAGUE

421 Federal St.
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Dylan Provost
Seller: Justin Killeen
Date: 05/28/21

26 Grove St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $266,000
Buyer: Elizabeth Walber
Seller: Sandra B. Mayo
Date: 05/17/21

12 Marshall St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: John W. Grube
Seller: Carole A. Brown
Date: 05/18/21

33 Millers Falls Road
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Paul D. Braman
Seller: Cynthia A. Lively
Date: 05/26/21

4 Newton Lane
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $272,000
Buyer: Hugh Conway-Hillard
Seller: Hefflon, Bruce E., (Estate)
Date: 05/25/21

26 Randall Wood Dr.
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $353,000
Buyer: Sandra V. Navarro
Seller: Kensey S. Batchelder
Date: 05/21/21

NEW SALEM

Petersham Road #1
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $194,900
Buyer: Ashoryn LLC
Seller: Kevin W. Colo
Date: 05/28/21

Petersham Road #2
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $194,900
Buyer: Ashoryn LLC
Seller: Kevin W. Colo
Date: 05/28/21

Petersham Road #3
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $194,900
Buyer: Ashoryn LLC
Seller: Kevin W. Colo
Date: 05/28/21

Petersham Road #4
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $194,900
Buyer: Ashoryn LLC
Seller: Kevin W. Colo
Date: 05/28/21

NORTHFIELD

248 Captain Beers Plain Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $425,500
Buyer: Jeron VanDerMaat
Seller: Corey M. Greene
Date: 05/24/21

73 Main St.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $398,998
Buyer: Sandra L. Mayo
Seller: Abby L. Brockelbank
Date: 05/18/21

Millers Falls Road #2
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: 63 Northfield LLC
Seller: Thomas R. Shearer INT
Date: 05/21/21

427 South Mountain Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Xiuyu Liang
Seller: Babak Sadri-Azarbayejani
Date: 05/21/21

ORANGE

208 East Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Ann M. Kaplan
Seller: Lawrence River LLC
Date: 05/25/21

454 East River St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $231,000
Buyer: Theodis C. Williams
Seller: Donald F. McHugh
Date: 05/18/21

308 Holtshire Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Frances Rahaim
Seller: Gil B. Fried
Date: 05/28/21

47 Shelter St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $261,500
Buyer: Michael A. Bjorlin
Seller: Gilbert J. Harrison
Date: 05/26/21

176 West Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Sarah E. Dandy
Seller: Stanley Smith
Date: 05/25/21

221 West Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Ivan G. Vargas
Seller: Alyre P. Saulnier
Date: 05/26/21

SHELBURNE

266 Colrain Shelburne Road
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Nina Reyes
Seller: Giard FT
Date: 05/19/21

SHUTESBURY

10 Hawks View Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $952,900
Buyer: Gregory Day
Seller: Scott P. Ardizzone
Date: 05/20/21

91 West Pelham Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $354,000
Buyer: Joan R. Green
Seller: Nathalie A. Kissel
Date: 05/17/21

27 Weatherwood Road
Shutesbury, MA 01002
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Mark Lipman
Seller: Sylvia Hankin
Date: 05/21/21

SUNDERLAND

153 Hadley Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $484,900
Buyer: Allison E. Dean
Seller: Curtice R. Griffin
Date: 05/28/21

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

17 Althea Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Melissa Kulak
Seller: Tara M. Tkacz
Date: 05/20/21

13 Barn Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $341,000
Buyer: Katara T. Baber
Seller: Jeffrey J. Fay
Date: 05/21/21

49 Broz Ter.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $248,245
Buyer: Scott V. Campion
Seller: Kyle Dietrichsen
Date: 05/26/21

21 Edgewater Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $182,500
Buyer: Brital 1987 LLC
Seller: Randal W. Shrader
Date: 05/26/21

70 Giffin Place
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: Naylor Nation Real Estate LLC
Seller: Pamela M. Murphy
Date: 05/19/21

1178 Main St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $283,000
Buyer: Sharon A. Conte
Seller: Oleg Adzhigirey
Date: 05/21/21

32 Mill St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Alli Stokowski
Seller: Kimberley B. O’Keefe
Date: 05/21/21

1196 North St., Ext.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: Craig A. Charest
Seller: Richard M. Tencati
Date: 05/17/21

BLANDFORD

2 Sanderson Brook Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Katherine Y. McDonough
Seller: Cody Ashton-Patch
Date: 05/25/21

BRIMFIELD

15 Little Alum Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Edward A. Stumpf
Seller: Matthew S. Dee
Date: 05/19/21

71 Tower Hill Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Aaron J. Graves
Seller: Margaret Bresnahan
Date: 05/21/21

74 Palmer Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $695,000
Buyer: Treasure Hunter 1810 LLC
Seller: Brimfield Acres North Inc.
Date: 05/24/21

281 Warren Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Jason R. Richard
Seller: Jose Gonzalez
Date: 05/24/21

CHESTER

77 Parsons Way
Chester, MA 01223
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Sara J. Hoffschmidt
Seller: Lindsey K. Burke
Date: 05/20/21

CHICOPEE

127 Acrebrook Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $297,000
Buyer: Kendall G. McClintock
Seller: Monica Rosskothen
Date: 05/27/21

23 Alvord Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Ricky Arroyo
Seller: Matadormus LLC
Date: 05/28/21

102 Anson St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Erica L. Gomes
Seller: Kyle J. Chagnon
Date: 05/18/21

45 Dale St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $470,400
Buyer: RM Blerman LLC
Seller: Clark Manor Properties LLC
Date: 05/25/21

Davenport St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Christopher Johnson
Seller: Peter S. Ellis
Date: 05/19/21

23 Dixie Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $175,100
Buyer: Aguasvivas Realty LLC
Seller: Wilmington Savings
Date: 05/19/21

167 East St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: James Rosemond
Seller: Robert E. Jorgensen
Date: 05/25/21

439 East Main St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $249,000
Buyer: Dylan E. Robinovitz
Seller: Ross Elmer
Date: 05/19/21

