Home 2021 September
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Smith & Wesson Brands Inc., one of the nation’s oldest firearms manufacturers, announced today that it is moving its headquarters and significant elements of its operations to Maryville, Tenn. in 2023. Smith & Wesson has been based in Springfield since the company was incorporated in 1852.

“This has been an extremely difficult and emotional decision for us, but after an exhaustive and thorough analysis, for the continued health and strength of our iconic company, we feel that we have been left with no other alternative,” said Mark Smith, president and CEO.

He specifically cited legislation recently proposed in Massachusetts that, if enacted, would prohibit the company from manufacturing certain firearms in the state. “These bills would prevent Smith & Wesson from manufacturing firearms that are legal in almost every state in America and that are safely used by tens of millions of law-abiding citizens every day exercising their constitutional Second Amendment rights, protecting themselves and their families, and enjoying the shooting sports. While we are hopeful that this arbitrary and damaging legislation will be defeated in this session, these products made up over 60% of our revenue last year, and the unfortunate likelihood that such restrictions would be raised again led to a review of the best path forward for Smith & Wesson.”

Smith indicated that the company vetted a number of cities and states and, after careful consideration, made the decision to relocate 750 jobs and its headquarters to Maryville, Tenn. The key factors in the decision included support for the Second Amendment, a business-friendly environment, quality of life for employees, cost of living and affordability, access to higher-education institutions, availability of qualified labor for its operations and headquarters functions, and a favorable location for efficiency of distribution.

“The strong support we have received from the state of Tennessee and the entire leadership of Blount County throughout this process, combined with the quality of life, outdoor lifestyle, and low cost of living in the Greater Knoxville area, has left no doubt that Tennessee is the ideal location for Smith & Wesson’s new headquarters,” Smith said. “We would like to specifically thank Governor Lee for his decisive contributions and the entire state legislature for their unwavering support of the Second Amendment and for creating a welcoming, business friendly environment.”

Smith & Wesson will also close facilities in Connecticut and Missouri as part of consolidating in Tennessee. This process will result in the company reducing the number of locations it maintains from four to three and will significantly streamline its manufacturing and distribution operations.

The company emphasized that the move will not begin until 2023 and will not have an impact on employees’ jobs until then. “Our loyal employees are the reason for our success and are always our number-one priority,” Smith said. “We are deeply saddened by the impact that this difficult decision will have on so many of our dedicated employees, but in order to preserve future jobs and for the viability of our business in the long term, we are left with no choice but to relocate these functions to a state that does not propose burdensome restrictions on our company.

“We are making this announcement now to ensure that each employee has the time to make the decision that is right for them and their families,” he went on. “We are firmly committed to working on an individual level with each and every one of those who will be affected. We will assist any affected employee who is willing and able to move with financial and logistical relocation assistance. However, we also fully realize that this is simply not feasible for some. Therefore, for any affected employee who cannot move with us, we will offer enhanced severance and job-placement services. We understand that this announcement will be very difficult for our employees, and we will do everything we can to assist them during this transition.”

Some key points from today’s statement:

• The facility in Springfield will be reconfigured but will remain operational.

• Smith & Wesson will keep some of its manufacturing operations in Springfield, including all forging, machining, metal finishing, and assembly of revolvers, and will continue to have over 1,000 employees in the state.

• The new facility in Maryville, Tenn. will comprise the company’s headquarters, plastic injection molding, pistol and long-gun assembly, and distribution.

• Total investment in the project is estimated at $120 million, will be funded from cash on hand, and is expected to be accretive to EPS by $0.10 to $0.12 per year once fully operational.

• Construction in Maryville is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2021 and be substantially complete by the summer of 2023.

• About 750 jobs will move from Springfield; Deep River, Conn.; and Columbia, Mo. to Maryville.

• The company’s plastic injection molding facility in Deep River, which services both Smith & Wesson as well as a significant number of external customers, will be sold. The Smith & Wesson portion of the operations will be moved to the new facility in Maryville; however, the external customer business will remain in Connecticut and will be divested.

• The company’s distribution operations in Columbia will be moved to the new facility in Maryville, and the Columbia facility will be marketed for sublease.

• The relocation will have no impact on the company’s operations in Houlton, Maine.

Daily News

GREENFIELD — The Franklin County Community Development Corp.’s Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center (FPC) was named Manufacturer of the Year in the Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester state Senate district.

The FPC was nominated to receive this award by state Sen. Jo Comerford through the Legislature’s Manufacturing Caucus, of which she is a member.

Located in Greenfield, the FPC was established in 2001 and will be celebrating its 20th anniversary in October. The center serves as an incubator space for new and growing specialty food businesses to manufacture their products. The FPC team has helped local businesses prototype and launch a wide variety of different products, including sauces, toppings, salsas, dips, syrups, and frozen meals. It has a wide variety of specialized equipment to help local farms add value to their produce. Additionally, the FPC provides one-on-one counseling and technical assistance to support business planning, product development, regulatory compliance, and more.

“The entire team at the Western MA Food Processing Center is so honored to receive this award,” said Liz Buxton, director of Operations. “We take great pride in the products we manufacture here, both for local farms and food entrepreneurs. Throughout the last 20 years, we have become an integral part of the local food system, and we hope to continue to grow in our role for years to come.”

Currently, the FPC has 50 clients and employs eight full-time staff. During the busy harvest season, it employs several part-time staff, including individuals through the re-entry program of Hampshire County House of Corrections. This harvest season, the FPC team made value-added products, like pickles, pestos, and salsas, for 18 farms and offered dry and cold storage services to another eight farms. The FPC is also home to Valley Veggies, as well as the only individual quick-freeze machine in New England, which processes local vegetables for schools, institutions, and retail. The Food Processing Center is continuously improving its manufacturing capabilities by investing in specialized food-processing equipment, much of which is funded by state and federal grant programs.

“The Food Processing Center is an innovative and inspiring operation,” Comerford said. “It’s an integral part of our local food system helping our region’s farmers expand the reach of their nutritious food and grow their food businesses. As it happens, the FPC also processes many food items that are beloved in our valley, including many in my home right now. COVID-19 caused unprecedented shifts and disruptions to our local food systems, and I’m grateful to the FPC for its steadfast efforts in the face of tremendous adversity.”

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The eighth annual Dragon Boat Festival, featuring dragon-boat races, food trucks, and Asian-themed entertainment, will return to Springfield on Saturday, Oct. 2 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at North Riverfront Park, 121 West St., Springfield. The event was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.

A special flower ceremony for breast-cancer survivors and their loved ones, a dragon-boat tradition, will be held around noon. Entertainment by lion dancers and taiko drummers will also be part of this year’s festival.

Thirteen teams from throughout New England are registered to participate in this year’s dragon-boat races, including the Springfield First Responders team, which will be defending its title from the 2019 Dragon Boat Festival.

The Springfield Dragon Boat Festival, which has been hosted by the Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club since 2013, attracts hundreds of participants and spectators to the banks of the Connecticut River for a day of competition, festivities, and community support. The festival is an important fundraiser in support of breast-cancer survivors and community programming at the Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club.

Hundreds of paddlers from New England participate in the festival races. A team is comprised of up to 24 paddlers who race against other teams in 200-meter races on the Connecticut River. Each race lasts about one minute, and each team races at least three times on the day of the festival. Dragon boating originated in China 2,000 years ago and today is one of the world’s fastest-growing team water sports. The festival makes it easy for anyone to participate and spectate.

Admission to the festival is free for spectators, and free parking is available nearby at 77 West St. or along Avocado Street. The festival can also be reached by the Connecticut Riverwalk Bikeway. For more information, visit www.pvriverfront.org or call (413) 736-1322.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Five area students were each awarded a $1,000 Gerard L. Pellegrini Scholarship to advance their education by the law firm that bears his name.

The Gerard L. Pellegrini Scholarship is awarded annually to a union member affiliated with the Western Massachusetts Area Labor Federation or their spouse or dependent. Applicants are asked to submit their high-school or college transcripts, written recommendations, a recital of recent community service, and an essay detailing the importance of the labor movement to their family.

Winners of this year’s awards are Emma Cowles of Wilbraham, Samantha Franciosa of Granby, Emma Hayward of Pittsfield, Antonia Perakis of West Springfield, and Elizabeth Sarnacki of East Otis.

“This scholarship provides a yearly opportunity for the firm to demonstrate its commitment to helping union members and their families improve their lives through education,” said Earl Seeley III, a partner at Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan and Blakesley, and grandson of Gerard Pellegrini. “My grandfather was a fierce advocate for worker’s rights and fought on behalf of injured workers for over 50 years — but before that, he was a working-class kid whose life was changed for the better by education. He never forgot that.”

Attorney and Partner Michael Cardaropoli, a member of the firm’s scholarship committee, added that “these students represent excellence in the pursuit of education and are illustrative of how unions can positively influence family life.”

Daily News

NORTH ADAMS — MCLA’s Division of Graduate and Continuing Education (DGCE) will hold a series of virtual information sessions this fall for community members interested in the college’s MBA program, graduate certificate in business administration, master of education program, Leadership Academy, and bachelor’s-degree completion programs.

Information sessions will take place at noon and 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, Oct. 5, Nov. 2, and Nov. 30. These sessions are free and open to the public. To register, visit mcla.edu/infosession or e-mail DGCE Administrative Assistant Betty LeSage at [email protected] for more information.

Community members interested in pursing a graduate degree, or finishing their bachelor’s degree with evening classes at MCLA’s location in Pittsfield, are encouraged to attend. Representatives from each program will answer questions related to academics, the application process, education timelines, and more.

Learn more about MCLA’s DGCE programming and how to apply at www.mcla.edu.

Daily News

HOLYOKE — After a four-year search, Girls Inc. of the Valley unveiled what will become its new home on Tuesday — the former ‘O’Connell building’ on Hampden Street in Holyoke.

At an elaborate, well-attended press conference, Girls Inc. leaders announced that the nonprofit had acquired the property and has mapped out extensive renovation efforts and plans to open the new facility perhaps as early as a year from now.

Girls Inc. Executive Director Suzanne Parker (photo by Adam Belson Photography)

Girls Inc. Executive Director Suzanne Parker told those assembled that, as part of a strategic plan created more than four years ago, the nonprofit has sought a new home that will bring all its programs together under one roof and facilitate growth that will enable it to serve more girls in the Pioneer Valley. The search for such a facility has been a long and sometimes difficult undertaking, she noted, one that eventually brought Girls Inc. to the Hampden Street property, which was the longtime home to the O’Connell Companies, and later law offices after O’Connell built a new headquarters on Kelly Way in Holyoke.

“In many ways, the pandemic has helped make this possible,” said Parker, noting that the law firm’s plans to attract office tenants to the property were certainly impacted by changes in how and where people work.

Girls Inc. closed on the property earlier this month, acquiring it for $790,000 with financing from PeoplesBank, said Parker, noting that extensive renovations to many portions of the property will bring the price tag for the project to roughly $3.5 million. A capital campaign — the Her Future, Our Future campaign, which has an overall goal of $5 million — was launched more than a year ago, she said, adding that funds raised through that campaign will be used to cover those costs.

A rendering by Kuhn Riddle Architects of the future front entry of the Girls Inc. facility

The site brings a number of benefits, said Parker, listing a 55-space parking lot and ample room — 16,000 square feet over two floors — for facilities that will include a cutting-edge STEM makers’ space, library, two multi-purpose rooms, a teen lounge, a kitchen and dining area, administrative offices, and more.

The press conference included remarks from Holyoke Mayor Terry Murphy and several Girls Inc. leaders and alumna, including Cynthia Medina Carson, board member and co-chair of the Her Future, Our Future campaign, who remembers becoming involved with Girls Inc. when she was just 5.

“What we need now is the next-generation place for Girls Inc. — a location that enables our programming to match up to where we want and need to be, for girls,” she said.

Daily News

WARE — The Boston Business Journal has once again named Country Bank an honoree in its annual 2021 Corporate Citizenship Awards, recognizing the region’s top corporate charitable contributors.

The magazine annually publishes this list to highlight companies that promote and prioritize giving back to their communities. During this year’s virtual celebration held on Sept. 9, 98 companies qualified for the distinction by reporting at least $100,000 in cash contributions to Massachusetts-based charities and social-service nonprofits last year. This year, the honorees include companies from healthcare, technology, financial and professional services, retail, professional sports, and more.

Country Bank, which ranked 55th, employs 215 staff members within Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester counties. Staff members actively promoted the bank’s mission of giving back to the communities they serve by volunteering to a variety of nonprofits.

“The Boston business community has always been committed to helping the people and organizations in need, and 2020 was an extraordinary year,” Boston Business Journal Market President and Publisher Carolyn Jones said. “Given the many challenges we all faced, it is a true testament to the companies and the people who have given so much of their resources, money, and time to help others and keep our community moving forward. We at the BBJ are grateful to have the opportunity to recognize companies large and small for the example they set for us all to do good.”

Paul Scully, president and CEO at Country Bank, added that “we are honored to be recognized by the Boston Business Journal for Country Bank’s philanthropic efforts. As a community bank, it is our mission to help make a difference in the lives of others.”

Daily News

HOLYOKE — Attorney Karen Jackson, an elder-law and estate-planning attorney at Jackson Law, will teach a two-part class highlighting the latest developments in elder law and estate planning at Holyoke Community College (HCC).

The four-hour course, called “Elder Law and Estate Planning: What You Need to Know,” will be presented in a pair of two-hour sessions, on Mondays, Oct. 18 and 25, from 6 to 8 p.m. The cost is $99.

“The course will explain the basic building blocks of an estate plan,” Jackson said. “From that foundation, we will also consider the various specialized trust documents that support this planning. I will clarify the probate court process and what it means to probate a will. And I will explore current MassHealth issues in the event of a nursing-home stay.”

In the first session, Jackson will explain each document in the core estate plan — the will, power of attorney, healthcare proxy, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) release, and advance directive. She will discuss the problems that can occur when proper documents are not prepared before a loss of mental capacity or physical health or before sudden loss of life. In the first session, she will also cover the different types of trusts — the revocable trust, irrevocable trust, and special-needs trust — and the reasons for creating each kind of trust.

During the second session, Jackson will explain the various tools and techniques to save the home and other assets from the nursing home bill: gifting, the Medicaid qualified annuity, pooled trusts, caregiver child exception, and Medicaid qualified trusts.

For participants who may be able to attend only one session, the full course fee is still required.

Holyoke Community College’s main campus in Holyoke is at 303 Homestead Ave. To register, call HCC at (413) 552-2500 or register online at www.hcc.edu/bce.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The American International College (AIC) Admissions office will offer in-person and virtual open houses and information sessions for prospective undergraduate- and graduate-degree program applicants during October.

Timed to coincide with Homecoming weekend, the undergraduate open house will take place on Saturday, Oct. 16 from 9 a.m. to noon, giving interested students an opportunity to catch the AIC Homecoming football game beginning at noon, along with other athletic events.

An undergraduate information session will take place earlier in the month, on Saturday, Oct. 9 at 9:30 a.m. Information sessions provide an opportunity for attendees to speak with Admissions counselors to learn more about the admissions process, available programs, financial aid, and more.

Numerous graduate information sessions, offered virtually, will be held during October for interested applicants in the areas of business, arts and sciences, education, and health sciences, including a specialized session dedicated to the doctor of physical therapy program. An open house for all graduate-level programs will take place on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 11 a.m.

Interested participants are invited to visit www.aic.edu/visit for a complete list of dates, times, and to register. To learn more about undergraduate- and graduate-degree programs available at American International College, visit www.aic.edu or call (413) 205-3700.

Daily News

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Citizens Financial Group named Lisa Murray its Massachusetts president, succeeding Jerry Sargent, who will continue to oversee New England and upstate New York as Citizens’ Northeast Region executive.

Murray, who has been at Citizens for 24 years, leads a team that provides strategic and financial advice to not-for-profit organizations and professional-services clients such as legal, accounting, and consulting firms. As Massachusetts president, she will represent Citizens in an official capacity across the Commonwealth and continue to report to Sargent.

“Massachusetts is a very important market for Citizens, and I am looking forward to having Lisa play a greater role in our leadership team here,” Sargent said. “She already serves as a tireless advocate in the community and as a trusted advisor to her clients. It is a very exciting time for Citizens as we continue to grow and add capabilities to better serve our clients.”

Murray has been working with the Pine Street Inn, the largest homeless-services provider in New England, for more than 20 years and is currently a member of its board of directors. She is also a member of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable and the Mass Taxpayers Forum, and is on the board of the Economic Development Advisory Committee in her hometown of Lexington. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut.

Cover Story

Setting Some New Goals

Team President Nate Costa (back row, fourth from right) with the front-office staff

Team President Nate Costa (back row, fourth from right) with the front-office staff

For team President Nate Costa and Springfield Thunderbirds ownership, it has been a frustrating year and a half — but not a quiet one, even with the cancellation of the 2020-21 season. Indeed, the organization has been busy staying connected to the community through a host of programs and providing value to its supporters, while preparing for a 2021-22 season of great promise — season-ticket sales remain high — but also great uncertainty. It’s a season, Costa said, that not only the team, but its city desperately needs.

 

For Nate Costa, launching a hockey season after skipping the previous one might feel like starting from square one, but it isn’t, really. Because he was at the real square one, tasked by the Springfield Thunderbirds’ ownership group with fielding a team just four months after luring it from Maine to Western Mass.

“This is a completely different challenge because at least then you didn’t have COVID surrounding you,” he said. “But the processes are very similar.”

To be sure, while no hockey was played in Springfield during the 2020-21 season, ‘skipping’ may not be the right word. Because keeping the franchise relevant and in the public eye was a daily challenge.

“Unfortunately, we had to make some really hard decisions last year in terms of staffing,” said Costa, the team’s president. “We did our best to get through the year, but we had limited staff on reduced hours, and a lot of our staff had opportunities to get jobs elsewhere.”

With eight newcomers on this year’s front-office staff of 17 — about half the crew — “it’s both challenging and exciting,” he went on. “But I tend to hire young because we like to bring people in and teach them how we do things. We find you don’t have a lot of bad habits that come with those individuals — a lot of them have really good energy, and that’s what’s happened. They’ve energized me and the entire staff.”

Nate Costa has high hopes for the season based on robust season-ticket sales and loyalty among corporate sponsors.

Nate Costa has high hopes for the season based on robust season-ticket sales and loyalty among corporate sponsors.

As he’s noted in the past, he can look to 2016, the year he and his ownership group brought the team to Springfield a month after the departure of the Falcons, for a blueprint of sorts. While the team has a new NHL affiliate in the St. Louis Blues, the core front-office group, including all of last year’s department heads, are back.

“That’s huge because you’re not really starting from scratch,” he said. “You’ve got institutional knowledge, people who know how to do this. So we’ve got a lot of confidence there.”

The team leadership has drawn on that confidence while facing a series of roadblocks and unknowns since shutting down the 2019-20 season early and making the decision to ride out the following season without any gameplay. Even now, the Delta surge that has brought back mask mandates is one more unexpected wrench in a long line of them.

“Our industry is obviously reliant on people coming together in large groups, and that’s the hardest thing.”

“It seems like we get hit with something different every day,” Costa told BusinessWest. “And you just have to be able to be nimble and pivot. It is what it is. Everyone’s dealing with it — not just us, not just our industry.

“But we’re kind of in the public eye,” he went on, “and our industry is obviously reliant on people coming together in large groups, and that’s the hardest thing. Even in the summer, [COVID] was moving in a different direction. So we’ve had to pivot and change things even since the summertime. But at the end of the day, we want to get back to doing what we do.”

One piece of good news is that public support hasn’t wavered. In March 2020, the team had 1,109 full season-ticket holders, the first Springfield hockey team to reach that milestone, he noted; the Falcons had been at 325 before they left town. Right now, the number is 989, and Costa expects that number to easily surpass 1,019 and set a new franchise high. He hopes to set a new attendance mark, too, after the AHL scheduled 29 of the team’s 38 home games on Friday and Saturday nights.

The 2021-22 promotional schedule is filled with favorites

The 2021-22 promotional schedule is filled with favorites like the Teddy Bear Toss, which collects stuffed animals for local charities.

“People are supporting us, and I think people are ready to come back out and do things and get back to some normalcy,” he said. “And hopefully, we won’t need to wear masks all season.”

Costa supports the city’s mask mandate and said the most visceral opposition to it on social media comes from people who don’t have tickets and aren’t likely to support the team anyway. Most people, he believes, understand what it will take to stage a season that won’t have to shut down.

“We are in an industry that relies on packing buildings, getting large gatherings together,” he said. “I think we have a responsibility to do the right thing. And we’ll work through it.”

“At the end of the day, we realize that the last thing we want to have happen is to not have a season again. And everybody recognizes that, and everybody understands that.”

In a wide-ranging interview conducted a few weeks before the season opener on Oct. 16, Costa told BusinessWest what the franchise has been up to over the past 18 months, what fans can expect this season — and why he feels a responsibility to stay connected to the community as more than just its local hockey team.

 

Safety First

But first, he talked about safety, and what it will take to achieve it as COVID continues to be a threat.

“It’s a lot of moving parts, but they’re necessary,” he said. “At the end of the day, we realize that the last thing we want to have happen is to not have a season again. And everybody recognizes that, and everybody understands that. So, internally, it hasn’t been that tough.”

To that end, the entire staff is required to be vaccinated, and everyone associated with the Blues is vaccinated as well. “The AHL has protocols that anybody that’s going to be within six to 12 feet of players is required to be vaccinated, and the St. Louis organization is having their players vaccinated.”