22 Franklin St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Blue Chip Buildings LLC
Seller: Emery Street LLC
Date: 05/18/21

391 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $267,750
Buyer: Phoenix Development Inc.
Seller: Rimor Properties LLC
Date: 05/17/21

39 Greenwich St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Fernando Colon-Rodriguez
Seller: Redwood RT
Date: 05/28/21

335 Hampden St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Luis Gonzalez
Seller: Kyle Rosa
Date: 05/20/21

24 Jefferson Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Epifanio Diaz
Seller: L. E. & Associates LLC
Date: 05/20/21

91 Laclede Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $249,900
Buyer: Edwin Guzman
Seller: Kenneth J. Brown
Date: 05/25/21

69 Lord Ter., North
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Lauren A. Lapointe
Seller: Donna O’Shea
Date: 05/28/21

7 Loveland Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Patrick M. Conroy
Seller: Thomas A. Conroy
Date: 05/17/21

285 Montgomery St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $164,500
Buyer: B. D. Canterbury-Diaz
Seller: Cindy S. Kwajewski
Date: 05/27/21

203 Murphy Lane
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Christopher D. Roy
Seller: Jason Lariviere
Date: 05/24/21

98 Neill Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: David Fraska
Seller: Patrick J. Hurst
Date: 05/28/21

654 Pendleton Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $213,800
Buyer: Maria Ferraro-Beardsley
Seller: David G. Chapdelaine
Date: 05/24/21

10 Providence St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Li Q. Gao
Seller: Yasmin M. Forbes
Date: 05/27/21

196 Rolf Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Shawn Antunes
Seller: Timothy D. Raymond
Date: 05/28/21

19 Reed Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Yekaterina Alekseyeva
Seller: Eric M. Rooney
Date: 05/17/21

Shawinigan Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: JLL Real Estate LLC
Seller: Lombardz LLC
Date: 05/28/21

269 Sheridan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Jason W. Kolodziej
Seller: Kathryn E. Carr
Date: 05/18/21

EAST LONGMEADOW

85 Allen St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Robert Salas
Seller: Joseph E. Townshend
Date: 05/28/21

169 Allen St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $127,748
Buyer: 21st Mortgage Corp.
Seller: Ameriquest Mortgage Co.
Date: 05/20/21

69 Bayne St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $294,900
Buyer: Patrick C. Lee
Seller: Joseph A. Mastrangelo
Date: 05/20/21

1 Bella Vista Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $590,000
Buyer: Benjamin S. Sullivan
Seller: AC Homebuilding LLC
Date: 05/17/21

37 Colony Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Jonathan L. Jordan
Seller: John H. Bammann
Date: 05/28/21

Fairway Lane Estates
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $470,000
Buyer: Kevin Minchella
Seller: Michael Carabetta
Date: 05/19/21

11 Fairway Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Nicholas C. Catjakis
Seller: Michael Carabetta
Date: 05/27/21

73 Redin Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Gregory Riberdy
Seller: Monica Barna
Date: 05/24/21

GRANVILLE

14 Beech Hill Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $147,500
Buyer: James R. Murphy
Seller: Brian P. Murphy
Date: 05/24/21

310 Main Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: Anthony M. Danek
Seller: Wendy Gaunt
Date: 05/21/21

HAMPDEN

179 Allen St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Jennifer J. Maloni
Seller: Tania Airoldi
Date: 05/17/21

74 Bayberry Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Shawn G. Kelley
Seller: Sean M. Hrycay
Date: 05/28/21

Glendale Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Steven E. Guzzo
Seller: William M. Heenan
Date: 05/26/21

89 Main St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $326,000
Buyer: Jesse Theophilopoulos
Seller: John T. Gilmartin
Date: 05/25/21

576 Main St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Joseph Varney
Seller: Mahlon Peterson
Date: 05/18/21

155 Raymond Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $297,000
Buyer: Anthony Geary
Seller: Frank L. Gentile
Date: 05/25/21

175 Scantic Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $560,000
Buyer: Thomas M. Rosati
Seller: Nancy A. Sams
Date: 05/26/21

358 Somers Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Kyle M. Jourdain
Seller: David J. Turcotte
Date: 05/19/21

HOLLAND

7 Bennett Lane
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Christian Torres
Seller: Wilhelmina F. Conerly
Date: 05/27/21

188 Brimfield Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Tyler Hutton
Seller: John P. Wallick
Date: 05/28/21

2 Knollwood Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: David E. Demers
Seller: William E. Fournier
Date: 05/26/21

73 Stafford Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Kelvin J. Zayas
Seller: Denton R. Hutchens
Date: 05/20/21

HOLYOKE

155 Cross Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Amy B. Taylor
Seller: Edward M. Antil
Date: 05/20/21

33 Dartmouth St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Jennifer Dohrmann
Seller: Louis R. Soria
Date: 05/27/21

18-20 Greenwood Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $229,900
Buyer: Jordan Doucette
Seller: Massachusetts Housing Finance
Date: 05/28/21

1175 Hampden St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Joel Nisly
Seller: Jared J. Mendoza
Date: 05/27/21

55 Harvard St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $329,000
Buyer: Conor Bevan
Seller: Kimberly Q. Parlengas
Date: 05/27/21

933 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Elizabeth Perez
Seller: Margaret A. Yarmesky
Date: 05/26/21

3 Humeston Slope
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $293,000
Buyer: Waseem Mudasar
Seller: Zbigniew Fabin
Date: 05/21/21

19 Knollwood Circle
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Rhonda Dow
Seller: Kimberly M. Jourdain
Date: 05/19/21

10 Labrie Lane
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $620,000
Buyer: James M. Meara
Seller: Brian G. Stebbins
Date: 05/28/21

317-319 Linden St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Francisco M. Ramos
Seller: Jose A. Cartagena-Colon
Date: 05/26/21

7 Longfellow Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Kelly Buettner
Seller: Timothy Noonan
Date: 05/25/21

60 Lower Westfield Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Daryn M. Sampson
Seller: Coakley Corp.
Date: 05/28/21

248 Lyman St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Estrella M. Jusino
Seller: Frank Salas
Date: 05/28/21

356 Mackenzie Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Luz M. Valdes-Ortiz
Seller: Amanda L. Tourigny
Date: 05/17/21

1232 Main St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $1,500,000
Buyer: Servicenet Inc.
Seller: Blue Summit Realty LLC
Date: 05/25/21

1236 Main St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $1,500,000
Buyer: Servicenet Inc.
Seller: Blue Summit Realty LLC
Date: 05/25/21

2 Meggison Lane
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Jose F. Rebollar
Seller: Jairo Aguilar
Date: 05/21/21

87 North East St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $167,500
Buyer: Luis A. Perez
Seller: Ashley Galvez
Date: 05/17/21

123 Oak St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Arlene I. Oquendo
Seller: Dicky Matos
Date: 05/24/21

166 Ontario Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Aaron J. Palmer
Seller: Irene M. Doyle
Date: 05/24/21

70 Pearl St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Craig L. King
Seller: Michelle M. Hernandez
Date: 05/19/21

80 Pleasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Alexandra L. Puffer
Seller: Craig E. O’Brien
Date: 05/28/21

159 Saint Jerome Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $240,900
Buyer: Kayleigh Fischietto
Seller: Derek M. Sicotte
Date: 05/20/21

133 Sky View Ter.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Miguel A. Rivera
Seller: Gene A. Choquette
Date: 05/21/21

150 Suffolk St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: JVR LLC
Seller: Ronald Poirier
Date: 05/19/21

324 West Franklin St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Edmund J. Gorman
Seller: Amelia Mosley
Date: 05/21/21

LONGMEADOW

144 Brookwood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Taylor C. Jones
Seller: Connor, Patricia E., (Estate)
Date: 05/26/21

79 Hazardville Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Vantage Home Buyers LLC
Seller: Joseph N. Bacon
Date: 05/20/21

1607 Longmeadow St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Kathleen C. Hobart
Date: 05/19/21

183 Meadowbrook Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Russell J. Fontaine
Seller: Carol L. Abizaid
Date: 05/28/21

132 Meadowlark Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $348,000
Buyer: Piotr Strek
Seller: Joan I. Narmontas
Date: 05/26/21

37 Mohawk Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $605,000
Buyer: Ryan Kindle
Seller: Ingrid G. Janes
Date: 05/21/21

126 Nevins Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $341,000
Buyer: Mario Parente
Seller: David T. Wright
Date: 05/25/21

78 Nevins Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Daniel J. Triplett
Seller: Ellen F. Albano
Date: 05/27/21

116 Normandy Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $795,000
Buyer: William Shube
Seller: Leslie D. Gist
Date: 05/28/21

30 Pleasantview Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $417,000
Buyer: Thomas Yager
Seller: Kenneth E. Brill
Date: 05/20/21

30 Plymouth Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $389,900
Buyer: Hilary A. Considine
Seller: Marcia G. Albert
Date: 05/21/21

115 Quinnehtuk Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Leslie Picard LLC
Seller: Anthony S. Guardione
Date: 05/18/21

27 South Park Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Nathan J. Hogan
Seller: Timothy L. Plankey
Date: 05/18/21

143 Viscount Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $408,000
Buyer: Arianna Bonzagni
Seller: Jeanne V. Wheeler
Date: 05/25/21

373 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $316,000
Buyer: William J. Marganti
Seller: Lena Rosen
Date: 05/26/21

LUDLOW

87 Barna St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Jayme P. Kapinos
Seller: Stephen M. Koziol
Date: 05/27/21

62 Cady St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Jonathan W. Laporte
Seller: Charles F. Langone
Date: 05/27/21

708 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Mayra I. Hervieux
Seller: Theodore E. Metayer
Date: 05/28/21

795 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Jessica Leroux
Seller: Nicholas D. Dusza
Date: 05/24/21

860 East St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Cornerstone Homebuying LLC
Seller: Elaine R. Bernardo
Date: 05/19/21

28 Grandview Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $243,500
Buyer: Zachary Siano
Seller: Janosik Realty LLC
Date: 05/26/21

135 Guertin Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $251,000
Buyer: Philip Gallo
Seller: Dustin Gray
Date: 05/28/21

51-57 Howard St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: John B. Murphy
Seller: Nolpaq Properties LLC
Date: 05/28/21

62 Isabel Lane
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $488,000
Buyer: Xiaoli Li
Seller: Jose M. Goncalves
Date: 05/25/21

35-37 Joy St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Muharrem Gunaydin
Seller: Judith A. Evaristo
Date: 05/18/21

48 Letendre Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Harrison J. Piper
Seller: Emtay Inc.
Date: 05/21/21

33 Marion Circle
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Raul G. Fraga
Seller: Michael P. Amaral
Date: 05/28/21

170 Ridgeview Circle
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Michael V. Cortina
Seller: Kenneth Massey
Date: 05/28/21

Sunset Ridge
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Giovanni Cirillo
Seller: Baystate Developers Inc.
Date: 05/26/21

11-13 Williams St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Joseph Burns
Seller: Phillip J. Rodrigues
Date: 05/28/21

MONSON

7 Circle Dr.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $167,831
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Jason A. Forkey
Date: 05/20/21

10 Flynt Ave.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: Stephanie Lacerda-Alves
Seller: Rose M. Donnell
Date: 05/28/21

21 Highland Ave.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: David A. Reinstein
Seller: Joseph H. Gagne
Date: 05/24/21

9 King St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $555,000
Buyer: Milad Afdasta
Seller: Sharon E. Johnson
Date: 05/20/21

351 Lower Hampden Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Sarah Thomas
Seller: Meghan E. Dasco
Date: 05/27/21

4 Spring St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: Stephanie Lacerda-Alves
Seller: Rose M. Donnell
Date: 05/28/21

13 Stebbins Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $321,000
Buyer: Lauren Tauer
Seller: Cheri L. Johnson
Date: 05/28/21