That’s critical, Costa added. “With the close quarters our guys are in, and being on buses together and all that, it’s imperative that we have the guys vaccinated.”

As noted earlier, he’s a believer in the city’s current mask mandate as well. “I’ve been keeping my thumb on the pulse of what’s going on for the last year and a half, and I feel like I’m a de facto COVID expert at this point,” he said, adding that requiring masks at the arena is simply a social responsibility to the city, mandate or not.

During the pandemic, the Thunderbirds partnered with local restaurants

During the pandemic, the Thunderbirds partnered with local restaurants, including Nadim’s Downtown Mediterranean Grill, to donate meals to frontline workers

“We want to sell the place out opening night, and we want to be socially responsible. We felt like it was probably coming at some point that we were going to have some kind of mandate, whether that was going to be mask or vaccination, and I think the mask mandate is perfectly acceptable, because then you don’t have to get into conversation of who’s vaccinated and who’s not. Everyone who comes to the rink will wear a mask, except to eat or drink.”

He admitted it’s an extra challenge to enforce that behavior among fans. “We don’t like wearing masks as much as the next guy. But it’s our livelihood. We’ve committed our resources so much to doing this the right way and bringing the sport back. Last year was really such a blow to me personally just because the last thing I wanted to do is not play. So we’ll do whatever we need to do to get back on the ice and get back to some normalcy.”

One change this year is an absence of high-profile promotions like previous years’ visits from the likes of David Ortiz and Pedro Martinez. Those are expensive investments, and with no guarantees all games will even be played, the Thunderbirds will focus on more locally based promotions — and there are a lot of them, including returning favorites like a throwback jersey night (the Falcons this time, instead of the Indians), the Teddy Bear Toss, a Military Appreciation Night, the Pucks ‘N’ Paws pet night, and Pink in the Rink, which supports the fight against breast cancer. Every Friday night brings a Deuces Wild concessions deal, with sodas, hot dogs, and cups of Coors Light selling for $2 each.

“Last year was really such a blow to me personally just because the last thing I wanted to do is not play. So we’ll do whatever we need to do to get back on the ice and get back to some normalcy.”

“While we’re not investing in huge promotions, there’s still a good foundation of promotions and themes,” Costa said. “We want to re-establish ourselves, get through this year, and hopefully have this in the rear-view mirror next year and really blow it out.

“We always want to provide value and not get complacent,” he added. “And I think we’re providing as much value as anyone in the American Hockey League. I’ll put our stuff up against anybody’s; I take a lot of pride in that. But it’s still a fraction of what we normally do. We have a long-term vision, and that means getting back on the ice first.”

Many of the promotions will support causes and groups of people, like Frontline Fridays, in which healthcare workers, first responders, and other frontline workers who serve the public will be honored.

“I wanted to make sure it was a season-long thing, not just one night,” Costa said. “A lot of people in our community stepped up and did the right thing, working through COVID, and we want to say ‘thank you,’ and it’s really on behalf of the season-ticket members.”

That’s because, with seven home dates left in the curtailed 2019-20 season, most season-ticket holders, instead of demanding refunds, donated the tickets back to the team, and that formed the foundation of the Thunderbirds giving those tickets away to the frontline honorees every Friday this year.

“I feel really good about what we’re doing — not only the fun stuff, but we have a community piece to it as well that will hopefully give a break to some people who have been working hard, give them a chance to come out.”

It wasn’t only season-ticket holders that stayed loyal, Costa said. All the corporate sponsors are back as well, and even though they lost those seven games of exposure, he was able to show them that the team overdelivered on attendance for the other 31 home dates. The team has also included sponsors in its social-media and community activities during the pandemic.

29 of 38 home games scheduled for Friday or Saturday night

With 29 of 38 home games scheduled for Friday or Saturday night, the team is hopeful for plenty of sellouts.

“We genuinely feel like people like us and want to support us,” he added, noting that the team ranks at the top of the league, among like-sized markets, in sponsorships and full season-ticket sales. “At the end of the day, that speaks volumes about who you are as an organization. So the biggest thing was doing right by the people who have done right by us for the first four years of our franchise.”

 

Silver Lining

Costa said the goal last year was to stay visible, even for just a few hours a week. That meant donating meals to frontline workers, trotting out mascot Boomer at community events, and teaming up with the Massachusetts Lottery to spotlight first responders.

“It was important to keep the community aspect front and center,” he noted, adding that the Springfield Business Improvement District stepped up with cash, allowing the team to activate more community promotions and just “keep our lights on and keep our people engaged and keep the business moving forward.”

His goal was simply to be sustainable during a difficult time with little revenue. “I didn’t want to go to ownership and ask for cash. Not that they wouldn’t support it, but I felt we had a duty to do our best, and I think we did better than we ever could have expected.”

The silver lining to all this has been growing demand for the activity for which the team exists — actually playing hockey.

“Obviously, we wanted to play last year. But what do they say — absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? I think that happened a little bit,” Costa told BusinessWest. “I think there’s a real pent-up demand for just having fun in an exciting environment, and just doing things again with our friends and family. We’re hearing from people who can’t wait to get out and cheer on the team and hopefully see us have some success on the ice.”

Still, the past 18 months have reiterated Costa’s view that the Thunderbirds are more than a hockey team, and more than a business.

“I invest my heart and soul into this thing. Sometimes people say, ‘it’s just an AHL hockey team.’ For me, it’s much more than that. I feel like we’re the lifeblood of the community. We’re at the centerpoint. Our whole marketing campaign is going to be around ‘we are 413.’ And we feel that. We want to be that type of organization.

“We genuinely feel like people like us and want to support us. At the end of the day, that speaks volumes about who you are as an organization. So the biggest thing was doing right by the people who have done right by us for the first four years of our franchise.”

“The last year and a half, it’s been, ‘how to we get through this and get back to what we do really, really well?’ There’s no playbook to get you through this stuff. You’re doing things on the fly and trying to make the right decisions, but you don’t know the outcome of certain things.”

He called decisions on what staff to keep, furlough, or cut back hours two springs ago were “gutwrenching,” especially because they came so quickly and unexpectedly.

“The Saturday before shutdown, we had our ninth sellout — tied for most ever, and we had three Saturdays left,” Costa said. “The next week, I had to furlough half the staff. And none of it was their fault. I mean, the week before that, we were on cloud nine. None of us thought this would happen. It completely changed our organization. And you just have to work through it.”

That said, “our goal is to get back to normalcy as quickly as possible, but also do it responsibly and do it the right way,” he noted — even if that means wearing masks a little (well, hopefully just a little) longer. “It’s going to take some time, but we’re really well-positioned as an organization to come out of this strong.”

 

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Features Special Coverage

Putting the Pieces Together

It’s called a ‘hyper-scale data center.’ That’s the name attached to a $2.7 billion proposal planned for a 155-acre parcel in Westfield. The complicated project, now entering the local-approval phase, has cleared perhaps the biggest hurdle — the aggregation of a site that can check a unique set of boxes, including accessibility to huge amounts of power and data. If it comes to fruition — and there are still many challenges to overcome — the project could make the region a player in the emerging sector known as Big Data.

Demetrios Panteleakis

Demetrios Panteleakis

 

Demetrios Panteleakis says he spent a good part of the winter, spring, and some of the summer walking through all 150 acres of mostly raw land in the northwest corner of Westfield.

“I probably know every inch of it by now,” Panteleakis, the principal commercial broker with Springfield-based Macmillan Group, who was charged with assembling the parcel, told BusinessWest, adding that he’s been through it in every type of weather imaginable. “I think my family thought I had gotten into hiking and the outdoors.”

These walks in the woods — and wetlands — were a necessary part of a complicated process to aggregate land for what could be the largest private development the region has ever seen and one of the largest initiatives of its kind anywhere — a $2.7 billion proposal to build a massive data center (a ‘hyper-scale data center,’ as it’s called) that will attract the likes of Amazon, Google, and Facebook.

Plans call for constructing 10 buildings totaling 2.7 million square feet over the next 12 to 18 years, said Erik Bartone, CEO of Servistar Realty, the project’s developer. He told BusinessWest he hopes to obtain local approvals by the end of the year and state approvals by mid-2022, and break ground in 2023.

It’s a daring project, one that comes complete with all kinds of large numbers and adjectives (like hyper-scale) that connote size and scope affixed to everything from acreage to the projected cost of the initiative to the number of landowners with which Panteleakis and the Servistar had to negotiate.

That last number would be 11, just one indicator of the level of complexity involved with getting just this far, said Panteleakis, adding that finding a location and assembling the land are perhaps the biggest hurdle for a project that will face many of them — everything from required approvals for a tax-incentive plan to steps to protect endangered species, such as the eastern box turtle.

As for securing a site … a project of this nature and scope requires that a number of unique boxes be checked, said Panteleakis. These include the ability to draw power, and large amounts of it, straight from the grid — two recently upgraded 115 kV high-transmission lines run through the center of the site — as well as access to a reliable, high-speed fiber communications network. Competitive cost of doing business is also high on the list, as is a skilled workforce and easy access to major markets.

“Finding the right location in New England for a hyper-scale data-center development is difficult.”

When all is said and done, it certainly isn’t easy to find a parcel — or parcels that can be aggregated — that can check all those boxes.

“Finding the right location in New England for a hyper-scale data-center development is difficult,” Bartone said. “Access to the electric transmission grid, robust fiber communication network, sufficient land, and the ability to develop the project in an environmentally responsible manner are all very important issues that must be fully evaluated before proceeding with a particular location.”

As noted, the proposal still has many hurdles to clear, but it’s not too early to speculate on what this could mean for the city and the region.

Rick Sullivan, who can speak about the project from a number of perspectives — he’s president and CEO of the Western Mass. Economic Development Council, but also former mayor of Westfield and a current city councilor — said it represents an opportunity to show what the region can do for the emerging sector known as Big Data — and perhaps do more of.

Rick Sullivan says the Westfield data-center project

Rick Sullivan says the Westfield data-center project, if it becomes reality, could open the door to new opportunities in the realm known as Big Data.

“This is somewhat of a new sector for us, so I think there’s an opportunity to get attention,” he explained. “Sometimes, getting that first development in a sector is the hardest thing, and then, once that happens, the others do take notice.”

Jeff Daley, president and CEO of WestMass Area Development Corp., which has been hired as a consultant on the Westfield project, agreed.

“It’s an exciting project — this is a game changer,” he said. “If we get this project across the goal line, it opens up an entire industry; we would have the potential to bring other data centers here.”

As for Panteleakis, the data-center project represents another bullet point on a résumé complete with a number of big projects with complicated logistics, something he’s becoming known for within the development industry.

Indeed, when he was not walking the Westfield property and negotiating with all those owners, he was flying to Miami to put the final touches on a massive, $1 billion project that combines residential living with transportation, retail, and office space.

“This is somewhat of a new sector for us, so I think there’s an opportunity to get attention. Sometimes, getting that first development in a sector is the hardest thing, and then, once that happens, the others do take notice.”

The two projects offered a number of different challenges, with COVID presenting new and different issues to contend with, he said, adding that they epitomize what has come to be one of his trademark talents — putting the many pieces together on complicated real-estate puzzles.

For this issue, BusinessWest takes an in-depth look at how this complicated Westfield project came together and how this initiative could change the landscape — in all kinds of ways.

 

Big Bytes

Panteleakis told BusinessWest that, on many of his flights to and from Florida, he didn’t have much company on the airplane.

“I was on a 747 out of Boston — because you couldn’t fly out of Bradley to Florida — that had two other people on it,” he said. “It was weird. Logan was a ghost town, Miami International was a ghost town; it was very strange.”

That was how things were as he was working on two massive projects on opposite ends of the Atlantic seaboard.

The Miami initiative was a complicated matter of putting the pieces together for a project called Virgin MiamiCentral, a nine-acre living center in the heart of the city that includes 3 million square feet of commercial, office, and retail space, capped with twin residential towers, each more than 40 stories high, sitting atop a train station and retail hub.

Jeff Daley says the data-center project could be a game changer for the region.

Jeff Daley says the data-center project could be a game changer for the region.

Meanwhile, what is now known as the Westfield data-center campus became a very complicated matter of aggregating property that could meet all those unique requirements listed earlier.

In most all cases, the land required for such projects doesn’t come in one parcel, but several of them, which means negotiations on acquiring options — as in quiet negotiations — have to take place with a number of parties simultaneously.

Panteleakis, who compared it to cutting the Gordian knot, tried to put it in perspective for BusinessWest.

“We worked with about four or five different brokers in Western Mass. who represented some of the 11 owners, which at times made things easier, but a predominance of the owners self-represented,” he explained. “And that included people who had ongoing businesses, and it was very arduous and long and, of course, highly confidential.

“It was heavy lifting,” he went on, “and to see it at this stage is very gratifying.”

Overall, it took roughly 14 months to put the parcel in place to the point where the developer could move forward, he said, adding that the site, while challenged by wetlands and environmental issues, provides the size, location, and direct access to the grid needed by Servistar and its eventual clients.

“There’s currently nothing of this scale in the region due primarily to very high retail electricity costs, high property taxes, and significant regulatory challenges.”

The company has a considerable amount of experience with such projects, said Bartone, adding that Servistar has been in the electricity-procurement and energy- management business for 30 years, supporting large-scale commercial and industrial clients, including data and IT service clients.

“Our firm has provided advisory services to several data-center clients, including the management and procurement of their wholesale electricity requirements,” he told BusinessWest, adding that the company currently represents a hyper-scale data-center client that is looking to enter the New England market once local approvals are obtained for the Westfield project.

Elaborating, he said there are several smaller-edge data centers in New England, including in the Boston area, but there are currently no hyper-scale data centers in New England, and for several reasons.

“There’s currently nothing of this scale in the region due primarily to very high retail electricity costs, high property taxes, and significant regulatory challenges,” he explained. “Our firm specializes in the wholesale electricity-procurement markets along with the integration of innovative load-management strategies to proactively reduce the electricity costs for data centers and large power users. 

“This is a key cost driver for the industry and critical to making the hyper-scale data-center project feasible,” he went on. “Electricity expenditures typically represent 50% to 60% of the operating costs of a data center. Property taxes typically represent 10% to 15% of operating expenses. These two operating cost components, along with local regulatory approvals, are the primary drivers to locate hyper-scale data centers to New England.”

Bartone said Servistar reviewed numerous sites in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts before focusing on Westfield, a community that emerged in this search roughly 18 months ago.  

“We identified various parcels in the city’s industrial zones that met the requirements for the site, but the area is challenging to develop due to wetlands and endangered species, including the eastern box turtle,” he noted. “So we needed a substantial amount of land that would support the 10 data-center building development while also allowing us to minimize environmental impacts.”

Beyond meeting the energy, fiber, and property-tax requirements, the site is also centrally located between Boston, New York City, Providence, Albany, and Hartford, said Bartone, thus providing access to more than 34 million people in the Greater New York metropolitan area and New England. It is also in close proximity to the Westfield-Barnes regional airport with corporate service, only 20 miles from Bradley International Airport, and approximately 100 miles from Logan International Airport.

“Boston also has a high-tech, information-based economy that is an attractive market for corporate offices of companies locating to Westfield for their IT services,” he said, adding that this concentration of trained tech workers was still another selling point.

 

Powerful Statement

As he talked about the project and its prospects for becoming reality, Sullivan turned to the often-used analogy of getting over the goal line.

He said this project isn’t in the proverbial red zone yet, but it is certainly past midfield and making steady progress.

“There’s still a long way to go, but once they have options on the property and they’re doing work around wetlands and having discussions with the electricity suppliers, you’re past midfield, but you’re not home yet,” he explained. “I don’t think you can have a higher, better use of that property.”

Daley said the next important step is approval of what’s known as a 121A, or PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) property-tax agreement that locks in the assessed value of the property, with built-in annual increases in property-tax payments. Westfield officials have said the project would bring in $1.2 million in tax payments within three years, making the campus the largest taxpayer in the city.

A joint public hearing between the Planning Board and City Council on the proposed agreement is slated for early October, said Daley, adding that there are other approvals, on both the local and state levels, that must be secured in the coming months.

“We’re hoping to have all local permits in hand by the end of the year,” he explained. “Shortly thereafter, we’d begin work on designs and infrastructure; it would be about 18 to 24 months from go date to being operational.”

Meanwhile, speculation continues about what this project could mean for Westfield and the region. That discussion takes place on many levels, starting with immediate, tangible benefits.

That list includes 1,800 construction jobs, 1,200 indirect jobs that will result from creation of the center, and what is projected to be 400 jobs that will pay between $85,000 to $100,000 at the entry level.

“When people in economic development talk about job creation, these are the kinds of jobs that you’re looking to create,” Sullivan said. “These employees will live in our communities, they’ll invest in our communities, they’ll shop in our communities, and they’ll support the charities in our communities, as will the companies.”

There’s also the tax revenue; Servistar has negotiated a 40-year property-tax agreement with the city that is expected to produce more than $350 million in direct property-tax payments over the term of that agreement. 

Beyond these direct benefits, though, is that opportunity Sullivan and Daley mentioned for the region to not only get in the game when it comes to Big Data, but become a player in that sector, which would appear to have almost unlimited potential.

“If you look in the crystal ball, this is a sector that’s only going to grow,” Sullivan said. “And of you overlay data storage and data transmission and all the issues that are somewhat related, such as cybersecurity and other Big Data, I think there’s a real opportunity for us in Western Massachusetts to grow and in some ways lead, if you will, in this sector.

“We have out colleges, especially Bay Path and the University of Massachusetts, that are doing a lot of cutting-edge work in cybersecurity and Big Data, and others will certainly follow,” he went on. “And this will help train a workforce, which is always significant as these companies look to grow.”

As for some of those other boxes that need to be checked, Sullivan acknowledged that the cost of doing business in this state is not as low as in some other areas of the Northeast, but Western Mass. is certainly more cost-friendly that Boston and other metropolitan areas. “Developing in New England may not be the cheapest, but we’re still competitive.”

 

Bottom Line

Panteleakis — who, as noted, has been involved in large development projects in many areas of the country — said the Westfield data-center campus project represents the type of development that all regions are striving for.

“I’ve done a lot of work in Florida and Texas, and this is how they drive economic development for the 21st century in their areas; they’re focusing on new sectors and technologies,” he explained. “This project will have a tremendous impact on quality of life in Westfield and across the region. It will have a very broad impact.”

As those we spoke with noted, there are still many hurdles to overcome before this proposal becomes reality. If it can clear those obstacles, it could be transformative in many different ways.

 

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

Education Special Coverage

Continuing Education

Matthew Scott says the double protection of vaccines and masks

Matthew Scott says the double protection of vaccines and masks are a good start to keeping AIC’s campus safe.

 

After a year when colleges offered a wide variety of learning options during the pandemic, from in-person to remote to a blend of both, the vast majority have opened their classrooms, residence halls, and athletic fields for a true on-campus experience this fall. But they’re doing so with caution, both internally — in the form of vaccine requirements — and backed by municipalities that are issuing broad mask mandates. The bottom line through all the changes? The idea that young people need the full college experience, and no one wants to risk a disheartening retreat to Zoom.

 

Everyone is tired of pivoting, Matthew Scott said. But, by now, they’re good at it, too.

“We’ve learned that our students are adaptable. They don’t always want to be, but they’ll go with the flow and make it happen. And our staff members have just rolled up their sleeves and said, ‘what needs to be done?’”

As vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students at American International College (AIC) in Springfield, Scott is just one of countless higher-education administrators who have spent the past 18 months adapting to one unexpected development after another when it came to COVID-19 and how students could best learn and interact during the pandemic.

“You want to plan in times when you aren’t in the middle of a crisis, so that you’re ready to use that plan when a crisis occurs,” he said. “But when you’re thinking through your crisis-planning process, you’re thinking of things like a fire or a hurricane coming through. Nobody planned for a pandemic. We had protocols for a specific outbreak, but not something like this.”

The lesson? “We learned that we need to be agile. You might spend weeks planning something, and then one order comes through from the local or state government, and you need to pivot.”

The latest pivot for AIC, one similar to what most colleges and universities are doing, involves students living and learning on campus, with residence halls open and clubs and sports in full swing. But a facemask requirement is back, too, at least indoors. And AIC is also requiring students and employees to be vaccinated against COVID.

“We learned that we need to be agile. You might spend weeks planning something, and then one order comes through from the local or state government, and you need to pivot.”

“At last count, we were at 98%, which is a phenomenal number to get to,” Scott said, noting that religious and medical exemptions are being given, but those people are required to be tested weekly, and their quarantine and isolation protocols in the case of infection differ from those of a vaccinated individual. “So far, the vaccination rate has been helping us quite a bit.”

Elms College in Chicopee has also mandated both masks indoors and vaccination for everyone (students, faculty, and staff) without a legitimate exemption.

“Last year, masks were required everywhere. Now, they are not required outdoors if you don’t have anyone within six feet of you,” President Harry Dumay said. “We don’t have distancing in the clasrooms like last year. But we’ll be functioning with a campus that is fully vaccinated.”

While students could choose to take classes in person or remotely last year, Dumay said the college is asking all undergraduates to be in classrooms this year, although remote capabilities are in place in case someone needs to quarantine.

President Harry Dumay says Elms College not only has a plan

President Harry Dumay says Elms College not only has a plan for this fall, but “a backup to the plan and a backup to the backup.”

“We thought this year would be completely free of all these things, but what we’re seeing in the region and on campus are a lot of breakthrough cases, and Delta is more contagious than the original virus,” Dumay said.