168 Town Farm Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Gary Marcoullier
Seller: Wurster, Edith S., (Estate)
Date: 05/27/21

257 Wilbraham Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Brandyn J. Pelissier
Seller: Gennie M. Bailey
Date: 05/27/21

PALMER

29 Arnold St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Connor Kennedy
Seller: Joseph Kennedy
Date: 05/28/21

123 Boston Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $427,000
Buyer: Joshua Howe
Seller: Carlos Fragoso-Serrazina
Date: 05/17/21

4192 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Stephen A. Chobot
Seller: Blake E. Lamothe
Date: 05/18/21

1440-1446 North Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $157,500
Buyer: 44 Brigham Hill LLC
Seller: Dream Junction LLC
Date: 05/20/21

2144 Palmer Road
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Aubrey Rugani
Seller: Jacob Ritter
Date: 05/28/21

181 State St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $485,000
Buyer: Brett A. Toney
Seller: Abbie M. Muche
Date: 05/28/21

SPRINGFIELD

110 Abbott St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $304,000
Buyer: Robert E. Dancy
Seller: Elisa M. Alvaro
Date: 05/26/21

85 Acushnet Ave.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Cleiton Dasilva-Tavares
Seller: Donna M. Panuccio
Date: 05/20/21

85 Alden St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Jessica A. Ritchie
Seller: R. M. Blerman LLC
Date: 05/21/21

12 Alderman St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Rehana A. Pereira
Seller: 2g Properties LLC
Date: 05/26/21

85-87 Ardmore St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Jose Blanco
Seller: Tina M. Goff
Date: 05/21/21

39 Atwater Place
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $352,000
Buyer: Philip J. Shea
Seller: Nelson, Carl A., (Estate)
Date: 05/25/21

119 Bacon Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Brian A. Florence
Seller: Rose Shufelt-Scott
Date: 05/28/21

103 Barre St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: 9 York Street Family LP
Seller: Raheem D. Ovalles
Date: 05/19/21

497 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: 497 Belmont Avenue RT
Seller: Vincenzo R. Amore
Date: 05/26/21

14 Benz St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Meghan Boesch
Seller: Ryan C. Thomas
Date: 05/18/21

139 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: James W. Fiore
Seller: US Bank
Date: 05/19/21

191 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Shaheer LLC
Seller: Disha Realty LLC
Date: 05/27/21

854 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Gennie B. Rucks
Seller: Carmelo A. Scuderi
Date: 05/25/21

78-80 Beverly Lane
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $266,500
Buyer: 9 York Street Family LP
Seller: Keith E. Tatlock
Date: 05/20/21

78 Bexhill St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Helena D. Romero
Seller: Diane Medina
Date: 05/24/21

82 Birchland Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Nancy Almodovar-Gartman
Seller: FNMA
Date: 05/21/21

119 Bridle Path Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Gregory J. Stevens
Seller: Donald J. Chabot
Date: 05/27/21

35 Brookline Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Isaias Garcia-Medina
Seller: Juan J. Guzman
Date: 05/21/21

94-96 Byers St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Szu-Ming Li
Seller: Keith W. Fowler
Date: 05/19/21

52-54 Calhoun St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Victor M. Medina-Bernal
Seller: Sergey Dikan
Date: 05/21/21

89 Chauncey Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Tamiekia Hall
Seller: Shobana Kausar
Date: 05/28/21

39 Crestmont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $200,300
Buyer: Victor M. Aguirre
Seller: Alex T. Boyd
Date: 05/20/21

25 Daniel St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Ogarth Peters
Seller: Bertram Williamson
Date: 05/20/21

39 Davenport St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Lludis Santana
Seller: Cornerstone Homebuying LLC
Date: 05/28/21

186 Davis St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Juan Guzman
Seller: Equity Trust Co.
Date: 05/21/21

202 Davis St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Damian Cieszkowski
Seller: MTGLQ Investors LP
Date: 05/28/21

631-633 Dickinson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Khai D. Do
Seller: Cam-Huyen Truong
Date: 05/21/21

178 Dorset St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $215,500
Buyer: Kasey M. Acevedo
Seller: Shayne D. Garrow
Date: 05/27/21

36 Dover St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $1,025,000
Buyer: Miles Morgan LLC
Seller: Allspring Equities LLC
Date: 05/17/21

40 Dover St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $1,025,000
Buyer: Miles Morgan LLC
Seller: Allspring Equities LLC
Date: 05/17/21

199 Eastern Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $206,609
Buyer: Grace M. Melendez-Rivera
Seller: Christopher Lo
Date: 05/26/21

148 Euclid Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $126,600
Buyer: Aykut G. Uner
Seller: Maria I. Aponte
Date: 05/19/21

138 Fiberloid St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Rafael O. Collazo-Cardona
Seller: Jessica Lopez
Date: 05/27/21

41 Fitzgerald Road
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Jorge L. Martin
Seller: Lucille R. Lomascolo
Date: 05/20/21

38 Ford St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $254,000
Buyer: Rosemary M. Mudachi
Seller: Monica Thomas
Date: 05/28/21

97 Genesee St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Pioneer Housing LLC
Seller: Sultan Mourad
Date: 05/17/21

34 Geneva St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Helena Walker
Seller: Comstock, Barbara A., (Estate)
Date: 05/25/21

298 Gilbert Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Jessica M. Taylor
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 05/27/21

33 Gillette Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $286,500
Buyer: Samantha Haefner
Seller: Robert Dancy
Date: 05/26/21

75 Glenmore St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Amber L. Dyke
Seller: Adrian P. Vega
Date: 05/17/21

83-85 Granby St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Matthew Dean
Seller: Bhuwan Gautam
Date: 05/28/21

132 Hartford Ter.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Lionel Jardine
Seller: Kelly A. Schafer
Date: 05/28/21

30 Hunter Place
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Parrish Frost-Mercado
Seller: Juan Cardona
Date: 05/28/21

105 Joan St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Solimari Sierra
Seller: Mars Real Properties Inc.
Date: 05/28/21

56 Juliet St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Jimmy Ninh
Seller: Bukowski Construction LLC
Date: 05/25/21

36 Keith St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Britenee Perrier
Seller: Aquarius Real Estate LLC
Date: 05/26/21

47 Laurel St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $238,000
Buyer: Rose D. Roman
Seller: Vanyeline M. Carrasquillo
Date: 05/25/21

114 Leatherleaf Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Travis M. Orszulak
Seller: Clinton R. Stonacek
Date: 05/28/21

106-110 Lincoln St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $850,000
Buyer: Miles Morgan LLC
Seller: WVSpringfield LLC
Date: 05/17/21

Loring St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $231,500
Buyer: Margarita Nunez-Ferrand
Seller: Andres Dominguez
Date: 05/20/21

109 Lyons St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Nadalya Rivera
Seller: Maria M. Silva
Date: 05/20/21

65 Mapledell St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Paige Landry
Seller: Round 2 LLC
Date: 05/20/21

44 Marble St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Pedro F. Vasquez
Seller: Hyacinthe Fallings
Date: 05/27/21

20 Margerie St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Raul Medina
Seller: Maria Velez
Date: 05/17/21

137 Marion St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $176,500
Buyer: Kristy L. Hawkins
Seller: Deluca Development Corp.
Date: 05/24/21

41-43 Maryland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $260,500
Buyer: John R. Griffin
Seller: K&S Holdings LLC
Date: 05/27/21

92 Melha Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Brandon Gonzalez
Seller: Leonardo Toro
Date: 05/21/21

198-200 Middle St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $324,900
Buyer: Julian Torres
Seller: Gary A. Daula
Date: 05/28/21

22 Montgomery St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: Ricardo Ramos
Seller: Paul Martins
Date: 05/28/21

3 Morison Ter.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Matthew Duplessis
Seller: Onota Rental LLC
Date: 05/28/21

35 Morton St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Joan Wairagu
Seller: Ramon Arce
Date: 05/25/21

139-141 Moxon St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $253,000
Buyer: Latysha M. Ortiz-Coles
Seller: Manuel A. Cardona
Date: 05/24/21

50 Newland St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $126,000
Buyer: Phantom Holdings LLC
Seller: David P. Fontaine
Date: 05/27/21

115 North Branch Pkwy.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Angel Rodriguez
Seller: Bruce L. Tetrault
Date: 05/17/21

100 Northampton Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Lourdes M. Gomez
Seller: Lloyd A. Cameron
Date: 05/18/21

166 Oak St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $229,650
Buyer: Waclaw Hojnoski
Seller: Naples Property Group LLC
Date: 05/18/21

196 Oak Grove Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $131,000
Buyer: Emtay Inc.
Seller: Mariners Atlantic Portfolio
Date: 05/21/21

61 Old Brook Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Tracey L. Larock
Seller: Gary J. Sperlonga
Date: 05/28/21

1635 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $597,000
Buyer: DDM Property Group LLC
Seller: Bruce F. Hambro
Date: 05/21/21

417 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Harold Rivera
Seller: Lilliam Morales
Date: 05/28/21

104-106 Pasadena St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Samuel Braverman
Seller: AAD LLC
Date: 05/28/21

62 Pear St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Ale Moultrie
Seller: James C. Lee
Date: 05/17/21

102 Pembroke St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Adam Lataille
Seller: Iesha M. Ramos
Date: 05/17/21

16-18 Phoenix St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Hamror S. Gabriel
Seller: Rayan Abdulbaki
Date: 05/28/21

621 Plumtree Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Ramon Arce
Seller: Jacqueline Cintron-Arce
Date: 05/25/21

49 Rimmon Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Ryan Deland
Seller: Cascade Funding Mortgage Trust HB3
Date: 05/28/21

83 Prospect St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $203,000
Buyer: Crystal Everett
Seller: Oussama Awkal
Date: 05/21/21

20 Revere St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Nikita Chauhan
Seller: Luis A. Perez
Date: 05/17/21

41 Saffron Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Jill A. Quinn
Seller: Robert Dungan
Date: 05/21/21

86 Saffron Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $237,500
Buyer: Suhaiylah T. Abdul-Hakim
Seller: Thomas J. Zwizinski
Date: 05/27/21

175 Saint James Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Angela M. Claudio-Medina
Seller: JJJ 17 LLC
Date: 05/26/21

736 Saint James Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Jorge Lopez
Seller: Susan Ortiz
Date: 05/20/21

71-81 School St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $5,450,000
Buyer: Miles Morgan LLC
Seller: Union St. Springfield MA LLC
Date: 05/17/21

69 Seymour Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Jose Gonzalez
Seller: Richard A. Ducharme
Date: 05/28/21

268 Shawmut St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Plata O. Plomo Inc.
Seller: Picton Capital LLC
Date: 05/25/21

246 Slater Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: 9 York Street Family LP
Seller: Cole Alves
Date: 05/25/21

34 Sumner Ave. #PB9
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Karl W. Rehbein
Seller: Leticia Guzman
Date: 05/18/21

615 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Dennis C. Burroughs
Seller: Liberty Onyx LLC
Date: 05/24/21

25 Tiffany St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Zorylee Torres
Seller: Yesenia Toribio
Date: 05/27/21

72-74 Tulsa St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Anthony Cianflone
Seller: J. Danusia Lokii-Braese
Date: 05/26/21

Union St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $5,450,000
Buyer: Miles Morgan LLC
Seller: Union St. Springfield MA LLC
Date: 05/17/21

282-296 Union St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $5,450,000
Buyer: Miles Morgan LLC
Seller: Union St. Springfield MA LLC
Date: 05/17/21

304 Union St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $5,450,000
Buyer: Miles Morgan LLC
Seller: Union St. Springfield MA LLC
Date: 05/17/21

308-314 Union St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $5,450,000
Buyer: Miles Morgan LLC
Seller: Union St. Springfield MA LLC
Date: 05/17/21