When asked about pushback from students on the vaccine mandate, he said he wouldn’t use that word, exactly. “We certainly had quite a few inquiries from parents, saying, ‘is that necessary?’ Or from staff or employees asking, ‘so what does that mean if I don’t do it?’ I don’t know if anyone resigned on our campus or decided not to come because of the vaccination. There might be one or two cases, but I haven’t heard that.”

Scott said students tend to understand that vaccines not only prevent COVID in many cases, but reduce its severity in others.

At the same time, however, “college-age people are not particularly concerned about hospitalization or death because, for the vast majority of them, they’re able to weather the storm and get through it. But part of the education process is making sure they understand it’s not just about them, it’s about the people around them who might have underlying conditions they might not know about.”

If there has been any pushback, he noted, it has taken the form of questions about why both vaccines and masks are necessary.

“We thought this year would be completely free of all these things, but what we’re seeing in the region and on campus are a lot of breakthrough cases, and Delta is more contagious than the original virus.”

“We’d say, ‘yes, you’re vaccinated, and yes, that probably means there’s a lower likelihood of you contracting COVID, but if you do, you might not know you have it, and you might pass it on to somebody else — maybe a child who can’t get a vaccine, or maybe someone who’s immunocompromised,’” he explained. “For the most part, people get it. More than 1,000 U.S. colleges are requiring vaccines, so we’re among many at this point.”

 

Taking Their Shot

Holyoke Community College President Christina Royal said HCC balanced the desire among many students to get back to in-person learning with the constantly changing health metrics around the Delta variant. “So we decided to open with about a third of classes in person, face to face; a third online; and another third blended of some sort.”

The original plan earlier this summer called for about 25% of classes in person, she explained, “but as those classes were filling up, we heard students wanted more of them, so we added some additional sections. Then we increased class sizes, which were lowered during the pandemic.”

Now 15 students are allowed in a class, still small enough to allow for social distancing, Royal said.

At the same time, “we were also hearing from other students who were not comfortable coming back in, given the conditions in the world. So that’s where we are this semester — we wanted to have a range of options for students so we can match whatever their comfort level is.”

HCC has had a mask mandate on campus since the start of the pandemic and has never lifted it. The college also modified its ventilation systems. “We have several classrooms that don’t have windows, and we wanted to make sure people felt comfortable in the learning spaces.”

In addition, the campus added protective barriers in many places and signage reminding students about masks, social distancing, and hand washing, as well as the need to get vaccinated.

Holyoke Community College President Christina Royal

Holyoke Community College President Christina Royal says the state’s community-college presidents are unified in their support of a vaccine mandate.

That is more than a nudge now, as all 15 community colleges in Massachusetts instituted a vaccine mandate last week for all students, faculty, and staff, which must be fully met by January.

“During the last 18 months, the Massachusetts community colleges have prioritized the health and safety of our communities while also recognizing that many of our students have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the presidents said in a statement shared with their campuses. “While a significant number of students, faculty, and staff are already vaccinated or are in the process of becoming vaccinated, the 15 colleges are seeking to increase the health and safety of the learning and working environment in light of the ongoing public health concerns and current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

In her own message to the HCC community, Royal noted that, “while there is no ironclad defense against coronavirus, extensive public-health research has shown that vaccination greatly reduces the risk of hospitalization and death.”

While the UMass system has not yet instituted a vaccine mandate, UMass Amherst is strongly advising shots for all students and employees. “The science is clear that vaccination is the best way to stop COVID-19 from spreading, and our best way to continue protecting each other’s well-being,” an official statement reads.

In the meantime, individuals who are not vaccinated are required to participate in the university’s asymptomatic testing program.

UMass Amherst is also back to in-person learning, but is following public-health guidelines for wearing masks indoors and distancing where possible.

“If we need to do more education and bring some public-health experts in to reduce misinformation and allow for people to get the facts, then we’ll certainly do that as part of our strategy.”

“The use of indoor masks, required on campus and in the town of Amherst … reduce the spread of infection, said Ann Becker, Public Health director, and Jeffrey Hescock, executive director of Environmental Health and Safety, in the campus’ Public Health Promotion Center, in a statement. But they also laid out the stark facts when it comes to vaccination.

“Our data shows that, among our vaccinated population, only 1.7% have tested positive. Among the approximately 500 individuals who have received religious or medical exemptions from vaccination, 10.05% have tested positive. We urge those not yet vaccinated to consider doing so.”

They noted, however, that positive cases have been predominately among undergraduate off-campus students connected to unmasked social activities. “We have not seen any spread in academic settings. Most cases continue to be of short duration, resulting in mild to moderate illness.”

UMass makes vaccine clinics readily availabe on campus, as do the 15 community colleges. HCC offers free COVID-19 vaccinations for four hours every Tuesday, as well as COVID-19 testing six days a week on campus through the Holyoke Board of Health.

Royal was adamant that a vaccine mandate was the right call.

“I think this is in our collective best interest, for our community colleges and for our region as well,” she told BusinessWest. “At this point, the vaccines have been shown to be effective when we’re talking about preventing disease or reducing hospitalizations and deaths.”

She recognizes that people have many different perspectives that should be respected, but that the college has a duty to combat misinformation.

“If we need to do more education and bring some public-health experts in to reduce misinformation and allow for people to get the facts, then we’ll certainly do that as part of our strategy.”

 

Life of the Campus

In some ways, it has been a frustrating start to the semester, Dumay said, noting that the general feeling earlier in the summer was that masks would be optional, let alone vaccines, as COVID gradually retreated. While it hasn’t, he noted that it’s important for students to safety enjoy the full Elms experience.

“One of the distinctive features of an Elms College education … is that it offers a vibrant and nurturing environment, and not just with the instruction that happens in the classroom,” he said. “It’s all the interactions and how people behave with one another.”

College leaders believe important personal growth occurs through that interaction, he added.

“You can’t really do that with an online model. You can approximate it, but it’s not ideal. So to the extent we can, we’ll take the steps that are necessary so we’re safe and have an on-campus education, particularly for young people who are at that stage in their life where they’re forming their character.”

Like Scott, Dumay said the key lesson from the pandemic has been that it’s good to have a plan, but one thet can be modified at any given time. “We have a backup to the plan and a backup to the backup. We’re prepared to shift as the environment changes.”

The second lesson is the importance of transparent communication, he noted, because without it, people tend to fill the gaps with misinformation.

“We’re not pretending the pandemic is over by any means,” AIC’s Scott said. “We’re complying with the Springfield mask mandate right now and requiring masks indoors and outdoors when you can’t maintain the six feet. But we still have a tent set up outside; we’re trying to drive people outside as much as possible, just as an extra layer of protection.

“But the 98% vaccination rate, along with masking — I don’t want to give people a false sense of security where you don’t have to be vigilant, but we’re feeling pretty confident that we’re doing what we need to do to keep people safe.”

If a pocket of infection arises, the campus is ready to bring in more testing supplies and trigger quarantine protocols, but Scott feels like the double protection offered by vaccines and masks are the best way to keep that possibility at bay.

“There’s no one to be mad at,” he added. “I’m not mad at the mayor for putting in a mask mandate; he’s doing what needs to be done to keep the people in the community safe. But is it frustrating when you think you have a plan and the pandemic doesn’t cooperate? Of course, but a virus doesn’t cooperate.”

What makes all the planning and inconveniences worthwhile, he said, was seeing the energy of the students as they moved back onto campus a month ago.

“It was kind of a heartwarming moment seeing some of these returners … they left in March of 2020, and they didn’t come back until the beginning of this September. So when they see each other in person for the very first time in a long while, you can see it, you can feel it. They want to be with each other.

“We believe in the on-campus experience,” he added. “They’re coming here for all these things — to participate in athletics, to live in the residence halls, to eat in the dining commons. We’re on an online campus in this moment.”

Dumay saw the same energy at the Elms — and doesn’t want to do anything that might threaten to snuff it out.

“The first week, seeing students back on campus, was fantastic,” he said. “They’re happy to be here. They don’t want to be sent back to Zoom. They’re happy to be with each other. And we’re happy to see them.”

 

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Business of Aging Special Coverage

Pivoting … Again

By Mark Morris

David Ianacone says infection-control expertise

David Ianacone says infection-control expertise in the skilled-nursing world predates COVID by far.

Just when it seemed COVID-19 was getting under control, the Delta variant of the virus took hold — and has encouraged many communities in Western Mass. to once again mandate wearing masks indoors.

With the variant showing no signs of slowing, BusinessWest checked in with several companies that serve seniors in the area — through home care, assisted living, and skilled nursing — to ask how they are navigating this stubborn virus that won’t go away.

They all have different stories, but one constant stands out: all of them have kept safety protocols in place that exceed the requirements of state and local mandates.

For David Ianacone, administrator at the Center for Extended Care and Rehabilitation at Amherst, rigid protocols are in place at all times to prevent infection problems.

“In the nursing-home business, we’re experts in infection control,” he said. “Long before the virus, we’ve had protocols in place known as ‘universal precaution.’”

Indeed, everyone who enters the facility must get their temperature taken and fill out a health questionnaire. Masks are required for staff and visitors at all times. Ianacone said 99% of the patients are fully vaccinated, and he estimated that 92% of the staff have received the vaccine.

“We have around 15 unvaccinated staff, most of whom work in the office or dietary area and are not in direct contact with patients,” Ianacone said. “They are tested every day before their shift begins.” If the test comes up positive, they have to leave.

The protocols have certainly been working; since January, when one patient at the center contracted the coronavirus, no staff or patients have tested positive.

This clean bill of health has allowed visitors to once again see their loved ones in person, but Ianacone pointed out there are restrictions based on the visitor’s vaccination status.

“If they are vaccinated and their loved one is also, they can meet with them closely in their room,” he explained. “But if a visitor is not vaccinated, we have a special room where they can visit in private, but they must maintain social distancing.”

Visitors to Cedarbrook Village at Ware have also returned to restricted visits with residents due to the resurgence of the virus.

Before Delta, Executive Director Kelly Russell said, families could visit with loved ones in their apartments and take meals with them. Since the resurgence, only a few guests can meet with the resident in a designated area that is disinfected after each visit.

“We’re actually going above and beyond what the CDC is recommending for our community,” she noted.

Before the Delta variant, the assisted-living facility was starting to return to normal activities like outings and even a trip to MGM Springfield.

“The residents had a great time at the casino, but we had to stop all trips like that because of the variant,” she said. “We also had to cancel the one-year anniversary of our opening that we had planned for September.”

Russell said her focus is now on “out-of-community risks,” meaning staff and residents out in public, residents coming out of acute settings, and visitors. Protocols are in place to mitigate risk in all these areas.

Patricia-Lee Baskin-Scholpp says she requires her home-care staff to be vaccinated to protect senior clients.

Patricia-Lee Baskin-Scholpp says she requires her home-care staff to be vaccinated to protect senior clients.

With vaccination rates among Cedarbrook staff at nearly 80%, the next challenge will be a state mandate that takes effect on Oct. 31 requiring everyone who works with seniors to be vaccinated.

“We have a responsibility to keep the residents in our community safe,” Russell said. “If there are still some people who refuse to get vaccinated, there’s a good chance they will not be able to work here.”

 

Girding for Battle

Patricia-Lee Baskin-Scholpp isn’t waiting for the state to act. The owner of Caring Solutions, a home-care company based in West Springfield, will not hire anyone who is not vaccinated. And, while 98% of her current staff is vaccinated, home care is an industry with lots of turnover.

“It’s already hard to find candidates, and by requiring a vaccination, the pool becomes that much smaller,” Baskin-Scholpp said. “Despite that, I won’t put my seniors at risk.”

A nurse by training, she discussed the reason she is passionate about vaccinations to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. “When you hold someone’s hand who is dying of COVID, it changes something in you.”

Baskin-Scholpp also believes we are in a war against COVID, and that one battle strategy worth embracing is wearing a mask. “I have N95 masks in many colors so our staff can make them part of their wardrobe,” she said. “We have to wear a mask anyway, so let’s own it.”

After several months without them, residents at Cedarbrook are back to wearing masks when they leave their apartments. For most, Russell said, it’s simply retraining.

“We opened at the height of COVID when many of our residents moved in. At that time, they had their masks with them at all times. Now they just need occasional reminders.”

“We opened at the height of COVID when many of our residents moved in,” she recalled. “At that time, they had their masks with them at all times. Now they just need occasional reminders.”

Because the virus is prone to change, Ianacone said he and his peers at other long-term-care facilities have an open communication stream with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the state office of epidemiology. “From time to time, they will recommend new protocols for us to implement to keep everybody safe.”

State health officials had raised concerns when several nursing homes discovered cases of the Delta variant. Ianacone pointed out that the protocols to protect against the Delta variant are the same as protecting against the original coronavirus, so staying consistent in COVID-prevention practices works.

“Because our patients are vulnerable, we always go the extra mile in our safety measures,” he added.

Baskin-Scholpp and her staff of 70 caregivers routinely go the extra mile based on a simple principle.

“If you treat people the way they want to be treated, it works,” she said. “We believe people should be able to stay in their own home and shouldn’t have to pay a fortune to do so.”

She named her company Caring Solutions because she believes every challenge has a solution, even COVID.

“This virus isn’t going anywhere right now, so let’s do everything we can to keep everybody safe,” she told BusinessWest. “It’s really less about individual rights and more about protecting each other.”

As a new facility, Cedarbrook still has apartments available for new residents. When the pandemic first hit, many seniors and their families were fearful of moving into a senior community.

Since that time, as everyone gains more knowledge about the virus, Russell and her staff have continued their diligence with cleaning and safety protocols, which have helped many of those fears to subside.

“People are still able to take tours, and we simply follow a cleaning schedule after the visit,” she said. “As a result, we’re seeing four to six move-ins a month, which is great.”

 

Life on the Front Line

Reflecting on the past 18 months, Ianacone said he appreciates how grateful the families of his patients have been during a time of constant adjustment.

“Hearing from the families is very warming to us staff members because they feel we are doing a good job taking care of their loved ones and keeping them safe.”

While these senior service professionals wage their fight against a stubborn virus, they continue to succeed in keeping seniors in our community safe. Baskin-Scholpp may have summed up the reason for everyone’s dedication.

Simply put, she said, “I am very passionate about our seniors.”

Community Spotlight

Community Spotlight

By Mark Morris

Amy Cahillane says the city is in a better place

Amy Cahillane says the city is in a better place than it was a year ago, but staffing remains a problem for businesses.

As Northampton works through the various stages of the pandemic, one term best describes any discussion about looking ahead.

“I’ve used the phrase ‘cautiously optimistic’ hundreds of times in the last several weeks, never mind the last year and a half,” said Amy Cahillane, executive director of Downtown Northampton Assoc. (DNA) — cautious because the city reimposed mask mandates before many other communities did, and optimistic because, despite all the challenges, Northampton can point to many successes.

Janet Egelston, owner of Northampton Brewery, said the last 18 months have been an ongoing process of pivoting, adapting, and learning, adding that “we call what we’re going through ‘pandemic university.’”

Northampton enjoys a long tradition as a dining destination. With more than 100 places to eat in the city, restaurants are a key sector to Northampton’s economy. Vince Jackson, executive director of the Northampton Chamber of Commerce, said economic studies have shown that, when restaurants are thriving, other business sectors do, too.

“Every job a restaurant creates results in another job in the community,” he explained. “Think about a typical date night — go out for dinner, go see a show, and then maybe a drink at the end of the evening.”

That’s why the pandemic, and the business restrictions that have accompanied it, have been so disruptive to the city’s economy. And the disruptions have come in waves; earlier this spring, when vaccines became widely available and COVID-19 infection numbers began to decrease, Northampton, like many communities, was able to relax masking requirements. Once vaccination levels began to plateau and the Delta variant of the virus kicked in, infections began to trend back up.

And when the city’s Health Department found several breakthrough cases that forced a couple restaurants to close for testing and quarantine, Mayor David Narkewicz made the decision to bring back indoor mask mandates.

“We are very fortunate to have this outdoor space, but it wasn’t as simple as opening the doors.”

“It’s never easy to be out front and be the first, but since we brought back masking, the communities around us have followed suit,” he said, adding that the city’s priority is keeping everyone safe and healthy. “We need businesses open for customers. Otherwise, the engine that drives Northampton isn’t going to run.”

The return to wearing masks was an easy change for Egelston’s staff at Northampton Brewery.

“In the restaurant business, we often make quick adjustments,” she said. “We also have a box of masks at our entrance for customers who arrive without one.”

In 2020, when the first wave of the pandemic closed all kinds of businesses for several months, Egelston delayed her reopening until Aug. 10, the 33rd anniversary of the brewery. Even though outdoor dining has always been a part of the restaurant, with two levels of rooftop decks, she still had to retrofit the space for the times.

“We installed plexiglass barriers and socially distanced our tables outside as if we were inside. We are very fortunate to have this outdoor space, but it wasn’t as simple as opening the doors,” she said, adding that all employees are vaccinated. “It’s our policy.”

Janet Egelston says she is “eternally optimistic”

Janet Egelston says she is “eternally optimistic” despite 18 months of pivoting and persistent staffing challenges.

Since reopening last August, the brewery has operated at a lower capacity, not due to mandates, but because of trouble finding enough staff.

“The core staff who work here are great,” Egelston said, adding that, while there is always some amount of turnover, she hasn’t received many applications in the last several months. “That’s starting to improve, but we’re not yet ready to go to full capacity.”

 

Workforce Crunch

While the city is in a better place than it was a year ago, Cahillane said, staffing remains a challenge for most businesses.

“When everyone is hiring, it perpetuates the issue further because employers are all looking for the same people,” she noted. “They are also filling positions at every conceivable level, from dishwasher to front of house to store manager.”

Despite the staffing challenges, Jackson said most businesses in Northampton had a great summer. In talking with business owners in the restaurant, retail, and construction sectors, he said many reported success at pre-pandemic levels.

“A caterer I spoke with has 200 events booked through the end of the year,” he said. “One restaurant owner said her numbers are better than they’ve been in a long time.”

Northampton at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1883
Population: 28,483
Area: 35.8 square miles
County: Hampshire
Residential tax rate: $17.37
Commercial tax rate: $17.37
Median Household Income: $56,999
Median Family Income: $80,179
Type of government: Mayor, City Council
Largest Employers: Cooley Dickinson Hospital; ServiceNet Inc.; Smith College; L-3 KEO
* Latest information available

‘Summer on Strong’ was a successful effort to close an entire section of Strong Avenue to traffic and turn it into an outdoor dining pavilion shared by a few different eateries. Narkewicz credited local restaurants for suggesting and leading the effort. When ideas like this were proposed, the mayor said the city would “move mountains” to streamline the permitting process to make them happen.

“Northampton is a regional magnet for people who want to come here for entertainment, arts, dining, and the vibe of a walkable city where people like to hang out,” he noted.

The city lost businesses during the pandemic, including Silverscape Designs, which closed at the end of 2020. Despite the optics of that vacancy in the middle of downtown, Cahillane said a mix of new businesses have been opening at an encouraging pace.

“Between Northampton and Florence, we had roughly 18 businesses that left,” she noted. “And nearly 17 new places opened.”

The return of students to Smith College and campuses in the surrounding towns marked a sign of life before the pandemic. Cahillane said the students brought a needed emotional lift. “There has been a noticeable lightening and brightening downtown since the students have come back. Their return is what Northampton usually feels like in the fall.”

The return of events this summer has also provided a boost to Northampton. Cahillane said it’s satisfying to look at a calendar and see events scheduled once again. “The Arts Council held several concerts this summer, we recently started Arts Night Out, and the Jazz Festival is coming back the first weekend in October.”

Jackson is “cautiously optimistic” that momentum from the summer will continue into fall leaf-peeping season. In this area, Indigenous Peoples Weekend marks prime time for leaf peepers.

“One hotelier told me if you don’t book early for that weekend, you won’t find a place to stay,” he said, adding that he’s hopeful activities in November and December will also bring people to the city and surrounding towns.

This fall will be different for Narkewicz, as he will not seek re-election as Northampton’s mayor. Looking back on his 10 years in office, he discussed several areas in which he’s proud of his administration’s achievements, such as improving the fiscal health of the city and being one of the first communities to stand up for the important role immigration plays in the U.S.

“We stand up for equality for all our residents,” he said. “We’ve received high marks for our commitment to LGBTQ folks and have been doing more work around racial equality.”

For the next few months, he hopes to develop a blueprint for the next mayor. “My goal is to provide a map of the immediate needs and available resources, so the next administration can work with stakeholders in the community to make sure we see a strong, equitable recovery to COVID.”

 

Keep Moving Forward

Among many in Northampton, the consensus is to keep moving forward, but also stay safe.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I am eternally optimistic,” Egelston said. “It’s the only way I’ve been able to be in the restaurant business for so many years.”

Jackson said having events return to the city, sometimes in different forms, went a long way to giving people reasons to come to Northampton. “I won’t say this is a new normal, but it feels right for this moment.”

Features

Doing More with Less

 

At a recent virtual seminar, Delcie Bean asked attendees to think back 20 years and ask themselves, did they foresee a time when phone books and yellow pages would not be a thing?

After all, he asked, every home had one, and they were the primary way small businesses advertised and shared their contact information with the public.

Now, “look at what’s happened to that world,” said Bean, president of Paragus Strategic IT. “That’s the pace at which technology is changing. These things we took for granted, that we felt were never going to change, that were part of the fabric of our ecosystem, have changed. And it’s not just phone books. Think of all the landfills that are chock full of technology that, at one point in time, we didn’t think we could live without.”

And it’s not just tools, but the way we do business, he said, pointing out the short jumps between dominant communication methods over the past century. That idea was one jumping-off point for Bean’s virtual seminar on Sept. 15, titled “Automation: the Time Is Now,” and subtitled “How Automation Can Streamline Your Business and Offset the Labor Shortage.”

At this event, presented by BusinessWest and Comcast Business, he said everyone should ask themselves a simple question: “What’s my phone book? What’s the thing in my business that is still antiquated and should have been replaced by now?

“What’s my phone book? What’s the thing in my business that is still antiquated and should have been replaced by now?”

For example, he went on, “do I have employees entering data into a system that could easily be automated? Am I still doing things on paper forms that then need to be scanned into a system or, God forbid, typed in manually into another system? Do I have antiquated processes that require people to get manual approval and shuffle things around and put things in inboxes and outboxes, and do I still have tasks being done manually that are just ripe to automate?”

The 60-minute presentation focused on the benefits of automation and the ways it can be utilized to save businesses time, trouble, and expense — anything from onboarding a new employee or client to gathering information when someone signs up for something on a website, to the steps involved in the approval process when employees want to request a new computer. All of this, and more, can be automated, Bean said.

One common tool helping businesses do that today is the Microsoft 365 platform, an evolution of the Microsoft Office suite that offers subscription tiers and features including secure cloud storage, business e-mail, advanced cyberthreat protection, and the popular Microsoft Teams program.

“Microsoft has made a very deliberate, very intelligent decision to be the leader in small-business workforce automation, and they have invested infinite money in trying to do that,” Bean said. “And it’s actually paid off.”

 

Perfect Storm

The need to streamline processes through automation impacts most businesses and, as such, is a timely topic of discussion, Bean said — “maybe more than we’d want it to be.” And that’s partly because of the unique set of economic stressors that have emerged over the past 18 months.

“We’re probably all feeling busier right now than we’ve ever felt,” he said. “I know there’s a lot going on that’s causing us to have a lot more on our plates, a lot more challenges to solve, a lot more obstacles to overcome than we’ve had to in the past. So why are we taking time out of our day to have this conversation?”

Well, first of all, businesses are being forced to do more with less. Roughly 3.5 million Americans are not in the workforce but used to be — largely because of the pandemic, but not totally. Population growth has slowed, and the massive exodus of Baby Boomers from the workforce has accelerated somewhat.

“That has a huge impact on the ecomomy, one we cannot minimize,” Bean noted — and one that will continue to ripple throughout organizations of all sizes at a time when everyone seems to be wearing more hats than before, juggling more tasks, and trying to keep up with less help. And that leads to more stress in the workforce.

“We’re seeing more employees comment that they feel overwhelmed, people are leaving their jobs, looking for new jobs, changing industries,” he said. “Or they’re managing the working-remote, working-in-the-office challenges, healthcare challenges … it’s a lot of stress and pressure on the workforce that’s still working.”

On the other hand, the workforce crunch has also created a talent shortage and one of the best-ever markets for job seekers, who have more leverage than before, Bean said, making it harder to hire and retain employees.

Wage growth has accelerated, and so have employee demands regarding everything from remote work to more autonomy to relaxed dress codes, he noted. “Employers are working really hard to try to manage and keep up with those demands while also managing the business.”

It’s an incredibly difficult economy, he added, and just for small employers; the situation is really trickling up to larger and higher-paying employers as well. “It’s not ignoring anybody.”

And it comes, Bean explained, in the midst of what’s known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which builds on the third (which began in the mid-20th century and was known as the digital revolution, marked by the rise of computerization). This fourth revolution is melding technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, cloud computing, augmented reality, smart sensors, 3D printing, and many other advances, and promises to transform the way people live and work.

“There’s a lot going on right now that is digitizing and changing the way we interact with pretty much every aspect of our life,” he said. “And it’s happening at a rate we are very unaccustomed to handle.”

As noted, businesses trying to adapt to this fast-changing world are doing so amid all the recent challenges stemming from the pandemic and the labor situation. Small businesses also lament the growing culture of acquisition, and find it difficult to compete with larger companies with more resources, more innovation, and the ability to pay more for talent.

“All in all, it makes you feel like, if you’re a small firm, you’re in a race that’s a losing battle,” Bean said. “Exhausted? I don’t blame you.”

 

No Standing Still

But exhaustion is no excuse for inaction, he argued, before refuting the common myths around automation: that it’s too expensive, too complicated, and takes too long to implement. All are untrue, he explained during the virtual seminar, and again during a sit-down with BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien during a recent edition of the magazine’s podcast, Business Talk (businesswest.com/blog/businesstalk-with-delcie-bean-ceo-of-paragus-strategic-it).

In other words, there’s no excuse for any business to avoid this conversation any longer.

“We don’t want to be the next Blockbuster,” Bean told the seminar attendees. “We don’t want to be the company that could see that things were changing, stuck to our guns, hung on, and ultimately worked their way into oblivion.”

 

—Joseph Bednar

Education

Access and Opportunity

 

The University of Massachusetts recently announced it will receive a cash gift of $50 million from Robert and Donna Manning. The gift, the largest of any kind in the university’s history, is aimed at increasing access and opportunity across the five-campus university system.

The first distribution of the $50 million will be $15 million to endow the UMass Boston Nursing program, which will become the Robert and Donna Manning College of Nursing and Health Sciences. The funds will be focused on supporting student diversity and ensuring that the new cohort of nursing professionals are champions of equitable patient care.

Donna Manning’s 35-year career as an oncology nurse at Boston Medical Center inspired the decision to focus the gift on nursing at UMass Boston. Known for her dedication to patients, Manning donated her salary to the hospital each year.

“For the majority of my career in Boston, I was struck by the fact that most of the nurses looked like me, while most of the patients didn’t,” she said. “UMass Boston plays a critical role in supporting diversity in Boston, and I have seen firsthand how diversity in the nursing workforce can improve patient care and address health inequities. We look forward to actively working with the college on these important goals.”

The College of Nursing and Health Sciences is the fastest-growing college at UMass Boston and offers the only four-year public programs in nursing and exercise and health sciences in the Greater Boston area. The undergraduate and graduate population of approximately 2,100 students in the college is 19% black, 12% Latinx, and 11% Asian-American/Pacific islander.

“This transformational gift from Rob and Donna comes at the right time and the right place and for a beautiful cause: to foster a culture of healing and health equity in Boston and beyond. It will enable UMass Boston to take the education of the next generation of nurses nobly serving as caregivers to the next level of excellence and engagement,” UMass Boston Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco said. “Amidst a pandemic, rampant medical disinformation, nursing shortages, and the heroism of healthcare workers, we at UMass Boston are more committed than ever to cultivating extraordinary nursing talent. The Mannings’ historic gift will be put to use to nurture the next generation of health and wellness scientific expertise, but also the humane heart, the empathy and cultural awareness that define caregiving in its truest sense.”

In the coming months, the Mannings plan to announce distributions from the overall gift to improve access and opportunity on the other UMass campuses in Amherst, Dartmouth, Lowell, and Worcester.

“Donna and I are at a point in our lives where we want to make a real difference, and this was the best way to do that because we know what UMass does for students — it transforms lives,” said Robert Manning, who is chairman of MFS Investment Management and the long-time chair of the UMass board of trustees. “We firmly believe that UMass is the most important asset in the Commonwealth and that the greatest thing we can do to support the Commonwealth is to support the UMass campuses and UMass students.”

The $50 million gift from the Mannings is a transformational moment for the UMass system and would represent the largest-ever commitment received by the university even if it were not an upfront, cash gift.

“The significance of this gift cannot be overstated,” UMass President Marty Meehan said. “Rob and Donna are two of our own. As first-generation college graduates, they experienced the transformational impact UMass has on students’ lives. Rob and Donna have always led by example in their philanthropy, and this remarkable gift is a call to action to the philanthropic community. It says that UMass is a good investment and an opportunity to have direct and immediate impact on the future of the Commonwealth. On behalf of the five campuses, we thank the Mannings for their incredible generosity and commitment to students.”

The Mannings are Methuen natives and were high-school sweethearts. They both commuted to UMass Lowell, with Robert receiving a degree in information systems management from UMass Lowell in 1984 and Donna receiving a nursing degree in 1985 and an MBA from UMass Lowell in 1991. They each received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from UMass Lowell in 2011.

Immediately after graduating from UMass Lowell, Robert Manning began working at MFS Investment Management as a research analyst in its high-yield bond group, and credits his UMass education with giving him a competitive edge. Over his career at MFS, he rose to become president, CEO, and then chair. Under his leadership, MFS has grown to manage more than $670 billion in assets annually. He will retire this year. Donna Manning retired from Boston Medical Center in 2018. The couple plans to be heavily engaged in the UMass programs their gifts will support.

The Mannings were already among UMass’ greatest supporters, having committed more than $11 million to UMass Lowell, where the Manning School of Business bears their name. On the Lowell campus, they have endowed several faculty chairs, sponsored a nursing-simulation lab, and established the Robert and Donna Manning Endowed Scholarship Fund. The Manning Prize for Excellence in Teaching is awarded to faculty on all five UMass campuses for high-impact teaching.

Education

Dollars and Sense

By Mark Morris

From left: Square One’s Dawn DiStefano, Melissa Blissett, and Kristine Allard; and FP Investment Group’s Flavia McCaughey, Flavia Cote, and Peter Cote.

Given the scope of Square One’s work for children and families, it’s not unusual for the organization to receive contributions to support its efforts.

But recently, FR Investment Group offered a donation that goes far beyond writing a check.

“Instead of making a monetary donation, we’ve chosen to do something harder,” said Peter Cote, president of FP Investment Group. “We’re giving our time and services to help Square One clients and staff improve their financial literacy.”

Dawn DiStefano, Square One’s executive director, had seen similar attempts at financial education fizzle out, despite good intentions. This latest proposal was different.

“The FR group wanted to understand who we are and what we want for our clients and staff,” she said. “They were curious, inquisitive, and showed us they valued our expertise as well.”

The Empower Financial Literacy program is now a monthly offering at Square One. Flavia Cote, executive vice president of FR Investment and Peter’s wife, runs the session each month with FR staff, including her daughter, Flavia McCaughey, a vice president with FR.

McCaughey presented the idea to her parents that working with families at the lowest income levels to help them understand the basics of finance could have a huge impact on those families — and also on the community at large. The Cotes supported the idea but also offered some sage advice.

“My parents told me to be prepared that maybe only one person would show up to the meeting,” McCaughey said. “I discussed that possibility with the team, and we decided if the program makes a difference in even one person’s life, it’s worth it.”

Instead, 14 people have signed up for the program, with eight or nine regularly attending the monthly sessions.

“Given that we’re still dealing with COVID and that everyone has busy lives, I’m excited about 14 sign-ups,” DiStefano said. “The program will be here when they’re ready. It’s not a one-and-done.”

“Instead of making a monetary donation, we’ve chosen to do something harder.”

Far from it. Peter has committed his firm to running the financial-literacy program for the next 30 to 50 years.

“That’s how long it’s going to take to make real change in the financial well-being of our community,” he said. “You have to be on the ground and commit to the long term.”

 

Changing the Narrative

This kind of commitment is necessary to break what DiStefano called a self-fulfilling prophecy of bad outcomes.

“Those who grew up in a family where they worried about how they were going to eat and get to school often end up creating that same unstable environment for themselves when they are adults,” she said. “They’re not surprised when they lose an apartment or don’t care about their credit score because they feel they couldn’t buy a car anyway.”

Just like savings, tough situations also have a way of compounding and growing. DiStefano gave an example of someone who lost a job, and in order to receive housing assistance, they had to be in arrears on their rent, which would then negatively affect their credit score. “This is what people are dealing with,” she said.

Melissa Blissett, vice president of Family Support Services at Square One, asks people what’s going on that prohibits them from living a better life and uses a tool called the family-goal plan to help them.

Flavia McCaughey leads a financial-literacy session at Square One.

Flavia McCaughey leads a financial-literacy session at Square One.

“The FR folks speak the same language we use with our families, and we both use the SMART goal approach,” Blissett said. SMART, a popular goal-setting technique, is an acronym for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely.

Flavia Cote said her team encourages people to set a goal such as buying a reliable car, and the FR staff breaks it down to the actions needed to eventually reach the goal.

“We encourage people to try to save at least $10 a month,” she said. “Even if they can’t save $10 next month, they have started to think about saving.”

To prevent being overwhelmed by a large goal, Peter suggests taking it one step at a time. “I don’t want people to think about years from now — just think about the next 24 hours. When you bring it down to 24 hours, you help people see an attainable goal.”

In their monthly sessions, the FR staff help people with figuring the numbers and, more importantly, understanding the emotions that come with handling finances.

“If someone can’t save for one month, we encourage them to set the goal for next month,” Flavia said. “We want to bring hope and make finance simple enough for people to achieve some sort of financial independence.”

Like dedicated saving, positive actions can also have a compounding effect. Recently, a class-action case involving overdraft fees at a regional bank reached a settlement for several million dollars. Once all the claimants received their share, $23,000 remained. This final amount is usually provided to a nonprofit program in alignment with the core theme of the case and is known as a ‘cy pres,’ from a French phrase meaning ‘as near as possible.’

The plaintiff’s counsel, Angela Edwards, learned about the Square One program from Flavia Cote and thought it sounded perfect. “I recommended the cy pres for Square One, the defense counsel agreed, and the judge approved it.”

 

Making Progress

Peter Cote sees his main job not as a financial person, but as a champion for others. “We’re dealing with people who have a variety of financial challenges, and we are their champions to let them know it will be OK.”

When people attend the sessions at Square One, Flavia said, they show they are ready to make progress with their lives. “We try to help people understand their situation is not permanent and there is a way to change it.”

While a term like financial literacy might sound academic, Peter offered a few different terms that might better describe the course.

“You could call it financial well-being, or Life 101,” he said. “Maybe Figuring It Out 101.”

Business of Aging

An Impactful Gift

 

Allison Vorderstrasse says the $21.5 million gift from the Marieb Foundation

Allison Vorderstrasse says the $21.5 million gift from the Marieb Foundation will allow the nursing program to move forward with its mission more rapidly.

 

Transformative.

Allison Vorderstrasse acknowledged that this is a powerful word with specific meaning; it is not, or should not be, used arbitrarily.

But when it comes to the $21.5 million donation from the Elaine Nicpon Marieb Foundation to UMass Amherst, and, more specifically, its College of Nursing — the largest single gift ever given to the school — that descriptive adjective certainly fits.

“We know that, in order to transform care, we must first transform education,” said Vorderstrasse, dean of the school of Nursing, noting that the school will now bear the name of the woman who graduated with a master’s degree from the program in 1985 and passed away in 2018. “As a center of discovery — and true to our namesake — the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing will inspire individual and collective growth as we help prepare tomorrow’s leaders and advance the field.

“This gift will support multiple areas of our mission that align so well with Elaine Marieb’s legacy,” she went on. “It will certainly allow us to move forward in those areas in a more rapid fashion than we could without it.

These areas include the university’s Center for Nursing and Engineering Innovation, said Vorderstrasse, adding that the gift will also impact how the school delivers its curriculum and programs, enable enhanced use of simulation, and, perhaps most importantly, put more nurses in the pipeline at a time when they are desperately needed.

“There is a demand for nurses, obviously, and for us to be able to provide a program that can facilitate nurses coming into the profession, especially here in Western Massachusetts, where we’ve seen an even more dramatic nursing shortage, is an important part of our mission.”

When asked about the gift, how it came about, and what it means for the university and its Nursing program, Vorderstrasse started by talking about the message it sends and the trust it implies, something that’s very important to her.

Elaine Marieb

“What was really exciting to me was the enthusiasm at the foundation about honoring Elaine Marieb’s legacy in this way, and the faith and the trust that they had in us as an institution and a college to really make this gift transformative,” she explained. “They truly felt that the work we were doing was innovative, exciting, and, in many ways, unique, and this meant it was a good fit with her legacy and that they would see the impact of that gift. It was very exciting to hear the degree of enthusiasm that they had for what we do.”

For this issue, BusinessWest talked at length with Vorderstrasse about the many ways her program, and the university, intend to honor that trust and put this gift to work in ways that have far-reaching implications.

 

Paying It Forward

The gift from the Marieb Foundation, announced on Sept. 16, is only the latest significant donation to come to UMass in recent months.

It comes after a $50 million gift from Rob and Donna Manning aimed at increasing access and opportunity across the five-campus university system (see story on page 28), and a $170 million gift from the Morningside Foundation to UMass Medical School, further positioning the university as a leading public education institution in the nation.

Together, these donations provide growing evidence that the system and its individual programs are growing in stature and reputation and are “well-positioned to advance education, research, and access for students at scale in the Commonwealth,” said UMass President Marty Meehan in a prepared statement.

Vorderstrasse echoed those sentiments and noted that this latest gift — again, the largest ever given to UMass Amherst — creates more momentum, enthusiasm, and exposure for the school at a pivotal time in its history.

“It’s such an exciting time for the whole university to see this come in,” she said, “because it says that the foundation and others who have been good friends of the university for a long time really do feel that this is a pivotal time to support UMass.”

Meanwhile, the $21.5 million gift is only the latest of many from Marieb and the foundation she created to area schools. Previously, she had made gifts of more than $2 million for campus-wide scholarships at UMass Amherst. She and the foundation have also made several gifts to Holyoke Community College and its Center for Life Sciences, which now bears her name.

Marieb, a Northampton native, died in 2018 at age 82, and ranks among the nation’s most influential nursing educators. As noted, she earned a master’s degree from UMass Amherst’s College of Nursing in 1985 with a specialization in gerontology. Prior to that, she received a Ph.D. in zoology from the College of Natural Sciences at UMass in 1969. She also held degrees from Holyoke Community College, Fitchburg State College, Mount Holyoke College, and Westfield State College. Her distinguished career included time teaching at Springfield College and Holyoke Community College.

Ultimately, Marieb became the author or co-author of more than 10 bestselling textbooks and laboratory manuals on anatomy and physiology after she started writing textbooks to address complaints from her nursing students that the materials then available were ineffective. Her work has been read by more than 3 million nurses and healthcare professionals practicing today.

Marieb’s impact on nursing education will only become more profound with the foundation’s latest gift, said Vorderstrasse, adding that it comes after six to nine months of collaborative discussions with foundation leaders about nursing education, the UMass program, and its mission moving forward.

In many ways, the nursing engineering program, launched last January, became a catalyst for the gift. Seed-funded by other donors and friends of the School of Nursing, the initiative was conceptualized to support graduate students in their research training and experience at UMass across various disciplines, Vorderstrasse explained.

“It functions at that nexus of healthcare, engineering, and healthcare professionals, especially nurses, and the development and application of new technologies or even existing technologies — how we apply those in an ethical manner and develop them in such a way that takes into consideration patients and the people who will use them, as well as nurses who are on the front lines using these technologies.

“We hope that it will evolve into a center that collaborates not only on our campus, but with industry partners, because Massachusetts is a hub for healthcare technology,” she went on, adding that the grant from the Marieb Foundation will fund research at the center, especially new initiatives and pilot programs that need seed funding to get off the ground.

Meanwhile, the gift will be used to help expand the nursing programs and put more nurses into the pipeline, she said. Plans call for student scholarships to be expanded to improve access for underrepresented students, and to link scholarships to academic and professional success.

Elaborating, Vorderstrasse said the traditional bachelor’s-degree program graduates roughly 65 students each year and sees more than 2,000 applicants for those seats.

Expansion of that program will be incremental, perhaps eight to 10 students at a time, she told BusinessWest, adding that a program like this cannot, and should not, double in size overnight. But over a period of years, growth can be achieved that will make a significant impact in the number of nurses entering the field.

Growth is also projected for what’s known as the second-degree nursing program, for individuals who have a degree in another field and want to venture into nursing, said Vorderstrasse, adding that this program currently graduates roughly 90 students each year.

 

Bottom Line

Getting back to the word transformative, it is saved for those occasions when someone or something can bring about profound, meaningful change.

The someone in this case, Marieb, has already done so much to change the landscape when it comes to nursing education. The something is a gift, the latest of many, that will accelerate the pace of growth and progress for the Nursing program and enable more people to earn degrees there.

As Vorderstrasse said, that adjective ‘transformative’ certainly fits in this case.

 

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

Business of Aging

Regaining Control

By Kimberley Lee

 

In addition to community-based programming, Nigel Cooper serves as program coordinator for one of nine residences MHA operates as part of its New Way division in the Greater Springfield area for individuals with acquired brain injury.

The division, which also includes a day component, serves those whose brain injury is severe and acquired after birth as the result of a trauma or medical condition. Impairments can range from the physical to the cognitive to the behavioral.

“Our residents were not born with their disabilities,” Cooper said. “Some are college graduates, some have had jobs, some have wives, husbands, children. Something happened in their lives, could be an accident, they could have had a stroke, something that causes the brain not to function as well as it did.”

The specialized care an acquired brain injury patient might need often results in a nursing-home placement, something Cooper calls “unfortunate,” as “some are 30 years old, 50 years old, and find themselves living their life out there. A week or month or days before, they were going through their everyday life in their community.”

This is when New Way, under division Vice President Sara Kyser, can help those referred by the state, after assessment by a skilled-nursing facility, transition from that facility into one of its neighborhood residences.

“Basically, we are transitioning them back to life. They may not have the same life as they had before, but we try to make it as close to that as possible.”

“We interview the individuals and find a good fit for them in one of our homes,” Cooper said. “Basically, we are transitioning them back to life. They may not have the same life as they had before, but we try to make it as close to that as possible.”

His determination and respect for New Way residents mirror how staff engage with them and the programming that includes both rehabilitation and outreach. Services are aimed at helping residents integrate back into their community life, be it through work, volunteer opportunities, or participation in the Resource Center, a New Way program that is also open to those with a disabling medical condition.