316 Union St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $5,450,000
Buyer: Miles Morgan LLC
Seller: Union St. Springfield MA LLC
Date: 05/17/21

53 Warrenton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Armando M. Mora-Fernandez
Seller: District Capital LLC
Date: 05/28/21

169 Westminster St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Tatiana L. Myrick
Seller: Keith R. Sheppard
Date: 05/18/21

16 Wexford St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $278,000
Buyer: Brendan C. Allen
Seller: William Raleigh
Date: 05/27/21

540-542 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $297,000
Buyer: Genaro Vargas
Seller: Jorge Santana
Date: 05/18/21

804-806 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: David J. Dagostino
Seller: Charles D. Joyal
Date: 05/25/21

64 Whiting St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $388,000
Buyer: Gilian Washington
Seller: Todd Illingsworth
Date: 05/27/21

47-49 Whittier St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $253,000
Buyer: Javier Flores-Baez
Seller: Richard A. Gibbons
Date: 05/25/21

243-245 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Sarah E. Jackson
Seller: Home Equity Assets Realty
Date: 05/28/21

138 Wilber St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Alex S. Krake
Seller: Frank J. Delvalle
Date: 05/20/21

870 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Ana Dela-Rosa
Seller: Angel O. Alban
Date: 05/26/21

104 Wilmont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Shawn Summers
Seller: Robert G. Ferron
Date: 05/19/21

28 Wilmont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $238,000
Buyer: K. J. Valentin-Gonzalez
Seller: Evelio Velez-Garcia
Date: 05/20/21

31 Wilmont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $272,800
Buyer: Jennifer L. Rehbein
Seller: Walter L. Starzyk
Date: 05/28/21

90 Woodcrest Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Shobana Kausar
Seller: Madeleine P. Wozniak
Date: 05/28/21

1031 Worcester St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Siomara Vega
Seller: Jose P. Ferreira
Date: 05/21/21

SOUTHWICK

3 4th St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Jean R. Parisi
Seller: Lisa B. Hart
Date: 05/21/21

78 Point Grove Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Thomas R. McCabe
Seller: Frederick H. Bohn
Date: 05/20/21

Silvergrass Lane #21
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Seller: Fiore Realty Holdings LLC
Date: 05/21/21

Silvergrass Lane #35
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Seller: Fiore Realty Holdings LLC
Date: 05/21/21

WALES

8 Reed Hill Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Nadine Delisle
Seller: Brenda L. Dessert
Date: 05/28/21

WEST SPRINGFIELD

147 Albert St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Brian A. Pomeroy
Seller: Nicholas Walch
Date: 05/28/21

25 Appaloosa Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Derek L. Ferguson
Seller: Dennis P. Powers
Date: 05/17/21

103 Bonair Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $378,000
Buyer: Dhan Rai
Seller: Christopher D. Marini
Date: 05/28/21

111 East Gooseberry Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $313,000
Buyer: Hem R. Rai
Seller: Rosa Leo
Date: 05/20/21

42 Ely Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: MAA Property LLC
Seller: David N. Gervais
Date: 05/28/21

80 Forris St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Stefan J. Machowski
Seller: William Lafreniere
Date: 05/28/21

71 Humphrey Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Brandon Decoteau
Seller: Debra M. Schmidt
Date: 05/28/21

56 Lennys Way
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $560,000
Buyer: Adam L. Dasso
Seller: Douglas J. Martin
Date: 05/19/21

19 Lowell Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $227,000
Buyer: CIG 4 LLC
Seller: Donna M. McCaul
Date: 05/28/21

20 Lowell Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Christina R. Duross
Seller: Thomas M. Pirnie
Date: 05/21/21

170 Meadowbrook Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $250,500
Buyer: John J. Sawyer
Seller: Shirley J. Brathwaite
Date: 05/21/21

115 Morton St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Erich A. Nabua
Seller: John R. Drisdelle
Date: 05/27/21

40 North Blvd.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $237,500
Buyer: Cory Swett
Seller: Robert E. Nazzaro
Date: 05/28/21

112 Overlook Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Mark J. Gaspari
Seller: Paul R. Boucher
Date: 05/24/21

146 Overlook Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Juan A. Nunez
Seller: I. Fernandez-Almodovar
Date: 05/18/21

41-43 Sprague St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Mariia Leiderman
Seller: Vladimir Shandrin
Date: 05/18/21

WESTFIELD

57 Bristol St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Kevin M. Fogarty
Seller: Kevin J. Irujo
Date: 05/28/21

43 Colony Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $341,000
Buyer: Angel Nieves
Seller: Mark J. Gaspari
Date: 05/24/21

5 Conner Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Maria Providencia-Seddon
Seller: Hoagland, Donald B., (Estate)
Date: 05/19/21

8 Conner Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Raeshawn Wilson
Seller: JJS Capital Investments LLC
Date: 05/26/21

17 Day Lily Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $555,000
Buyer: Marc Gendron
Seller: Bent Tree Development LLC
Date: 05/26/21

111 Devon Ter.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $492,000
Buyer: Nicholas Cardaropoli
Seller: Kenn E. Sinclair
Date: 05/28/21

238 Dox Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $319,500
Buyer: Stanley W. Sawa
Seller: Allyn J. Gieryk
Date: 05/21/21

161 Highland Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Alexander Snyder
Seller: Salim Abdoo
Date: 05/26/21

29 Joseph Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Adam P. Simmons
Seller: Robert Browning
Date: 05/21/21

28 Laro Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Sarah I. Phipps
Seller: Angel R. Santiago
Date: 05/20/21

2 Linden Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $128,000
Buyer: K&R Real-Estate Solutions
Seller: Wells Fargo Bank
Date: 05/21/21

20 Linden Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Natalia Dukach
Seller: Meredith Morgan
Date: 05/26/21

18 Malone Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: William Barna
Seller: Leighton J. King
Date: 05/26/21

114 Northridge Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $303,000
Buyer: Victor Marcu
Seller: Carmen T. Cross
Date: 05/21/21