“Yes, we provide care, but what I like to say is that we provide support — the difference being that, whatever our residents can do, we approach them to keep on doing that,” he explained. “That is where we meet them; that is where we start our work with them.

“We don’t want people to get discouraged because they need support,” he went on. “There can be depression and a lot of anxiety. So, if someone can cook, we encourage that. If someone can wash their clothes, we encourage that. If someone can bathe themselves, we encourage that.”

The goal, he said, is “to build an independent life for them as far as we can with their injuries.” In the case of one resident in his 30s whose memory was greatly impacted by a drug overdose, this meant getting the support need to be matched with a job, finding his own way over time to and from certain destinations, and eventually moving from a four-bed New Way residence into a less supervised two-bed home.

“We helped move him out of a nursing home and recreated a life that would work for him and his injury,” Cooper said.

For another resident, it has meant regaining the ability to eat without assistance and working toward being able to stand and walk again with less help. “We push 150% to get the residents in all our homes into the communities they live in — reuniting them with family members, keeping them involved in activities outside the residences.

“We are not into just housing people,” he added. “We want to get people out and into society to do whatever they want to do. We are not just ‘housers’ of our residents.”

One key to success, he said, is the trust that develops between staff and residents.

“The job is about making relationships and being motivators, getting people to invest back in themselves — helping them to understand their situation happened, but it is not the end of the world. There is life, there are resources, there is a way you will now live that is different from before, but you will eventually get to a point where you can enjoy your life.”

He added, “I tell staff all the time that the house will get clean, the floors will get swept.”

Cooper noted that “what we need to build is relationships through consistency and being there. We are the people the residents see every day and depend on and trust for support. Once a relationship is built, residents will go to appointments with you, allow you to do personal care and take suggestions. They understand you are in this with them.”

Richard Johnson, who works under Cooper as a site manager, echoed his comments.

“We are all about making the residents feel comfortable,” said Johnson, whose job includes coordinating volunteer opportunities for residents such as cooking and serving meals for the homeless or preparing and distributing COVID hygiene packages for seniors.

He also arranges for residents to attend events like Springfield College’s recent “Be the Change” presentation that was held to promote community service. Staff and residents attend events together but without any indication of their association.

Johnson said such outreach is about the residents continuing to “build relationships” on their own terms and improving their integration skills.

“One of the residents who attended the Springfield College event told me that it was the most comfortable he has felt in years in terms of being out in the community and talking to people,” he noted. “Everything was free, and he just liked being able to go up to a vendor, get nachos and a drink. That engagement on his own was important to him in building a sense of normal for himself.”

Johnson said he builds relationships with the residents through “really hard, honest conversations through which I learn how to navigate and pick up on what they like and what they want to do.”

He noted that transitioning into more active community engagement is not always easy for residents with their disabilities, but he enjoys helping them make that transition and working with Cooper to find related opportunities.

Cooper added that it is this “giving someone a chance to have possibilities and control in their life again” that gives him job satisfaction.

“A lot has been taken away from our residents,” he went on. “The life they were used to living is no longer. They are not living with their families. They can’t just go out to the store or into the kitchen to make what they want to eat or jump on an airplane and travel. What makes me feel good is to see some sort of normalcy return to their lives and for them to get to a certain level where they have control.”

 

Kimberley Lee is vice president of Resource Development & Branding at MHA.

Features

2021 Women of Impact Judges

Soon, BusinessWest will unveil its Women of Impact for 2021, our fourth annual celebration of area women who are accomplishing great things, standing out in their field, and doing impactful work in the community. As in past years, we’ve asked a panel of three independent judges to read and review dozens of nominations to determine the class of 2021. They are:

Michele Cabral is interim executive director of Professional Education and Corporate Learning at Holyoke Community College and director of Training & Workforce Options. She started her career as a CPA for KPMG Peat Marwick, graduated from the Leadership Development Program at CIGNA Insurance Companies, and joined Farm Credit Financial Partners Inc. as CFO and COO. At HCC, Cabral has held positions as an Accounting professor, then dean of the Business and Technology Division, and she currently leads the HCC Women’s Leadership Series.

Dawn Fleury is the first senior vice president of Corporate Risk at Country Bank in Ware. In her current role, she oversees the bank’s comprehensive risk-management programs. Before joining Country Bank, she had a 21-year career with the FDIC as a commissioned senior bank examiner in the Division of Supervision. Fleury serves on the board of Christina’s House in Springfield, which provides transitional housing for women and their children, as well as educational programming as families transition from homelessness to permanent, stable living environments.

Ellen Freyman is a shareholder with Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C. in Springfield. Her practice is concentrated in all aspects of commercial real estate: acquisitions and sales, development, leasing, permitting, environmental, and financing. She has been recognized for her community work and was named to Difference Makers and Women of Impact by BusinessWest, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Excellence in Law, and the Professional Women’s Chamber Women of the Year. She also earned a Pynchon Award from the Ad Club of Western Massachusetts.

Sports & Leisure

Swinging in the Rain

 

When it hasn’t been raining, Mike Fontaine notes, this has been a very solid year for the region’s golf courses.

When it hasn’t been raining, Mike Fontaine notes, this has been a very solid year for the region’s golf courses.

 

Mike Fontaine has been working in the golf business for more than three decades now. As the general manager at the Ledges Golf Club in South Hadley, he speaks from experience when he says this season has been unlike anything course owners and managers have seen in a long while, if ever.

The rain has been almost constant, bringing with it lost rounds, lost days, damage to fairways and greens, logistical problems when it comes to all that has been postponed, additional expense on the course-maintenance side, and … well, you get the idea.

“It’s been a challenge at best,” said Fontaine, with a heavy dose of understatement in his voice. “In all my years in golf, this weather pattern has been the toughest I’ve seen. It was probably the wettest July on record, and August brought the humidity and more rain. And with no one wanting to work and it being very difficult to find people in all departments, not just food and beverage…”

His voice tailed off, but he got his key points across: 2021 has been a struggle, in every way.

But it hasn’t been a lost year by any means. Indeed, it’s been a solid season for many golf operations, especially those that are membership-based or are mostly private but allow public play. That’s because a good number of those who took up the game, or rediscovered it, during the pandemic, when there was seemingly nothing else to do, stayed with it.

At least … when the weather would allow them to.

“When we were open, it lived up to the expectations we had at the start of the year,” said Kevin Piecuch, head pro at Country Club of Greenfield, a quasi-public operation, noting that, based on last year’s strong numbers, the bar was set fairly high for 2021. “It wasn’t quite as busy as last year, but it has still been a solid year, although the weather has certainly hurt us.”

Fontaine concurred. “When it’s not raining, we’ve been packed.”

E.J. Altobello, head pro at Springfield Country Club, a private club in West Springfield, went further. He said that, despite the rain, which has taken five whole days from the calendar, by his count, and parts of countless others, the club is doing nearly as well as it did last year, and much better than the years immediately preceding the pandemic.

“When we were open, it lived up to the expectations we had at the start of the year.”

“We didn’t reach 2020 numbers, but we surpassed all our 2019 numbers,” he noted. “And we destroyed 2018 numbers — absolutely clobbered them.”

Like Fontaine and Piecuch, Altobello said the surge the game witnessed in 2020 appears to have staying power, manifesting itself in everything from those impressive numbers of rounds to a waiting list for membership, something this club, and most area clubs, haven’t seen in quite a while.

“We’re back to an initiation fee at the club, for the first time in 15 years or more,” he noted. “Every category is filled up. We’re still taking some social memberships and things like that, but everything else is full; we have 20 people on a waiting list trying to get in for 2022.”

The hope, of course, is that the rain subsides for the last few months of this year and courses continue to build momentum for 2022. But as everyone has seen this past summer, forecasting can be difficult.

 

Clouding the Issue

The 8th hole at Greenfield is a fairly short par 5, while the 9th is a stout par 4 of nearly 400 yards. There were times this year, though, when the former was a par 4 and the latter a par 3, because portions of those fairways were just too wet for play and adjustments had to be made, said Piecuch, who also has 30 years of experience under his belt and can say with hesitation that he’s never seen this much rain.

“We’ve had to flop some holes around and take some other steps,” he said, adding that there has been some shuffling of the schedule as well, especially with league play, which has seen a number of cancellations.

There have been adjustments like this at many area clubs over the course of the year, with the relentless rains taking their toll on courses that were soft most all of the time and waterlogged a good deal of the time.

At many courses, carts were not permitted on some days, and were only permitted on the cart paths on many others. Some holes were simply unplayable, and others had to be shortened. And those were some of the minor steps to be taken.

Indeed, following some of the many heavy downpours, especially those accompanying Hurricane Ida just before Labor Day weekend, courses had to close and dry out.

Fontaine, like others in the business, has kept careful count of the days, and rounds, lost to the weather. “It rained parts of 19 days in July, enough for us to lose revenue each one,” he said, adding that there were other days when it didn’t rain but the course was closed, at least part of the day, because it wasn’t playable.

“There was standing water on holes where we don’t have cart paths, or the cart paths were impassable, or trees came down,” he told BusinessWest, adding that, overall, the couse has held up well through it all.

Often, the rain came with heavy winds. Altobello said a rare microburst took down 17 trees on the Springfield Country Club property in late August.

The rain became more poignant, and even more of a story, because, as noted, this was supposed to be a big year for area courses, a time to build on the momentum gained last season, when, because almost everything done indoors was closed, golf saw a resurgence. It wasn’t like 1997, when Tiger Woods was fueling almost unprecedented interest in the game and new courses — like the Ledges — were conceptualized and built to capitalize on that surge.

But it was certainly, well … greener times for courses in a region that had seen some tracks close — Southwick Country Club and Hickory Ridge in Amherst, for example — and many private courses struggle to find members and actively market themselves (something rarely seen in years past) in search of more.

And while it would have been much better in a normal weather year, 2021 was decent in many respects. Those we talked with said it didn’t rain much on weekends, their most important days, and the clubs were able to salvage at least part of the most of the days when it did rain.

“On most all days, we were able to salvage half a day — play in the morning, get rained out in the afternoon, for example,” said Altobello, noting that, even at private clubs, rounds matter because they add up to cart and food and beverage revenues. “For the amount of rain we received, we did way better than we could have.”

Perhaps more important than the number of rounds recorded this year is the evidence collected that the resurgence the game saw in 2020 might have some legs.

“There’s a ton of interest — people who quit the game for years have gotten back into it,” he said, adding that this interest is across the board, young and old, men and women. “They’re still using it as a way to get out and spend time with people they like or love without being in an indoor setting.”

Piecuch agreed. He said that, as challenging as 2021 has been — and it has been a challenge — it has certainly maintained and in some ways built upon the momentum gained in 2021.

“We rely on our membership, and our membership is up 15% — it’s the highest it’s ever been,” he noted, adding that the pandemic certainly had something to do with this. “We’ve had a solid year overall, despite everything, and I think that bodes well for the future.”

 

When It Rains…

Looking ahead to next year, Fontaine said area courses will likely have considerable work to do to make sure fairways, tees, and greens are in good shape for the spring given all the rain in 2021.

“I think everyone is a little nicked up, a little banged up from all the sitting water on the fairways — when the sun comes out, that just burns the turf,” he explained. “So I’m sure most courses will be overseeding and praying for recovery; there’s going to be extra fertilizer put down and a lot of grass seed planted over the next few weeks.”

Meanwhile, a different kind of seed — a pandemic-fueled resurgence in the game — seems to have already taken root in this region. And it continues its growth spurt despite weather patterns that haven’t been seen in decades, if ever.

And that’s why the future of this business seems, well, sunny.

 

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

Opinion

Editorial

 

The proposal to create a data center on aggregated land in the northwest corner of Westfield is big in every respect.

Big as in the pricetag — $2.7 billion, almost three times larger than the MGM Springfield project — and also big in terms of the number of buildings (10), the number of square feet (upward of 2 million), the amount of energy that will be used, the number of total jobs it will create … the list goes on.

Where this project (see story on page 6) also comes up big is in the realm of opportunity. Just how big an opportunity we don’t know yet, but there is certainly potential for this project to be perhaps merely the first such facility to serve the needs of the sector known as Big Data.

Granted, sites like the one in Westfield, which can check a wide array of boxes pertaining to everything from power to fiber to highway access, are extremely rare. But this region does hold the potential to be more of a player in the world’s quest for data and ways to store and provide it, and this project might be a catalyst for more development down the road.

Before we get to that, let’s address the Westfield project itself. In many ways, it seems like the perfect development initiative for the city and the region. It is proposed for industrially zoned land that is difficult to develop and has gone begging for a new use for decades now.

Most of the other proposed uses involve large amounts of truck traffic (warehouses) or power production, neither of which sit well with residents. The data center would be almost invisible to the community and would provide needed jobs, tax revenue, and potential support businesses.

It would be like the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center in Holyoke on a much, much larger scale.

This is the kind of development the region has been looking for. Granted, the number of jobs involved is not as high as some would like, especially when we’re talking about a development that will be spread out over about 90 acres of a 155-acre parcel. But these are the proverbial good jobs at good wages — starting salaries will be in the $85,000 to $100,000 range — that all communities have been looking for, those that are better in most all ways than those in distribution, retail, and tourism and hospitality.

And the best part about all this is that the jobs will be in a relatively new and emerging sector, one with almost unlimited growth potential. Not every region or every community has a chance to break into this sector, but the 413 now does.

There aren’t enough suitable parcels to create several centers like the one proposed for Westfield. In fact, this could be one of a kind — and would be one of the largest such facilities in the country. But there is potential for smaller-scale facilities given this region’s abundance of land, relatively inexpensive power (especially communities with their own utilities, such as Holyoke and Westfield), comparatively low cost of living, and many institutions of higher learning, several of which offer cybersecurity and related programs.

The Westfield project still has a number of hurdles to clear. While it has some momentum and many likable qualities, projects on this scale do not come together easily.

But if it does come to fruition, it could open the door to more. Maybe much more.

It might be the start of something big.

Opinion

Opinion

By Eduardo Crespo

 

President George H.W. Bush proclaimed the first Hispanic Heritage Month on Sept. 14, 1989 to honor the achievements of Hispanic-Americans.

Sept. 15 was chosen as the date of commemoration because it is the anniversary of the independence of five Hispanic countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, all of which declared independence in 1821. In addition, Mexico, Chile, and Belize celebrate their independence days on Sept. 16, 18, and 21, respectively.

Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the accomplishments of Hispanic-Americans, who have enriched our culture and society and helped make America into the incredible country it is today. Hispanic-American men and women embody the American values of devotion to faith and family, hard work, and patriotism through their countless contributions as leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, and members of our Armed Forces.

They have in the process helped to build a better future for all Americans.

Hispanic-Americans also continue to support our economy and society as business owners, professionals, teachers, and public servants. We should recognize their achievements and contributions to our national story.

The Hispanic market has shown unprecedented income growth in the U.S. even as Hispanic-Americans have become an important sector of the workforce. It’s what I call ‘the Hispanic Opportunity,’ a unique phenomenon in U.S. history in which Hispanic demographic growth is ascending rapidly while the white population is declining.

These developments have together created immense opportunities in the marketplace.

Indeed, progressive, market-driven brands and employers are creating new paradigms incorporating Hispanics as part of their core business strategies and corporate culture. Marketing campaigns today must be culturally relevant and linguistically appropriate, not merely translations of content developed for other audiences.

Only consumer brands that cater to Hispanics will achieve meaningful success.

Also, one out of four residents under the age of 18 is Hispanic, meaning the future of America depends on how well they do in terms of education, work, and achieving the American dream.

 

Eduardo Crespo, an immigrant from Ecuador, is a bilingual/bicultural professional and founder and CEO of Hispanic Market Solution in Lawrence. This article first appeared on the Associated Industries of Massachusetts blog.

Picture This

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

 


 

Supporting Healthy Kids

The Enterprise Holdings Foundation recently donated $12,143 to Square One in support of its Campaign for Healthy Kids, part of its broader commitment to donate $55 million over five years to organizations that advance social and racial equity. The Campaign for Healthy Kids is a multi-year fund-development initiative focused on Square One’s commitment to providing healthy meals, physical fitness, social-emotional well-being, and a healthy learning environment.

 


 

 

Helping Women Get Back to Work

State Sens. Eric Lesser and Adam Gomez and state Reps. Carlos Gonzalez and Orlando Ramos recently joined Margaret Tantillo, executive director of Dress for Success Western Massachusetts, and her team to announce $25,000 in funding for the organization’s workforce-development program. As lead budget sponsor, Lesser secured this earmark in the FY22 budget that was passed by the Senate and House and signed into law by Gov. Charlie Baker in July. Dress for Success’ workforce-development programs and services improve the employability, employment placement, and self-sufficiency of women who are unemployed and seeking to enter or re-enter the workforce. 

 


 

 

Fore a Good Cause

The Royal Law Firm was the signature cocktail sponsor of the CHD Cancer House of Hope golf tournament held on Sept. 13. The Royal foursome included, from left, Joe Eckerle, Tanzi Cannon-Eckerle, BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien, and Tim Netkovick.

 


 

Court Dockets

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

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Wendy Reyes v. PRRC Inc. d/b/a Price Rite
Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $31,935
Filed: 8/11/21

Russell Barbour v. Steven Gelb, M.D.; John Romanelli, M.D.; Lauren Westafer, M.D.; Sean Devanney, M.D.; Hynoukai Lyfoung, M.D.; Patrick Lee, M.D.; Greig Chasen, M.D.; Andrew Litwin, M.D.; Elizabeth Santone, M.D.; Timothy Morley, M.D.; Amanda Rabideau, M.D.; Parth Sharma, M.D.; Jay Kuhn, M.D.; and Ruchi Thanawala, M.D.
Allegation: Medical malpractice: $2,820,309.28
Filed: 8/12/21

Mark Racine and Janice Racine v. Kihan Francis Lee, M.D.; Marian Matheiu, RN; Lynn Thompson, CSFA; and Holyoke Medical Center
Allegation: Medical malpractice
Filed: 8/12/21

Platinum Protection Systems, LLC v. Heka Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract, unjust enrichment: $51,488.46
Filed: 8/13/21

Reginald Miller v. City of Springfield
Allegation: Employment discrimination: $50,000+
Filed: 8/17/21

Eileen Andreassi v. Riverside Park Enterprises Inc. d/b/a Six Flags New England
Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $95,016.99
Filed: 8/17/21

Carmen Hernandez v. 170 Central Street Condo Holdings, LLC
Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $33,043.27
Filed: 8/23/21

Jayden Boni, a minor by and through his mother and next friend Ayaba Ezin v. Robert Wool, M.D.; Katelyn Sullivan, D.O.; Rakhsita Satyarthi Malhotra, D.O.; Women’s Health Associates of Western Mass. Inc.; and Baystate Health Inc.
Allegation: Medical malpractice: $1,000,000+
Filed: 8/25/21

Patricia Zubini Weiss v. Baystate Pediatrics, P.C.
Allegation: Failure to pay wages, failure to pay overtime, breach of contract: $28,300
Filed: 9/1/21

Agenda

HCC Women’s Leadership Luncheon Series

Sept. 29, Oct. 27, Nov. 24: Holyoke Community College (HCC) will continue its monthly Women’s Leadership Luncheon Series this fall. During each session, participants will join prominent women leaders for discussions on relevant topics and ideas to help their leadership development. They will also have the opportunity to form a supportive network to help navigate their own careers. The fall dates and topics are:

• Sept. 29: “Do Something Every Day that Scares You” with Pattie Hallberg, CEO of Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts;

• Oct. 27: “Just Go for It,” with Helen Gomez Andrews, co-founder and CEO of the High End; and

• Nov. 24: “Journey to and from Exit Zero,” with Sharale Mathis, vice president of Academic and Student Affairs at HCC.

The cost of each session is $25, with the exception of the three-part Vision Board class with Turner, which costs $99. The cost for the full, six-session series is $120. Cost, however, will not be a barrier to participation. If pricing is an issue, contact Michele Cabral, HCC’s executive director of Business, Corporate and Professional Development, at [email protected]. Space is limited, and advance registration is required. To register, visit hcc.edu/womens-leadership.

 

Northampton Jazz Festival

Oct. 1-2: The Northampton Jazz Festival will kick off on Friday, Oct. 1 with a Jazz Strut in downtown Northampton, and free performances are scheduled that first weekend of October in the event’s return after a pandemic-year hiatus. The headliner for this year’s event is the Art Blakey Centennial Celebration, performing at the Academy of Music on Saturday, Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m. Festival attendees will be required to wear masks, following pandemic protocols as per the city of Northampton. In a collaboration between the Northampton Jazz Festival and the Downtown Northampton Assoc., patrons sporting a new Jazz Fest tote on Saturday, Jazz Fest Day, will receive a discount at participating downtown merchants; totes will be available for purchase at all festival performance venues on Oct. 2. The Oct. 1 Jazz Strut will run from 5 to 10:30 p.m., starting at Pulaski Park. Local and regional trios and quartets will perform at the following venues: Wursthaus, 6:30 p.m.; the Dirty Truth, 7 p.m.; Spoleto, 7:30 p.m.; Progression Brewing Co., 8 p.m.; and the Deck Bar, 8:30 p.m. Each band plays for two hours, and the schedule is subject to change without notice. The full lineup of festival performances on Oct. 2 is as follows: the Alex Hamburger Quartet, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Northampton Center for the Arts; Sullivan Fortner Solo Piano, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at CLICK Workspace; Northampton Expandable Brass Band, 1:30 to 1:55 p.m., marching from Bridge and Market Streets to Pulaski Park; Manduca Sexta, 2 to 3 p.m. at Pulaski Park; the ZT Amplifiers Artist Showcase, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Northampton Center for the Arts; Lioness, 3 to 5 p.m., First Churches of Northampton; Cocomama, 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Pulaski Park; and the Art Blakey Centennial Celebration, the only ticketed event, 7:30 p.m. at the Academy of Music, $15 to $50 at aomtheatre.com. The festival’s headliner, the Art Blakey Centennial Celebration, is a multi-generational ensemble of musicians led by members of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. The five messengers, and the eras they performed in the group, are: alto saxophonist Bobby Watson (1977-81), tenor saxophonist Bill Pierce (1980-82), trumpeter Brian Lynch (1988-90), trombonist Robin Eubanks (1987-88), and bassist Essiet Okon Essiet (1989-90). Joining them are pianist Zaccai Curtis and drummer Jerome Gillespie, the latter with the responsibility — and talent — to ‘channel’ Blakey, according to the ensemble’s bio.

 

Free Educational Webinar for Businesses

Oct. 5: The Springfield Regional Chamber (SRC) will partner with MassHire BizWorks, a division of the MassHire Department of Career Services’ Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, to offer a free educational webinar for businesses. From 8:30 to 10 a.m., participants will meet leading authorities and learn how the state’s economic-development programs can be applied to their businesses. SRC will offer the webinar in collaboration with all chambers throughout Western Mass., and the webinar will outline the tools and resources that are available through MassHire BizWorks and local chambers of commerce to assist business owners. Since its inception in 2012, MassHire BizWorks has enhanced and aligned the resources and services available to businesses throughout Massachusetts. BizWorks partners with agencies in workforce development, economic development, and education to help businesses grow and thrive. The BizWorks model offers assistance to employers for every stage of the business cycle. Services are available for business growth, expansion, maintenance, and downsizing. Ken Messina, of both BizWorks and the Department of Labor’s National Rapid Response Workgroup, will lead the webinar’s presentation. To register, visit dev.springfieldregionalchamber.com/events/details/bizworks-6144.

People on the Move
Sudha Setty

Sudha Setty

Western New England University School of Law Dean Sudha Setty has been named 2021 Human Relations Award winner by the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ), a human-relations organization whose mission is to champion social justice for all; fight bias, bigotry, and racism in all forms; and work toward building strong and inclusive communities. Each year, the NCCJ presents the Human Relations Award to individuals or corporations that have actualized in their daily lives the values and mission of the organization. These individuals and companies have demonstrated their commitment to fostering social justice and cooperation among all races, religions, cultures, genders, abilities, and sexual orientations. Setty became dean of the School of Law in 2018 and has served on the faculty since 2006. She is the author of National Security Secrecy: Comparative Effects on Democracy and the Rule of Law and the editor of Constitutions, Security, and the Rule of Law, and has written dozens of articles on national-security law and policy. In July 2018, she was elected to membership in the American Law Institute. Her leadership of the School of Law has been characterized by a commitment to social justice; diversity, equity, and inclusion work; and supporting excellence in teaching, learning, and research. In May 2019, the School of Law founded the Center for Social Justice, which has quickly grown to be a regional hub of research, advocacy, education, and activism. In April 2021, the faculty of the School of Law adopted an anti-racism and cultural-competency graduation requirement, making it the first law school in the region to do so. Setty is also a founder of the Workshop for Asian-American Women in the Legal Academy, with its inaugural workshop being held in 2021, an effort to support current and aspiring members of the legal academy and to diversify its ranks. She was recognized on the Lawyers of Color Power List in 2020; was recognized as part of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly’s Top Women in the Law in 2019; was awarded Western New England Law School’s Catherine J. Jones Professor of Year Award in 2009, 2016, and 2018; received the 2017 Tapping Reeve Legal Educator Award from the Connecticut Bar Assoc.; and was recognized in 2015 as a Trailblazer by the South Asian Bar Assoc. of Connecticut.

•••••

Elms College announced the retirement of Kathleen Scoble, dean of the college’s School of Nursing, effective Sept. 10. The college has been conducting a national search for Scoble’s successor since she notified the college of her retirement this past January. When Scoble joined Elms College in 2003, the Division of Nursing consisted of one baccalaureate program with 100 students. In the 2020-21 academic year, there were nearly 500 nursing students enrolled in the 12 programs that now comprise the School of Nursing. Scoble established several forward-looking programs, such as the Doctor of Nursing Practice and the Master of Science in Nursing programs, as well as the Accelerated Second Degree program. In March 2019, she helped create a unique partnership with the Episcopalian University of Haiti to offer a continuing-education certificate program that prepares the future Haitian nursing workforce to deliver competent, patient-centered care within their communities. In recognition of her stewardship of the School of Nursing, Scoble has been named dean emerita of the School of Nursing, becoming the first Elms College dean to receive this distinguished title. The college has also created the Kathleen B. Scoble Leadership in Nursing Award, which will be presented each year to the nursing student who best exemplifies the ideals of servant leadership, as demonstrated by Scoble, through academic excellence and the individual’s impact on the School of Nursing, Elms College, and the greater community. On Sept. 13, Teresa Kuta Reske — associate dean of Graduate and Doctoral Studies for the School of Nursing and director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program — became interim dean of the School of Nursing and will remain in that role until a new dean is hired.

•••••

Christopher Myhrum

Christopher Myhrum

Best Lawyers in America recognized attorney Christopher Myhrum in the categories of environmental law and litigation – environmental. He has received this prestigious recognition every year since 1991. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers in America has become universally regarded as a definitive guide to legal excellence. The nationwide list of attorneys included in the upcoming 28th edition is based on more than 4.3 million confidential and detailed evaluations from more than 41,000 leading attorneys on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas. Myhrum works with environmental consultants; federal, state, and municipal officials; and other lawyers seeking opportunities for learning and collaboration rather than acrimony and contention. He is a magna cum laude graduate of Boston College Law School and a cum laude graduate of New York University. He is a board member of Westmass Area Development Corp., where he serves as a director and land inventory committee member.

•••••

Ariel Clemmer, director of the Western New England University School of Law Center for Social Justice, was named a 2021 Emerging Women Leader in Law by the Women’s Bar Assoc. (WBA). The award honors women attorneys who have demonstrated professional excellence or had a significant professional achievement in their first 12 years in the legal profession, and promote the status of women in the legal profession or contribute meaningfully to the equal participation of women in a just society. The university’s Center for Social Justice works toward advancing social justice through research, advocacy, education, innovation, and public engagement. It is designed to strengthen collaborative efforts between the School of Law and the region to work toward a more just, equitable, and inclusive society. In addition to providing services like a Consumer Debt Initiative and a Sealing and Expungement initiative to the community, the center has conducted Know Your Rights trainings, provided financial support for initiatives that seek to measure and mitigate the legal fallout from COVID-19, and hosted nationally recognized speakers like Evan Wolfson, the legal architect of the marriage-equality movement. Clemmer is among six to receive this prestigious award. The 2021 awardees will be celebrated and honored at the WBA’s annual gala on Monday, Oct. 25.

Company Notebook

Area Colleges, Univerties Recognized in U.S. News & World Report Listings

WESTERN MASS. — Several area colleges and universities were recognized recently in U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings.

• Elms College was named to the list of Best Regional Universities – North. The college moved to 85th out of 171 other northern regional colleges and universities, up from 93rd in 2021. On a new list of Undergraduate Nursing Programs, Elms College School of Nursing ranked 288th out of 694 schools. On the Top Performers on Social Mobility list, Elms ranked 11th among 86 northern regional colleges and universities. This category measures the extent to which schools enrolled and graduated students who received federal Pell Grants (those typically coming from households whose family incomes are less than $50,000 annually).

• For the seventh consecutive year, Springfield College is ranked in the top 30 in the Best Regional Universities – North category. The college is also ranked 16th in the Best Value category of the report, up 10 spots from last year. The consistent ranking in the top tier is spurred by improved graduation rates and improved retention of first-year students.

• Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts rose to seventh on the list of Top Public Colleges, and to 21st as a Top Performer on Social Mobility, first in Massachusetts. MCLA also continues to appear on the list of Top National Liberal Arts Colleges, and has appeared on the list of Top Public Colleges for nine of the past 11 years.

• Western New England University has been ranked fourth in Top Performers on Social Mobility among National Universities in Massachusetts. The university improved its overall ranking to 213th in the nation this year, moving up 14 places from last year. Western New England University College of Engineering continues to be top-ranked in the Undergraduate Engineering (no doctorate) program category.

• Finally, Bay Path University is ranked 26th in Social Mobility, increasing its standing by 42 spots from last year. Bay Path also ranks ninth, moving up three spots, on the list of Most Innovative Universities in the North Region. In 2020, 58.3% of Bay Path’s traditional undergraduate students were identified as Pell-eligible.

 

The Dowd Agencies Acquires Wilcox Insurance Agency

HOLYOKE — The Dowd Agencies, a leading insurance provider serving New England for more than 120 years, has acquired the Wilcox Insurance Agency, founded in 1923. The two organizations have merged their operations and will now be known as Wilcox-Dowd Insurance. This acquisition adds two more branches in Westfield and Feeding Hills, expanding Dowd’s locations throughout the Pioneer Valley to eight offices. Wilcox Insurance Agency was founded as Westfield Mutual Insurance Agency in 1923 by Raymond Wilcox, who was eventually joined by son Malcolm, grandson Scott, and great-grandson Robert, who now leads the agency under the Dowd Agencies umbrella. The offices in Westfield and Feeding Hills are full-service insurance agencies providing personal, commercial, wealth-management, and employee-benefits products and services.

 

Hampden Papers Building Sold to Green Thumb Industries Inc.

HOLYOKE — Colebrook Realty Services Inc. announced the sale of the 326,664-square-foot industrial mill building at 100 Water St. in Holyoke from Hampden Glazed Paper + Card Co. to Green Thumb Industries Inc., a cannabis grower and retailer. Green Thumb Industries (GTI) is a national marijuana producer headquartered in Chicago with various brands and business units to its name. The company, which has 13 manufacturing locations and 97 retail sites across the U.S., is growing its footprint in Holyoke. The company was established in 2014 and boasts more than 2,300 employees. The acquisition of 100 Water St. reflects its continued plans for expansion and the positive environment the city of Holyoke has created for cannabis growers, manufacturers, and retailers. The 100 Water St. property was the headquarters of Hampden Papers, a 140-year-old family business that sold in 2020. The company specialized in specialty coated, laminated, printed, and embossed paper products. The mill complex is comprised of five interconnected industrial buildings, some multi-level and others single-story warehouses with high ceilings and several loading docks. The property features convenient access to major interstates, including the Mass Pike and I-91. Mitch Bolotin, vice president of Colebrook Realty Services, represented the seller, and Kevin Jennings of Jennings Real Estate represented the buyer.

 

Western New England University to Launch Women’s Wrestling Team

SPRINGFIELD — The Department of Athletics at Western New England University (WNE) recently announced the addition of women’s wrestling to its athletics program. This will be the University’s 21st varsity sport and the first NCAA DIII women’s wrestling team in New England. The women’s wrestling program is planned to begin its inaugural season in the fall of the 2022-23 academic year with Mike Sugermeyer, head coach for men’s wrestling, tasked with recruiting the first official class. The university will hire a women’s head coach prior to the start of the season. There are currently only 25 women’s wrestling programs at the NCAA DIII level. WNE will be the first in Massachusetts, compared to the 140 high-school programs in the state.

 

Hazen Holography Brings to Life Basketball Hall of Fame Dome

HOLYOKE — The cover of the 2021 Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony yearbook appears electrified, the projection-LED-illuminated nine-story dome lit three-dimensionally on the page. To distinguish its ninth time producing the yearbook cover, Hazen Paper Co. used custom holography to illuminate the iconic symbol of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Hazen’s edgeless Hazen-Lens technology was used to create the pulsating play of light in front of a brilliant radial burst of two-channel holography, which refracts ambient light to generate the impression of movement as the book is opened. In front of the dome, the Basketball Hall of Fame logo is rendered three-dimensional with holography that emphasizes the basketball’s pebbled texture, juxtaposed with the sleek, reflective sphere of the dome. The back cover also features a custom hologram to telegraph the excitement of the Mohegan Sun Arena, mimicking the strobe-like effect of lighting washing over the audience in color from the concert stage. Detailed custom holography requires precise registration to deliver a crisp final product through the printing process. The unique Hazen Holography for both sides was registered to a tolerance of 1/16” for near-perfect alignment during printing. Hazen originated the holography completely within its vertically integrated facility. The custom holograms were created in Hazen’s holographic laser lab, then micro-embossed and transfer-metallized onto smooth, 12-point WestRock Crescendo C2S using Hazen’s environmentally friendly Envirofoil process. The yearbook cover was designed by agency GO of Hartford, Conn., and printed and individually numbered for authenticity on an HP Indigo digital press by Starburst Printing of Holliston.

 

PeoplesBank Recognize in Reader’s Choice Survey

HOLYOKE — Thousands of voters chimed in recently for the Daily Hampshire Gazette’s Readers’ Choice consumer polls, and PeoplesBank was named a winner in several categories, including Best Local Bank, Best Local Online Banking, Best Mortgage/Home Loan Provider, Best Green Business, and Best Place to Work. PeoplesBank has made significant investments in customer service in recent years, adding new digital and contactless banking opportunities such as VideoBankerITMs as well as expanding its banking-center network in Northern and Central Connecticut. In each market it serves, the bank is well-known for its charitable and civic support. Meanwhile, at the other end of Massachusetts, the Boston Business Journal named PeoplesBank a Top Corporate Charitable Contributor again in 2021.

 

Rachel’s Table, Food Bank Join Forces to Fight Hunger

SPRINGFIELD — Rachel’s Table, the food rescue and redistribution program of the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts, and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts are joining forces to fight hunger. Rachel’s Table, with its 200 volunteer drivers, will transport food directly from designated grocery stores to Food Bank agencies, filling the gap where agencies lacked transportation or when its volunteers were needed elsewhere. Rachel’s Table’s partnership with the Food Bank began pre-pandemic in Westfield and has become revitalized during the past several months. Together, Rachel’s Table and the Food Bank are serving seven agencies, with 13 volunteer drivers from Rachel’s Table rescuing nutritious food from eight donors in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties. Starting slowly but deliberately, more than 15,000 pounds of healthy meat, produce, and dairy have been delivered since the program began, and there is more to come. People interested in driving for Rachel’s Table, or who know of food from a local restaurant, bakery, or grocery store that is going to waste, can contact the organization at www.rachelstablepv.org.

 

American Eagle Donates $5,000 to Hampden County Organizations

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — American Eagle Financial Credit Union (AEFCU) announced $5,000 in total donations for two organizations based in Hampden County. The Ronald McDonald House of Springfield and Springfield Partners for Community Action have each been selected to receive $2,500 grants from American Eagle’s donor-advised fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. “The Ronald McDonald House of Springfield and Springfield Partners for Community Action provide tremendous assistance, care, and resources to Hampden County families,” said Dean Marchessault, president and CEO of AEFCU. “It’s our hope these grants will bolster their efforts and serve as a reminder of our team’s admiration for the organizations.”

 

DBA Certificates

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

DEERFIELD

Deerfield Therapeutic Massage
31 Lee Road
Elaine Mount

Jacob Smith Engineering & Design
8 Coates Ave.
Jacob Smith

Joshua Roth Painting
52A Stillwater Road
Joshua Roth

Richard’s Automotive
242 Greenfield Road
Richard Bottego

Saw Mill Site Farm
287 Conway Road
Pauline Grinnan

Strategy 2 Design
2 Crestview Dr.
Gabriella Richard-Harrin

Zack’s BBQ
20 Elm St.
Zachary Lauglois

HADLEY

AT&T Mobility
359 Russell St.
New Cingular Wireless

B&B HVAC
91 North Maple St.
Steven Beauregard

Ellen Shaw Smith
104B Russell St.
Ellen Shaw Smith

T-Mobile
367 Russell St.
T-Mobile Northeast

T-Mobile Financial
367 Russell St.
T-Mobile Financial, LLC

T-Mobile Leasing
367 Russell St.
T-Mobile Leasing, LLC

Vendtingz
367 Russell St.
Crystal Norwood

NORTHAMPTON

A1 Shopper Pro
1181 Burts Put Road
Wendy Spear DeCou

Celia O. Hilson
575 Bridge Road, #8-5
Celia Hilson

Elizabeth Grace Burkhart, LICSW
16 Center St., #303
Elizabeth Burkhart

Jenny’s Green Home Cleaning
491 Bridge Road, #133
Jennifer Shaw-Fischer

Massachusetts Death with Dignity
65 Franklin St.
John Berkowitz

Melt-To-Make
99 Industrial Dr., #3
Laurence Goodyear

Mineral Hills Winery
592 Sylvester Road
Susan Godard

Pioneer Valley Food Tours
36 Pomeroy Terrace
Deborah Christakos

Shawna Stern LMT
98 Main St.
Shauna Stern

Sticks & Bricks
9 Market St.
Liz Karney

Van Aarde
99 Industrial Dr., #3
Laurence Goodyear

Z&S Realty, LLC
24 Pleasant St.
Kenneth Pollak

SOUTHWICK

A.J. Precision Inc.
13C Industrial Road
Wade Austin

Avalon IV
320 College Highway
Kendall Lavertu

Chetcorp
9 Concord Road
Chester Sulborski

Dollar Tree #07029
515 College Highway
Dollar Tree Stores Inc.

Gifted Vine
3 Field St.
Amy Ferraraccio

Harvest Hill Photography
13 Great Brook Dr.
Elizabeth Fiore

JTL Contracting
71 Lakeview St.
Jeremy Laclair

Rideout Builders
17 Powder Mill Road
Larry Rideout

Salon Sage Inc.
320 College Highway
Kaitlin Grenon

SPRINGFIELD

Corbeil Lawn Care Landscaping
26 Corey Road
Raymond Corbeil

Cosmic Trucking, LLC
49 Washington St.
Roy Wilson

The Crayon
648 Page Blvd.
Mark Zadie

Devine Essentials
35 Demond Ave.
Athena Benjamin

Dewey Street Quilting
34 Front St.
Cynthia Nickerson

DFG Realty Group
98 Briggs St.
Cindy Gaynor Harper

Drecuts413, LLC
44 Chestnut St.
Adrian Acevedo

Dublight Treats
59 Redlands St.
Jonathan Worster

Jem Meditation
189 Essex St.
Macayla Belt

Jessie’s Creative Corner
49 Ashley St.
Jessica Gomez

Jmar Car Detailing
25 Denton Circle
Clyde Robinson Jr.