77 Overlook Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $416,500
Buyer: Kristen Keane
Seller: John S. Wysocki
Date: 05/27/21

74 Ridgeway St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Christopher Eck
Seller: Kristine M. Seney
Date: 05/19/21

50 Union St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $262,900
Buyer: Susan D. Soucy
Seller: Brian Sabonis
Date: 05/20/21

140 Union St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $8,500,000
Buyer: Brookview Townhomes LLC
Seller: Westex LLC
Date: 05/28/21

78 Western Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Christina L. Medina
Seller: Marion E. McCarthy
Date: 05/27/21

6 William St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Thomas Valentine
Seller: Marilyn A. McNeil
Date: 05/19/21

WILBRAHAM

2 Brainard Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Laura Blaze
Seller: Antonio Carvalho
Date: 05/27/21

12 Echo Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $755,000
Buyer: Timothy R. Hebert
Seller: Chris E. Mensing
Date: 05/27/21

18 Forest Glade Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $159,900
Buyer: Bretta Construction LLC
Seller: Janice F. Kozub
Date: 05/21/21

29 Glenn Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $389,000
Buyer: Joseph A. Cordi
Seller: Camsad Builders LLC
Date: 05/27/21

20 Old Orchard Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Michael Culhane
Seller: Kevin J. O’Rourke
Date: 05/24/21

636 Springfield St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Hamzah M. Abu-Ata
Seller: Christine H. Strauss
Date: 05/27/21

331 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $333,000
Buyer: Andrew Baron
Seller: Pamela Budlong
Date: 05/28/21

60 Weston St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Gina M. Ferreira
Seller: Joanne Sowa
Date: 05/25/21

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

198 Alpine Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $399,900
Buyer: Matthew Given
Seller: Monica W. Gichuhi
Date: 05/26/21

52 Fearing St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $695,000
Buyer: 52 Fearing Street LLC
Seller: Stephen C. Fellers
Date: 05/21/21

167 Glendale Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Daniel Cook
Seller: Zachary M. Kaufman
Date: 05/28/21

100 Leverett Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $333,600
Buyer: Erin T. Poulin
Seller: Mary A. Antonellis
Date: 05/28/21

142 North East St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: 7740 Northeast College LLC
Seller: Alice M. MacDonald
Date: 05/28/21

1350 South East St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $1,430,000
Buyer: Theodore J. Christ
Seller: Bruce C. Lattmann
Date: 05/17/21

139 Sunset Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Viet T. Le
Seller: P. & J. A. Thatcher Asset TR
Date: 05/28/21

BELCHERTOWN

272 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Steven Baer
Seller: James Longobardo
Date: 05/28/21

800 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $257,800
Buyer: Jenilins Barbly
Seller: John W. Luippold
Date: 05/20/21

33 Maple St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Theresa J. Gallagher
Seller: Mary G. Barnum
Date: 05/26/21

35 Summit St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $320,050
Buyer: Lili Bourgeois
Seller: Deborah O’Neil
Date: 05/20/21

EASTHAMPTON

37 Campbell Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $264,000
Buyer: Katelyn Hurley
Seller: Ronald J. Stolarik
Date: 05/28/21

11 Davis St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Matthew Winnick
Seller: Kevin C. Netto Construction Inc.
Date: 05/28/21

62 Northampton St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Nicholas D. Duprey
Seller: Richard J. King
Date: 05/27/21

7 Pomeroy Court
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Benjamin J. Leedy
Seller: Daniel A. Poulin
Date: 05/26/21

35 Strong St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $452,000
Buyer: Christopher B. Norton
Seller: William Damato
Date: 05/27/21

20 Torrey St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Richard King
Seller: Jessica L. Keefe
Date: 05/27/21

18 Willow Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Jessica L. Keefe
Seller: Oliver D. Beltran
Date: 05/27/21

CUMMINGTON

482 Stage Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Nancy Jamison
Seller: Belle Isle Properties LLC
Date: 05/21/21

EASTHAMPTON

363 Main St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $366,500
Buyer: Lauren E. Bullis
Seller: New England House LLC
Date: 05/21/21

GOSHEN

21 Fuller Road
Goshen, MA 01096
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Ann Lord-Schmitt
Seller: Rudzik NT
Date: 05/27/21

GRANBY

335 Chicopee St.
Granby, MA 01013
Amount: $458,500
Buyer: Jason R. Lariviere
Seller: Kotowicz Custom Homes LLC
Date: 05/25/21

75 Forge Pond Road
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Christian P. Beauchemin
Seller: Beauchemin, Margaret J., (Estate)
Date: 05/21/21

29 Kellogg St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Hollie Lehouillier
Seller: Robert T. Mann
Date: 05/24/21

School St. #7
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Kevin Miller
Seller: Edward C. Shyloski & Sons
Date: 05/26/21

193 Taylor St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Shane A. DeLeon
Seller: Philip T. Braese
Date: 05/18/21

HADLEY

358 River Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Andrew J. Black
Seller: Christine Kokoski
Date: 05/17/21

104 Rocky Hill Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $389,000
Buyer: Heidi K. Kuester
Seller: Luis O. Hernandez-Munez
Date: 05/21/21

455 Russell St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: OCH Realty LLC
Seller: R. M. Vincunas 1995 TR
Date: 05/21/21

HATFIELD

230 Straits Road
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Lisa M. Ibrahim
Seller: Katherine V. Harris
Date: 05/24/21

HUNTINGTON

16 Crescent St.
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Justin Holmes
Seller: Robert Holmes
Date: 05/26/21

22 Nagler Cross Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $294,000
Buyer: Casey A. McKittrick
Seller: Douglas Twarosch
Date: 05/28/21

79 Searle Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Benjamin Yarra
Seller: Matthew A. Still
Date: 05/28/21

MIDDLEFIELD

153 Skyline Trail
Middlefield, MA 01243
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Denise Michaud-Lucas
Seller: Charles H. Winn
Date: 05/28/21