Joe’s Kwik Marts MA, LLC
453 Cooley St.
Tyler Trendy

KLSSG Creations and More
78 Silver St.
Lizbeth Aguayo

LA Construction
16 Athol St.
Arkadiusz Dobronski

Landscaping Enterprise
98 Barrington Dr.
Timothy Patterson

Liberty Jean Co.
184 Worthington St.
Kenneth Rogers

Lily’s Catering
117 Alden St.
Maria Ayala

Redstone Property Maintenance
36 Bairdcrest Road
Ian Fitzgerald

Salas Services
937 Worthington St.
Laura Nballey Ramos

Shary’s Nails
37 Lynebrook Road
Jhoanna Liriano

Shiorasie Beauty, LLC
73 Woodrow St.
Simmone Shorte

Sky Beauty Corps
1655 Boston Road
Thi Tai

Soul Connections
4 Quebec St.
Tatiana Pena

Sui Generis
73 Woodrow St.
Chanell Changasie

Unoja Administrative Services
25 Stockman St.
Hamzah Davis

Urban Urbs
1110 Berkshire Ave.
Talyn Munn

Vibez Clothing
61 Johnson St.
Christina Rodriguez

Vinh Chau Restaurant
409 Dickinson St.
Ly Tran

Viviendo Sin Limites
247 Carver St.
Veronica Garcia

We Care Day Care
814 Parker St.
Victoria Davila

Wet Pies
135 Massasoit St.
Ashlee Yvette

WESTFIELD

Avery’s Apps
6 Sackett St.
Avery’s Apps

Beebuzz Apiary
106 Park River Dr.
Beebuzz Apiary

Black Hole Guitars
2 Montgomery St., #1
Michael Flynn

Debruin Physical Therapy
18 Brimfield Way
Laura Debruin

Ember’s Resin Art & Jewelry
19 Meadowbrook Lane
Jamie Dubois

Sejal Roka, LLC
44 East Silver St.
Sanu Roka

Timothy’s Auto Sales
11 Bartlett St.
Gary Francis

Tim’s Bees Apiary
289 Sackett Road
Veniamin Kovylyak

Westfield Starfires
181 Notre Dame St.
Chris Thompson

Westfield Yoga Center
94 North Elm St., Suite 21
Thomas Swochak

Whip City Cleanings
15 Grant St.
Whip City Cleanings

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Edwin’s Quality Services
203 Circuit Ave.
Edwin Colon

Fast Action Services
920 Memorial Ave.
Anthony Kane

Fransua Massage and Spa, LLC
411 Main St.
Francheska Boria

The Hair & Nail Co.
1346 Elm St.
Mary Ann DiPietro

Longhorn Steakhouse $5196
1105 Riverdale St.
Angela Simmons

Michelle Brooks-Thompson Music
1900 Westfield St.
Elvetta Brooks

Simply Jessica with Farmasi 413
524 Westfield St.
Jessica Cintron

St. Ann’s Society
110 Winona Dr.
Nancy Tessier

Trinity Health Of New England at Home
200 Hillside Circle, Suite 2
Mandi Murray

Two Weeks Notice Brewing Co.
89 Baldwin St.
Meghan Murphy

Real Estate

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

FRANKLIN COUNTY

ASHFIELD

326 Main St.
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $545,000
Buyer: Christopher Paine
Seller: Christopher J. Pike
Date: 08/24/21

605 Old Stage Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Jason R. Bjork
Seller: Joshua F. Lemay
Date: 08/30/21

BERNARDSTON

396 Brattleboro Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Justin Hewes
Seller: Alexandra E. Budine
Date: 08/27/21

428 Brattleboro Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Peter Chirichiello
Seller: Douglas S. Penn
Date: 08/31/21

BUCKLAND

67 Prospect St.
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $258,000
Buyer: Matthew Seery
Seller: Steven J. Andrews
Date: 09/03/21

CONWAY

655 Reeds Bridge Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $521,000
Buyer: Jonathan B. Westcott
Seller: Brendan C. O’Connell
Date: 09/01/21

1774 Shelburne Falls Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Donald W. Craig
Seller: Craig, Bonnie L., (Estate)
Date: 09/03/21

DEERFIELD

87 Hillside Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $508,500
Buyer: Gregory P. Henricks
Seller: Michael L. Muilenberg
Date: 09/03/21

27 North Hillside Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: Daniel P. Kramer
Seller: Francis G. Sobieski
Date: 08/31/21

366 River Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $485,000
Buyer: Abigail A. Friel
Seller: Dugas, Corinne E., (Estate)
Date: 08/30/21

63 Sandgully Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $895,000
Buyer: Lucas C. Grafton
Seller: Gregory M. Gardner
Date: 08/27/21

98 Sandgully Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $351,400
Buyer: Halie E. Theoharides
Seller: Zachary M. Cross
Date: 08/23/21

34 South Main St.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Anne Danforth-Lozier
Seller: Lawrence I. Berger
Date: 08/30/21

GREENFIELD

82 Barton Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $282,500
Buyer: Nicolae Pacuraru
Seller: Kenneth E. Purington
Date: 08/26/21

26 Brookside Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $246,000
Buyer: Stacey L. Geneczko
Seller: Jannette K. Wiseman
Date: 08/25/21

33 Montague City Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Melissa Labelle
Seller: Kevin J. Labelle
Date: 08/30/21

304 Plain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Kelli Kydd
Seller: Jason Butynski
Date: 08/24/21

HEATH

21 Rowe Road
Heath, MA 01339
Amount: $737,640
Buyer: Gregory Landua
Seller: L. Brooks
Date: 09/03/21

LEVERETT

39 Laurel Hill Dr.
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $715,000
Buyer: Jonathan Camadeco
Seller: Audrey M. Chen
Date: 08/31/21

MONTAGUE

4 Alice St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $227,900
Buyer: Raymond A. Godin
Seller: George K. Carner
Date: 09/03/21

83 K St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Desiree D. Lowit
Seller: Novy, Katherine L., (Estate)
Date: 08/30/21

72 Millers Falls Road
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $172,500
Buyer: Sue E. Dubrava
Seller: Bonnie M. Bongiovanni
Date: 09/03/21

104 Millers Falls Road
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Brian E. Frank
Seller: Mary M. Powling
Date: 08/24/21

1 New St.
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $201,500
Buyer: Jared D. Johnson
Seller: Haas, Heidi M., (Estate)
Date: 09/03/21

427 Turners Falls Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $182,500
Buyer: Michael Young
Seller: Thomas R. Cain
Date: 08/27/21

454 Turners Falls Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: George K. Carner
Seller: Joshua K. McComb
Date: 09/03/21

NEW SALEM

27 Lovers Lane
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $530,000
Buyer: JWKE Inc.
Seller: David G. Briand
Date: 08/27/21

40 West St.
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $276,000
Buyer: Christopher J. Morin
Seller: Carl D. Long
Date: 09/02/21

NORTHFIELD

109 Hinsdale Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Steven J. Kelley
Seller: Lynn M. Mancha RET
Date: 08/27/21

97 Main St.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Lisa B. Yin
Seller: Gloria A. Funkhouser
Date: 08/23/21

ORANGE

136 Brookside Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $135,900
Buyer: Randy J. Cochrane
Seller: WM Realty Holdings NH LLC
Date: 09/01/21

53 Burrill Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Gabrielle J. Martin
Seller: Debra Comeau
Date: 08/24/21

19 East Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Brenda Cope
Seller: Michael J. Magee
Date: 08/26/21

222 East River St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Christopher Jackson
Seller: Jammie Vincent
Date: 09/03/21

158 Governor Dukakis Dr.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $3,650,000
Buyer: Power Fund RE LLC
Seller: Quabbin Orange Realty LLC
Date: 08/23/21

117 Hayden St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Edwin Figuroa-Torres
Seller: Richard A. Jones
Date: 08/24/21

396 Mayo Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: William S. Page
Seller: Paul G. Bachelder
Date: 08/23/21

20 New Athol Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Stash T. Nowicki
Seller: Wendy S. Johnson
Date: 08/31/21

191 Packard Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $296,000
Buyer: Hohos IRT
Seller: Jeffrey P. Scribner
Date: 09/03/21

76 Prospect St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Destiney L. Michelin
Seller: Charles D. Anderson
Date: 08/27/21

272 Wheeler Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Joseph H. McDaneld
Seller: Ronald Reid-Leshane
Date: 08/23/21

ROWE

5 Stone Road
Rowe, MA 01339
Amount: $193,000
Buyer: Ian Boyd
Seller: John M. Boyd
Date: 08/30/21

15 Stone Hill Road
Rowe, MA 01367
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Thomas E. O’Leary
Seller: Woodward INT
Date: 08/27/21

SHELBURNE

20 Frankton Road
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Ruth A. Bowne
Seller: Donald Lebreux
Date: 09/01/21

SHUTESBURY

262 West Pelham Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Charles F. Moore
Seller: Pioneer Valley Habitat
Date: 09/03/21

749 Wendell Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Kenneth T. Pooser
Seller: Sage Freechild
Date: 09/03/21

SUNDERLAND

275 Amherst Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $19,000,000
Buyer: VA 7 Amherst Grove LLC
Seller: Squire Village Sunderland LLC
Date: 09/01/21

279 Amherst Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $19,000,000
Buyer: VA 7 Amherst Grove LLC
Seller: Squire Village Sunderland LLC
Date: 09/01/21

70 South Silver Lane
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $19,000,000
Buyer: VA 7 Amherst Grove LLC
Seller: Squire Village Sunderland LLC
Date: 09/01/21

WARWICK

77 Hastings Pond Road
Warwick, MA 01378
Amount: $162,000
Buyer: Nancy J. Putnam
Seller: Hastings Pond RT
Date: 09/02/21

WENDELL

219 New Salem Road
Wendell, MA 01379
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Clifford S. Dornbusch
Seller: Lisa K. Zephyr
Date: 09/01/21

WHATELY

2 Frances Way
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $124,000
Buyer: Michael R. Husted
Seller: Brian M. Margolis
Date: 08/31/21

Westbrook Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Timothy C. Smith
Seller: Walter G. Bielunis
Date: 08/30/21

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

48 Bessbrook St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: Real Estate Investment of NE LLC
Seller: Darla G. Haffke
Date: 08/26/21

120 Campbell Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Christopher J. Pray
Seller: Jessica L. Dahle
Date: 08/30/21

63 Clematis Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $277,000
Buyer: Dustin M. Watson
Seller: Mark E. Deforge
Date: 08/24/21

75 Clematis Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Ryan Spencer
Seller: William B. Reynolds
Date: 08/27/21

158 Edgewater Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $429,900
Buyer: Karen L. Langevin
Seller: Ronald L. Cherubin
Date: 08/27/21

7 Edward St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $161,000
Buyer: Dirk G. Gendron
Seller: Jon A. Gendron
Date: 08/25/21

12-14 Hope Farms Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Eric S. Castonguay
Seller: Roger H. Eaton
Date: 09/01/21

14 Keller Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $403,500
Buyer: Robert D. Porter
Seller: Daniel C. Bonafilia
Date: 08/30/21

111 Liswell Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $332,000
Buyer: Armanda J. Meadows
Seller: Mark C. Tuohey
Date: 08/31/21

45 Maple Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Dik B. Gurung
Seller: Delnegro, Mary A., (Estate)
Date: 08/23/21

North West St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Anna Gallagher
Seller: Dorr W. Exford
Date: 08/26/21

799 North St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Patrick Brown
Seller: Barbara J. Giordano
Date: 08/31/21

21 Potomac Place
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Joseph V. Caetano
Seller: Philip C. Scoville
Date: 08/27/21

44 River St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Muhammad Taqi
Seller: Alycar Investments LLC
Date: 08/23/21

209 Silver Lake Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Jeffrey Neilsen
Seller: John R. Tisdell
Date: 08/30/21

60 South St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Nikolay Ivanenko
Seller: Michael J. Montessi
Date: 09/03/21

South Westfield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Feeding Hills Soapy Noble
Seller: BGM Realty LLC
Date: 08/26/21

South Westfield St. #3
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Feeding Hills Soapy Noble
Seller: BGM Realty LLC
Date: 08/26/21

237-241 South Westfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $2,400,000
Buyer: Feeding Hills LLC
Seller: BGM Realty LLC
Date: 08/26/21

270 South Westfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Robert M. Bielinski
Seller: Richard D. Trujillo
Date: 09/03/21

562 South West St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $334,900
Buyer: Jamie Drew
Seller: Jeffrey S. Neilsen
Date: 08/30/21

315-317 Springfield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Josephine Paquette
Seller: Carmela Vona
Date: 08/25/21

383-385 Springfield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Maynard Hamre Investments LLC
Seller: Raul Santos-Ferreira
Date: 08/25/21

750 Suffield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Manchester Enterprises
Seller: Gwendolyn Fleming
Date: 08/26/21

14 Westford Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Kellie T. Cormier
Seller: Karen L. Langevin
Date: 08/25/21

BRIMFIELD

Dunhamtown Brimfield Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Hull Forestlands LP
Seller: Leonard M. Prior
Date: 09/03/21

43 Tower Hill Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $495,000
Buyer: Shihui Pang
Seller: Jeffrey D. Luke
Date: 08/30/21

CHESTER

11 Olin Ave.
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Paul Hathaway
Seller: Paul Hathaway
Date: 09/01/21

CHICOPEE

16 Ambrose St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: KNC Home Renovations LLC
Seller: Kathryn S. Copmann
Date: 09/02/21

71 Austin St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Matthew A. Ruyffelaert
Seller: Paula N. Ruyffelaert
Date: 08/26/21

58 Beverly St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $278,000
Buyer: Gabriel Ocampo
Seller: Chwalek, Stasia E., (Estate)
Date: 09/03/21

20 Bonner St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $262,600
Buyer: Brandon Seibold
Seller: Przemyslaw Szura
Date: 08/31/21

346 Britton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Dulong Holdings LLC
Seller: Nelson Pantoja
Date: 09/02/21

257 Broadway St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Jordan Brewington
Seller: J. B. Camerlin Real Estate LLC
Date: 09/03/21

41 Bromont St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $189,900
Buyer: Yolanda Rosario
Seller: Donna L. Young
Date: 09/03/21

1206 Burnett Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Elsa B. Martinez
Seller: Michael A. Pepe
Date: 08/30/21

573 Burnett Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Amber Vanbeek
Seller: Jessica A. Jurkowski
Date: 09/01/21

128 Carriage Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Amy B. Patt
Seller: Margaret A. Ecker
Date: 09/01/21

319 Casey Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Lara Sharp
Seller: Anthony Regonini
Date: 09/02/21

80 Chestnut St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $369,300
Buyer: Hann Realty Berkshire LLC
Seller: Antonio M. Pereira
Date: 08/27/21

23 Eldridge St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Chantal Rodriguez
Seller: Mark E. Davis
Date: 08/31/21

50 Fairview Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Khalid AlJashaami
Seller: Bank New York
Date: 08/30/21

5 Fanjoy Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: Danusia Liszka
Seller: Ukleja, Adella J., (Estate)
Date: 08/31/21

115 Fernhill St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Kevin Torres
Seller: Richard A. Nadeau
Date: 08/23/21

27 Ferry St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Bernard Campbell
Seller: Kevin W. Torres
Date: 08/23/21

45 Forest St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Emmanuel Kunju
Date: 08/25/21

43 Gendreau St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Robert Opsitnick
Seller: Douglas A. Peloquin
Date: 08/26/21

93 Glendale St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $267,100
Buyer: Robert J. Blanchard
Seller: Daniel J. Wrzesinki
Date: 08/23/21

1195 Granby Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $7,141,250
Buyer: Delaware Statutory Trust
Seller: ARCP WG Chicopee MA LLC
Date: 08/24/21

52 Greenwich St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Flor Demaris-Delarosa
Seller: NAR Realty LLC
Date: 09/03/21

135 Longwood Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Kathleen Osullivan-Fitz
Seller: Eva Parish
Date: 08/27/21

83 Lorraine St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Nilsa Espada
Seller: John M. Zemanek
Date: 08/23/21

53 Moore St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Sally Annasiry
Seller: MS Homes LLC
Date: 08/25/21

32 Nassau St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Kamlesh Mistri
Seller: Suzana C. Ortiz
Date: 09/03/21

570 New Ludlow Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $232,500
Buyer: Paul Musial
Seller: Lynn E. Roda
Date: 08/31/21

44 Norman St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Santana Real Estate Inc.
Seller: Frances A. McCormack
Date: 08/24/21

44 Ohio Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Stephen M. Crowe
Seller: Gregoriy Burkovskiy
Date: 09/01/21

162 Olko Circle
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Shari Mendez
Seller: Susan Corjay
Date: 09/03/21

14 Pembroke Place
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Courtney Keene
Seller: Peggy M. Feilen
Date: 09/02/21

32 Randall St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Miguel A. Rivera
Seller: Evelyn J. Tardiff
Date: 08/27/21

21 Rolf Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Luis J. Diaz-Rivera
Seller: Michael J. Velez
Date: 08/31/21

62 Ross Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $157,500
Buyer: Prisca O. Chisenga
Seller: Louise Kapopo
Date: 08/25/21

64 Schley St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Kaitlyn M. Taliceo
Seller: Richard R. Roberts
Date: 08/27/21

38 Smith St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Ali A. Bahadly
Seller: Karen Bedore
Date: 08/31/21

336 Springfield St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Crossover Corp.
Seller: Ruby Realty LLC
Date: 08/24/21

20 Stearns Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Carlos M. Rojas
Seller: Benjamin R. Merritt
Date: 08/27/21

11 Trafton St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Melissa M. Leary
Seller: NAR Realty LLC
Date: 08/30/21

78 Warwick Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Juan Velez
Seller: Joseph Caetano
Date: 08/27/21

59 Watson St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Claudia Sermeil
Seller: Raymond Turgeon
Date: 08/27/21

289 Wildermere St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: William Mercado
Seller: Pienkos, Theodore Jr., (Estate)
Date: 08/31/21

55 Yvette St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $227,000
Buyer: Hector M. Collazo
Seller: Kara A. Karwoski
Date: 08/25/21

EAST LONGMEADOW

98 Bayne St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Edward Mannion
Seller: David S. Santos
Date: 09/02/21

3 Brier Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: Daniel J. Damon
Seller: Elizabeth J. Richton
Date: 08/30/21

5 Cosgrove St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $135,199
Buyer: Fumi Realty Inc.
Seller: US Bank
Date: 08/26/21

41 Franconia Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Juvil Medina
Seller: Mark S. VanIderstine
Date: 08/27/21

35 Hampden Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Peter A. Gray
Seller: Erica Serrazina
Date: 08/27/21

17 Harris Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Salvatore D. Alfarone
Seller: Derek R. Samble
Date: 09/01/21

27 Judy Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Jaydub LLC
Seller: Mark C. Phelps
Date: 08/30/21

11 Lull St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $333,400
Buyer: Kareem D. Kelly
Seller: Dana J. Anderson
Date: 08/30/21

21 Lynwood Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Michael Lundin
Seller: Joshyan Rivera
Date: 09/01/21

16 Park Place
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Alyssa Deane
Seller: McCormack, Raymond J., (Estate)
Date: 08/30/21

17 Pineywoods Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $485,000
Buyer: Allison C. Hersey
Seller: Richard E. Walz
Date: 08/30/21

92 Pleasant St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Roxana R. Carrion
Seller: Amy Kloss
Date: 09/01/21

289 Westwood Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Michael J. Cook
Seller: Kathleen J. Johnson
Date: 08/31/21

GRANVILLE

197 North Lane
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Catelyn M. Snape
Seller: Africano, Kenneth W., (Estate)
Date: 08/27/21

HOLLAND

27 Cherokee Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Robert J. Smith
Seller: Petersen, Christian J., (Estate)
Date: 08/26/21

4 Forest Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Matthew J. Phillips
Seller: Meghan E. Thompson
Date: 08/23/21

24 Hamilton Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Adam B. Pesaturo
Seller: Robert J. Graziano
Date: 08/23/21

16 Kimball Hill Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Darby Joubert
Seller: Donald Hathaway
Date: 08/26/21

28 Kimball Hill Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Francis A. Evers
Seller: Christopher J. Fish
Date: 08/25/21

47 Sandy Beach Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Kevin Ruby
Seller: Winona T. Whalen
Date: 08/26/21

HOLYOKE

53 Argyle Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Western Mass. Training Consortium
Seller: Siobhan Murphy
Date: 08/25/21

63 Ashley Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Noah H. Lapierre
Seller: Charles M. Della-Penna
Date: 08/30/21

193-195 Brown Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Mary J. Seid
Seller: Brahman Holdings LLC
Date: 08/30/21

10 Cottage Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Jose M. Anaya
Seller: Extremely Clean LLC
Date: 08/30/21

30 Florence Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Jessica J. Prodis
Seller: Joan M. Daignault
Date: 08/27/21

81-A Davis St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Jordan Doucette
Seller: Jozef Orszulak
Date: 08/31/21

29-31 Gilman St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $287,015
Buyer: Carlos A. Pena-Gonzalez
Seller: David Moonan
Date: 09/02/21

31 Longwood Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $252,500
Buyer: Heriberto Ruiz
Seller: Ana Rosario
Date: 09/03/21

40-42 Lyman St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Abby Property Management LLC
Seller: Michael P. Rigali
Date: 08/24/21

7 Lynn Ann Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $361,500
Buyer: Annabel Hallgren
Seller: Ryan E. Dearborn
Date: 09/01/21

1075 Main St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Abraham Santos
Seller: Collamore, Donald F., (Estate)
Date: 08/31/21

97 Mountain Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $269,900
Buyer: James Duffy
Seller: Benard, George G., (Estate)
Date: 08/31/21

37 North Bridge St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: David Santos
Seller: Daniel S. Colon
Date: 08/27/21

46 North Canal St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $137,000
Buyer: Motherflippers Realty LLC
Seller: Maurice W. Taylor
Date: 08/31/21

180 Pine St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $274,900
Buyer: Anshumali Kc
Seller: Juan L. Andujar
Date: 09/01/21

306 Pleasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $309,500
Buyer: Helene E. Whittaker
Seller: Mary M. Teichman
Date: 08/31/21

358 Pleasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Ernest L. Rodriguez
Seller: Jose L. Colon
Date: 08/27/21

464-466 Pleasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $257,000
Buyer: Christopher D. Marble
Seller: Nathan P. Goddard
Date: 08/24/21

44 Vassar Circle
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Hyeyoung Park
Seller: Matilda Friedrich
Date: 08/23/21

330 Walnut St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $140,264
Buyer: Zoraida L. Rivera
Seller: Miriam V. Ayala
Date: 08/26/21

LONGMEADOW

33 Barclay St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Michael R. Decelle
Seller: Andrea M. Johnston
Date: 08/30/21

22 Bark Haul Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: Marian Kyei-Ofori
Seller: Teresa C. Kos
Date: 09/03/21

23 Belleclaire Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Anthony J. Santos
Seller: Oscar Ortega
Date: 09/03/21

40 Benedict Ter.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Sarah Clunis
Seller: David W. Edwards
Date: 09/02/21

112 Brookwood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Yeliz Koseoglu
Seller: Nishant Makadia
Date: 08/27/21

73 Captain Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $1,075,000
Buyer: Alexander Farhadi
Seller: Robert M. Tariff
Date: 08/30/21

112 Cooley Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Ashley B. Weisse
Seller: Yanne, Ruth, (Estate)
Date: 09/02/21

41 Dunsany Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $354,000
Buyer: Dzhony M. Kirichenko
Seller: Beverly M. Shore
Date: 09/03/21

75 Edgewood Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Kathy L. Williams
Seller: Marie B. Paynter
Date: 08/31/21

154 Field Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $509,000
Buyer: Glennice Ryan
Seller: Yvonne M. Paris
Date: 08/31/21

162 Hawthorne St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: RHL Properties LLC
Seller: Gregory K. Goldman
Date: 09/02/21

24 Knollwood Circle
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $548,000
Buyer: Richard Theberge
Seller: Yaakov Shemesh
Date: 09/01/21

1535 Longmeadow St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $499,900
Buyer: Lorinda Baker
Seller: Alexia M. Geary
Date: 08/30/21

22 Northfield Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $766,000
Buyer: Jared R. Tivnan
Seller: Bronwyn M. Monahan
Date: 08/24/21

591 Pinewood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $640,000
Buyer: Khadiga Ahmed
Seller: Constantine N. Delis
Date: 08/31/21

37 Sylvan Place
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Serena J. Leon
Seller: Robert J. Donner
Date: 08/25/21

208 Tanglewood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: RHL Properties LLC
Seller: Gordenstein, June, (Estate)
Date: 08/25/21

115 Western Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $576,269
Buyer: Kevin P. Baratta
Seller: Restall, Wenda M., (Estate)
Date: 08/26/21