NORTHAMPTON

19 Armory St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $3,900,000
Buyer: Ralph R. Realty LLC
Seller: Bermor LP
Date: 05/28/21

737 Bridge Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $1,935,370
Buyer: 737 Northampton LLC
Seller: Bais Pinchos
Date: 05/18/21

167 Chestnut St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $493,000
Buyer: Jodi M. Miller
Seller: Devon L. Greyson
Date: 05/25/21

131 Emerson Way
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Miranda S. Lutyens
Seller: Emerson Way LLC
Date: 05/28/21

23 Ice Pond Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $627,000
Buyer: Kimberly A. Mahoney
Seller: Bruce M. Kriviskey
Date: 05/24/21

640 Kennedy Road
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $680,000
Buyer: Carly Everhart
Seller: Aquadro Family LLLP
Date: 05/17/21

25 Kirkland Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $3,900,000
Buyer: Ralph R. Realty LLC
Seller: Bermor LP
Date: 05/28/21

84 Main St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $3,900,000
Buyer: Ralph R. Realty LLC
Seller: Bermor LP
Date: 05/28/21

90 Main St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $3,900,000
Buyer: Ralph R. Realty LLC
Seller: Bermor LP
Date: 05/28/21

31 Murphy Ter.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Rosie Alig
Seller: Georganne Sexton
Date: 05/17/21

125 North St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $439,000
Buyer: David Kates
Seller: Stephen G. Sireci
Date: 05/28/21

117 Olander Dr. #12
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $585,900
Buyer: Joseph M. Holmes
Seller: Sunwood Development Corp.
Date: 05/28/21

226 Prospect St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $1,000,000
Buyer: Isabel L. Wells
Seller: Joanne Marqusee
Date: 05/24/21

541 Riverside Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: Seth A. Cable
Seller: Sik K. Ang
Date: 05/20/21

196 Round Hill Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $655,000
Buyer: Richard J. Ranti
Seller: Peter Frothingham
Date: 05/19/21

214 South St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: John Lee
Seller: Brett R. Barry
Date: 05/17/21

93 Washington Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $770,000
Buyer: Benjamin Church
Seller: William J. Corwin
Date: 05/27/21

114 Williams St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Luke Browne
Seller: John J. Stanisewski
Date: 05/20/21

PLAINFIELD

27 Broom St.
Plainfield, MA 01070
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Farmhouse Properties LLC
Seller: Almond Property Management LLC
Date: 05/24/21

SOUTH HADLEY

100 East St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Compton Bissell-Hazen
Seller: Jessica Poser
Date: 05/20/21

99 Granby Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $307,500
Buyer: Jared J. Mendoza
Seller: Joseph L. Couture
Date: 05/27/21

30 Highland Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $388,500
Buyer: Randy Manseau
Seller: Bruce E. Lukasik
Date: 05/28/21

27 Judd Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: April Doroski
Seller: Hilton, David, (Estate)
Date: 05/27/21

133 Lathrop St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Thai C. Kim
Seller: S. Page Children TR
Date: 05/27/21

32 Lyon Green
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $492,000
Buyer: Loree A. Carver
Seller: J. N. Duquette & Son Construction Inc.
Date: 05/26/21

10 Normandy Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Timothy J. Dachos
Seller: Lucille V. Dachos
Date: 05/21/21

22 Queen Circle
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Nicholas J. Rojas
Seller: Deborah A. Tetrault
Date: 05/20/21

41 Red Bridge Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $630,000
Buyer: Daniel R. Sharp
Seller: James Rippa
Date: 05/24/21

41 South St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $141,109
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Paul C. Poreda
Date: 05/27/21

23 Waite Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Shanti D. Sponder
Seller: Barry M. Sponder
Date: 05/28/21

29 Westbrook Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Thomas F. Bernard
Seller: Amy C. Irwin
Date: 05/28/21

SOUTHAMPTON

Fomer Road #2
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $194,800
Buyer: Daviau & Robert Properties LLC
Seller: Charles M. Fisher LT
Date: 05/18/21

Fomer Road #3
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $194,800
Buyer: Daviau & Robert Properties LLC
Seller: Charles M. Fisher LT
Date: 05/18/21

59 Pomeroy Meadow Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: William P. Koetsch
Seller: John Gwosch
Date: 05/26/21

20 Wolcott Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $369,543
Buyer: Stephen T. Johnson
Seller: Teresa M. Adams
Date: 05/19/21

WARE

480 Belchertown Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Kevin B. Gendreau
Seller: John E. Ryan
Date: 05/25/21

7 Berkshire Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Richard J. Boles
Seller: Gilbert, Kimberly L., (Estate)
Date: 05/27/21

89 Church St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Isis Anadon
Seller: Frederyque L. Koetsch
Date: 05/18/21

143 Eagle St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $316,000
Buyer: Heather Mancuso
Seller: Jay H. Hurlbrink
Date: 05/26/21

118 Glendale Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $241,000
Buyer: Anthony L. Wallace
Seller: Michael Davis
Date: 05/19/21

41 Pine St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $358,000
Buyer: Cedrik E. Wright
Seller: Damian S. Cieszkowski
Date: 05/26/21

5 Towne St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $183,500
Buyer: Gordon Duke
Seller: Jennifer R. Pitts
Date: 05/26/21

135 Walker Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Anderson Builders & Son LLC
Seller: Dianna E. Sokol
Date: 05/18/21

232 West St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Joshua D. Orton
Seller: Steven J. Alonso
Date: 05/19/21

WILLIAMSBURG

25-1/2 Hyde Hill Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $718,620
Buyer: Michael A. Stamm
Seller: Michael A. Henson
Date: 05/26/21

121 Petticoat Hill Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: William H. Hooper
Seller: PABA Associates LLC
Date: 05/26/21

WESTHAMPTON

50 Burt Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Chenoa Charpentier
Seller: Adrienne M. Hornby
Date: 05/28/21

WORTHINGTON

266 Old North Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Amber McFee
Seller: Rita S. Koenigs
Date: 05/27/21

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