550 Wolf Swamp Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $755,000
Buyer: Sydney B. Lazard
Seller: Jason M. Rosewell
Date: 08/27/21

199 Yarmouth St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Anthony J. Kolb
Seller: Daniel B. Kolb
Date: 09/03/21

LUDLOW

43 Arch St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $307,000
Buyer: Walter Hernandez
Seller: Michael F. Jacquinet
Date: 08/24/21

15 Bramucci St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Maria J. Quelha
Seller: Linda J. Santos
Date: 08/27/21

415 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $279,900
Buyer: Olivia Moshier
Seller: Nuno Faria
Date: 08/25/21

732 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $241,000
Buyer: Rosina Yeomans
Seller: Frances E. Bousquet RET
Date: 08/26/21

235-237 East St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $348,000
Buyer: Gama Investments LLC
Seller: Antonio M. Fonseca
Date: 08/27/21

40 Edison Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Hikmat Zghaier
Seller: Goncalves, Anne M., (Estate)
Date: 08/25/21

68 Franklin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Hazel A. Rodriguez
Seller: Edwin O. Garcia
Date: 08/31/21

450 Fuller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Steven R. Teerlinck
Seller: Hemlock Ridge LLC
Date: 09/01/21

43 Lakeview Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Shane M. Fraga
Seller: Raul G. Fraga
Date: 08/30/21

130 Loopley St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Nicholas A. Orzulak-Chelo
Seller: Daniel Coelho
Date: 08/30/21

128 Michael St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Christopher T. Gagnon
Seller: Reese B. Savoie
Date: 08/27/21

308 Miller St. #70
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $409,900
Buyer: Margerie A. Kirchhof
Seller: Paul D. Boudreau
Date: 08/27/21

348 Miller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Raymond Valadares
Seller: Michael D. Crowther
Date: 08/30/21

160 Pondview Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $289,900
Buyer: Maryann Talbot
Seller: Kyle D. Levesque
Date: 08/30/21

137 Poole St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Benjamin S. Velevitch
Seller: William R. Vershon
Date: 08/25/21

213 Poole St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Benjamin Clinton
Seller: George Deponte
Date: 08/24/21

335 Sewall St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Thomas S. Lysik
Seller: Loretta P. Panaccione
Date: 08/27/21

14 Vienna Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $349,000
Buyer: Chalimer Sanchez
Seller: Vienna RT
Date: 08/27/21

77 Yale St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Daniel B. Moore
Seller: Paulo E. Fialho
Date: 09/03/21

MONSON

125 Brimfield Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Nicholas J. Loglisci
Seller: Guy Hannum
Date: 09/01/21

63 Cote Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Mark Russell
Seller: Scott O. Kenyon
Date: 08/27/21

261 Hovey Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Vernon Walsh
Seller: Sara J. Slozak
Date: 08/27/21

11 King Ave.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Migdalia Concepcion
Seller: Nicolina M. Preston
Date: 09/01/21

2 Main St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $499,990
Buyer: Care For Animals LLC
Seller: Baystate Wing Hospital
Date: 08/26/21

24 Robbins Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Daniel D. Therrien
Seller: Amber L. Letendre
Date: 08/25/21

334 Stafford Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $327,900
Buyer: Sarah Strout
Seller: James Smith
Date: 08/25/21

174 Town Farm Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: David L. Nunes
Seller: John F. Vitullo
Date: 09/02/21

188 Wales Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Mark A. Mayberry
Seller: Michael Koprowski
Date: 09/02/21

MONTGOMERY

249 Main Road
Montgomery, MA 01085
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Michael G. Gaudette
Seller: Ruth M. McKay
Date: 09/03/21

PALMER

38 Chudy St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Kyle L. Smith
Seller: Charles C. Baker
Date: 08/30/21

17 Dublin St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $169,900
Buyer: Franklyn E. Lee
Seller: Dylan Kirkland
Date: 08/26/21

3056 Hillside Dr.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $271,500
Buyer: Robert E. Gunter
Seller: Elaine M. Stephens
Date: 08/31/21

15 Maple Ter.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Nathan Mumblo
Seller: Crystal M. Daniels
Date: 08/31/21

1550-1552 North Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Jose E. Gonzalez-Marti
Seller: Jacqueline M. Dagostino
Date: 09/01/21

3 Sasur St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Ashley N. Cami
Seller: Alan A. Mais
Date: 09/01/21

1370 Ware St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $285,300
Buyer: Morrissey Property Ventures LLC
Seller: Jody L. McDonough
Date: 08/30/21

SOUTHWICK

24 Birchwood Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Laurie Fijal
Seller: Holly L. Johnson
Date: 08/31/21

25 Birchwood Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Alexander Ray
Seller: Florence C. Labombard
Date: 08/23/21

42 Cooley Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: John C. Godbey
Seller: Christine A. Cianfarani
Date: 09/01/21

9 George Loomis Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Todd N. Bergeron
Seller: Carol A. Geryk
Date: 08/31/21

221 Granville Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Richard E. Fiore
Seller: Sondra L. Pendleton
Date: 08/31/21

56 Hillside Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $605,000
Buyer: Leonid Kinchak
Seller: Bryan D. Adamski
Date: 08/27/21

2 Hunters Ridge Circle
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Jessie Kahler
Seller: Deborah A. Peterson
Date: 08/31/21

11 Knollwood Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $241,000
Buyer: Nicholas R. Peterson
Seller: Justin Elder
Date: 09/01/21

11 Liquori Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Joseph M. Cocchi
Seller: Michele L. Parrow
Date: 08/30/21

2 Pearl Brook Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Brian Scott-Smith
Seller: James M. Rosso
Date: 09/03/21

300 South Longyard Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $456,000
Buyer: Joseph S. Dimartino
Seller: Sylvain P. Thibault
Date: 08/31/21

49 Tannery Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $266,000
Buyer: Scott Peabody
Seller: Holly L. Smiley
Date: 08/31/21

30 Woodland Ridge
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $495,000
Buyer: Victor Harti
Seller: Paul A. Miles
Date: 08/31/21

SPRINGFIELD

70 Amherst St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Eric Netopski
Seller: Gregory P. Hill
Date: 08/30/21

186 Arnold Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $301,500
Buyer: Keshav Sanyasi
Seller: Tek B. Gurung
Date: 09/03/21

25 Ashbrook St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Carley Elkin
Seller: Sonja M. Funk
Date: 08/30/21

100 Audubon St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Jose R. Gonzalez
Seller: Ryan W. Donovan
Date: 09/02/21

6 Baird Ter.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $281,000
Buyer: Christopher A. Cheney
Seller: Anna R. Evans
Date: 08/26/21

52-56 Baldwin St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Albert Odei-Boateng
Seller: Faustin Louiny
Date: 09/01/21

46 Balis St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Gladysh Capital 2 LLC
Seller: Hooper, Viola, (Estate)
Date: 08/24/21

15 Beaufort Circle
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $247,000
Buyer: Debra L. Nicholson
Seller: Adan J. Ibanez
Date: 08/31/21

77 Beaumont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $1,180,000
Buyer: SRV Properties LLC
Seller: Doreen A. Race
Date: 08/31/21

615-621 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $13,200,000
Buyer: Agree Eastern LLC
Seller: New Creek 2 LLC
Date: 09/02/21

855 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Ether Properties LLC
Seller: Karen A. Costa
Date: 09/03/21

142-144 Bloomfield St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Daisy J. Martinez
Seller: Cynthia M. Ullrich
Date: 08/27/21

414 Boston Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $1,025,186
Buyer: Arg AR 16 PCK 1 LLC
Seller: Rentprop LLC
Date: 09/01/21

90 Brittany Road
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $248,000
Buyer: Gail Green
Seller: Angela M. McAlister
Date: 08/30/21

43 Brookline Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $132,500
Buyer: Michael Simmonds
Seller: Cecilio Negron
Date: 08/24/21

47 Brookline Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $132,500
Buyer: Michael Simmonds
Seller: Cecilio Negron
Date: 08/24/21

75 Brookside Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Chansophy Lim
Seller: Chen Ly
Date: 09/02/21

71-73 Brunswick St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Yordany J. Dominguez
Seller: Shaun F. Foley
Date: 09/01/21

173 Cabinet St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: John M. Delaney
Seller: Nu Way Homes Inc.
Date: 09/03/21

34 Candice Circle
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Michael K. Lalak
Seller: Simon Papadoconstantakis
Date: 09/02/21

1459 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Leonelly Delarosa
Seller: Yolanda Rivera
Date: 08/26/21

73 Carew Ter.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Marcos Pomales-Alvarado
Seller: Leslie Brunelle
Date: 08/25/21

222-224 Centre St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Delores Perez
Seller: Azizou Atte-Oudeyi
Date: 08/23/21

44-1/2 Chapel St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Gilbert Baguma
Seller: Wei Q. Ni
Date: 08/30/21

109-111 Chapin Ter.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Jose Parrilla
Seller: Onota Rental LLC
Date: 08/26/21

Chestnut St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: New North Citizens Council
Seller: City Of Springfield
Date: 08/27/21

460 Chestnut St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Luis M. Castro-Penalver
Seller: Roberto Matos
Date: 08/25/21

14 Chilson St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Calista Haskell-Green
Seller: Timothy T. Collins
Date: 09/02/21

57 Chilson St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Nackesha Stacyion-Colon
Seller: Curtis Jones
Date: 08/27/21

69 Clarendon St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Maganow I. Hassan
Seller: Josa K. Long
Date: 08/24/21

81-83 Cleveland St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Jenevia Johnson
Seller: Carmen Reyes
Date: 08/27/21

22 Cloran St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Ryan Guillen
Seller: Daisy Cotto
Date: 08/31/21

5 Clough St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Carlos A. Garcia
Seller: Mary T. Sullivan
Date: 08/24/21

177 Cooper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Gita Pariyar
Seller: Julia E. Clayton
Date: 09/03/21

100-102 Darling St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Christina I. Estrada
Seller: Fabio Paiva
Date: 09/02/21

88 David St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Geovani Martinez-Salgado
Seller: Joycelyn V. Cooper
Date: 08/30/21

23 Dorset St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Pearwood LLC
Seller: Ly D. Dang
Date: 08/25/21

120 Duggan Circle
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $243,000
Buyer: Oscar Rivera-Rivera
Seller: Migda L. Sanchez
Date: 08/31/21

132 Dwight Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Yajaira M. Ramos
Seller: Luis M. Perez
Date: 08/30/21

242-244 Eastern Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Oleksandr Akimov
Seller: Gladysh Capital LLC
Date: 09/03/21

19 Edgewood St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $126,000
Buyer: JJJ17 LLC
Seller: Willie M. Johnson
Date: 09/02/21

54-56 Edgewood St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Ivette Rosado
Seller: Stacy E. Forrette
Date: 09/03/21

206 El Paso St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $212,500
Buyer: Olivia A. Feliciano
Seller: Dirico Property Management LLC
Date: 09/03/21

96 Embury St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Zelynes Cruz
Seller: Melissa Gendreau
Date: 08/30/21

111 Emerson St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Justin E. Ortiz
Seller: Alex E. Ortiz
Date: 09/03/21

23 Farragut St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Albert Odei-Boateng
Seller: Faustin Louiny
Date: 09/01/21

71 Firglade Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Neil Greene
Seller: Priscilla A. Thomas
Date: 08/23/21

483 Forest Hills Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Springfield Community LLC
Seller: Stephen G. Racette
Date: 08/27/21

53 Fremont St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Zuleika Febres
Seller: Franco Decaro
Date: 09/03/21

45 Georgetown St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Brandee L. Baker
Seller: Camacho, Cinthia I., (Estate)
Date: 09/03/21

227 Gifford St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Susane A. Rijos-Rivera
Seller: Hazel A. Rodriguez
Date: 08/31/21

314 Gilbert Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Alejandro Castillo
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 09/03/21

28 Hatch St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $174,900
Buyer: Ubonwan T. Crawford
Seller: Vicki M. Arnould
Date: 09/01/21

164 Johnson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Janitza Rivera-Guzman
Seller: Nancy Manzi
Date: 08/31/21

46 Kane St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $204,000
Buyer: Albania G. DeCabrera
Seller: Robert A. Frazier
Date: 09/01/21

161 Laconia St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: East Coast Buyers LLC
Seller: Rowan A. Dallas
Date: 08/27/21

40 Lamont St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Wicked Deals LLC
Seller: Cindy Rivera
Date: 08/25/21

41-43 Lawe St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $615,000
Buyer: American Patriots RE LLC
Seller: Tl Bretta Realty LLC
Date: 08/31/21

51-53 Lawe St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $615,000
Buyer: American Patriots RE LLC
Seller: Tl Bretta Realty LLC
Date: 08/31/21

139 Maebeth St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $177,500
Buyer: Fallah Razzak
Seller: Deutsche Bank
Date: 08/30/21

98 Manchester Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Cuong H. Nghi-Le
Seller: Michelle Connolly
Date: 08/24/21

44 Mansfield St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $208,000
Buyer: Leonard A. Scarnici
Seller: Powers, Donald G., (Estate)
Date: 08/27/21

360 Maple St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Kumiko E. Tanaka
Seller: Brenda S. Doherty
Date: 08/25/21

104 Massachusetts Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Round 2 LLC
Seller: Shamar D. Egerton
Date: 09/01/21

57 Mayfield St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Kevin Darjee
Seller: Kim M. Oski
Date: 08/30/21

83 Melville St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Hector L. Cruz-Colon
Seller: Christopher M. Klocker
Date: 08/31/21

25 Merrick Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Luz I. Cruz
Seller: Jerry L. Rivera
Date: 08/27/21

116-118 Methuen St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $321,000
Buyer: Nicole Torres
Seller: Angel Delgado
Date: 09/02/21

22 Methuen St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: Luis Galarza
Seller: Colleen M. Pafumi
Date: 08/30/21

87 Monmouth St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $247,000
Buyer: Uziel Q. Martinez-Barrios
Seller: Sovereign Group Inc.
Date: 08/24/21

125-127 Mooreland St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Talal Samir
Seller: Clara Y. Moyet
Date: 09/03/21

28 Mountainview St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Maria A. Maldonado
Seller: Geraldine M. Warton
Date: 09/03/21

45 Mountainview St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Marquita D. Arnold
Seller: Steven Jimenez
Date: 08/25/21

805 Newbury St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Alexander M. Vazquez
Seller: Anna P. Bradshaw
Date: 08/30/21

336-338 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $160,255
Buyer: Posiadlosc LLC
Seller: William Borowik
Date: 09/02/21

90 Park Road
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Maria M. DeBautisa
Seller: Paula Boylan
Date: 08/30/21

65 Penncastle St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Richard P. Johnson
Seller: Gregory E. Heineman
Date: 08/26/21

24 Price St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Michael Hansmann
Seller: Paul C. Laflamme
Date: 09/03/21

59 Rockland St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: William Pagonis
Seller: Nadine R. Crawford
Date: 08/25/21

93 Rockland St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Giovanni Gonzalez
Seller: Aldrian O. Niverba
Date: 08/31/21

204 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $244,000
Buyer: Crystal Pares
Seller: Laurie J. Thomas
Date: 08/27/21

596 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Kelly Moynihan
Seller: Michael E. Colello
Date: 09/01/21

335 Rosewell St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Bismark B. Boampong
Seller: Wells Fargo Bank
Date: 09/02/21

59 Senator St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Vincent T. Daponte
Seller: Edwin Lopez
Date: 08/26/21

42-44 Shawmut St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Darlin Soriano-Bello
Seller: Bimala Subedi
Date: 08/27/21

487 South Branch Pkwy.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $289,000
Buyer: Martha Sipe
Seller: Linda M. Anderson
Date: 08/27/21

255 Starling Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Steven C. Thompson
Seller: Cheryl A. Gorski
Date: 08/27/21

609 State St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: ADG Mason Square LLC
Seller: Paul Lawrence Realty LLC
Date: 08/31/21

854-856 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Richard F. Williams
Seller: Gabriela J. Delaney
Date: 09/02/21

1383 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Sully A. Ortiz-Alicea
Seller: Geraldine L. Penna
Date: 09/03/21

37 Timothy Circle
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Taylor Hunter
Seller: Joseph R. Bolduc
Date: 09/01/21

134 Undine Circle
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $235,500
Buyer: Alexander F. Russo
Seller: Kelly D. Conroy
Date: 08/30/21

37-39 Upland St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Jovanie Ortiz
Seller: Eric C. Cassidy
Date: 08/27/21

38 Upton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $273,000
Buyer: Shelly R. Zayas
Seller: Chase, Henry S. Jr., (Estate)
Date: 08/31/21

71 Virginia St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Kiani M. Casillas
Seller: Luis Moreno
Date: 08/27/21

17 Waldorf St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Robert Janik
Seller: Marlenny Vanschalkwijk
Date: 08/25/21

61-63 Westford Circle
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Charles Muthua
Seller: Rebecca L. Rembert
Date: 08/23/21

21 Weymouth St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $281,500
Buyer: Anusha Kothapalli
Seller: John J. Rossini
Date: 08/31/21

797 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Leah M. Davis
Seller: B9 Industries Inc.
Date: 08/31/21

82 Whittier St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Jeromey Hernandez
Seller: Bonnie B. Affleck
Date: 08/23/21

1763 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Deric Suttles
Seller: Richard E. Grewellle
Date: 09/01/21

120 Winton St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: SRV Properties LLC
Seller: Marie Owusu
Date: 08/30/21

TOLLAND

101 Owls Nest Lane
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $243,500
Buyer: Gayle Juhasz
Seller: Joshua D. Ilnicky
Date: 08/26/21

111 Owls Nest Lane
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Michael A. Judkins
Seller: Christopher Robare
Date: 08/27/21

WEST SPRINGFIELD

229 Bear Hole Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Joseph Hamel
Seller: Sarah M. Fontana
Date: 08/26/21

38 Beauview Ter.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $238,000
Buyer: Abrheem Mustafa
Seller: Carol K. Burke
Date: 09/01/21

68 Calvin Circle
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Maab H. Ismael
Seller: Lee Lavigne
Date: 08/31/21

96 Cedar Woods Glen
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $800,000
Buyer: Ted Woo
Seller: Adnan M. Dahdul
Date: 09/02/21

276 City View Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: John J. Walczak
Seller: Nancy L. Lewicki
Date: 08/30/21

38 Green Meadow Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Edwin Torres
Seller: Emilia J. Alexis
Date: 08/26/21

40 Hathorne Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Evelyn Rodriguez
Seller: Janice J. Shamblin
Date: 08/30/21

70-86 High St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Decara Properties LLC
Seller: B&B Properties LLC
Date: 08/26/21

74 High St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Decara Properties LLC
Seller: B&B Properties LLC
Date: 08/26/21

247 Laurel Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Matthew T. Castonguay
Seller: Thomas M. Chambers
Date: 09/02/21

256 Norman St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Jason Walsh
Seller: Harlow, Joanna L., (Estate)
Date: 08/27/21

16 Robinson Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Christine Szczepanek
Seller: Todd A. Cincotta
Date: 08/27/21

71 South Blvd.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $297,000
Buyer: Miguel Pantojas-Crespo
Seller: Joseph Hamel
Date: 08/26/21

45 Tiara Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Todd A. Cincotta
Seller: Kolodziej Enterprises LLC
Date: 08/27/21

81 Wolcott Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Bel B. Bhujel
Seller: Richard S. Cezarek
Date: 08/27/21

53 Wolcott Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: John Wallace
Seller: James B. Monahan
Date: 08/31/21

WESTFIELD

10 Angelica Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Ion Mata
Seller: Tyrone Manfredi
Date: 09/03/21

131 Berkshire Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Jose A. Pichardo
Seller: Frank J. Giuliano
Date: 08/24/21

61 Cardinal Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Gary D. Hagar
Seller: Mark J. Malouin
Date: 08/31/21

102 Christopher Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Antonio C. Bruno
Seller: Pamela E. Mailloux
Date: 08/31/21

44 Church St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $117,000
Buyer: Anchor Moore Investments LLC
Seller: Cheryl A. Denardo
Date: 09/02/21

169 City View Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $239,500
Buyer: Robert S. Florek
Seller: Kathleen M. Irr
Date: 08/27/21

1358 East Mountain Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $306,000
Buyer: Sergiy Ilyin
Seller: Janik, John J., (Estate)
Date: 08/27/21

58 George St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Roman Radetskyi
Seller: Patricia A. Baumgardner
Date: 08/27/21

244 Granville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Cassandra Laverty
Seller: Regina L. Laverty
Date: 08/31/21

379 Loomis St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Scott Carlton-Andrews
Seller: Kolby R. Kilhart
Date: 09/02/21

76 Meadow St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Kaitlin Davis
Seller: Deborah J. Blair
Date: 08/24/21

89 Otis St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Fumi Realty Inc.
Seller: Alan R. Hardina
Date: 08/26/21

25 Park River Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $485,000
Buyer: Timothy J. Moran
Seller: Thomas D. Byrnes
Date: 08/27/21

56 Pineridge Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Curtis E. Jones
Seller: Jeanne C. Kane
Date: 08/27/21

7 Pinewood Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $327,000
Buyer: Lori J. Gaudette
Seller: Travis B. Fanion
Date: 08/31/21

16 Prospect St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Nicholas C. Krupa
Seller: Scott W. Wing
Date: 08/23/21

16 Sally Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Golden Gorilla LLC
Seller: Michael J. Anciello
Date: 09/03/21

120 Sandy Hill Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Willia Webster-Cavanaugh
Seller: Joseph Lemay
Date: 08/25/21

20 Sunrise Ter.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Nicholas A. Bishop
Seller: Erin Moran
Date: 08/27/21

27 Tow Path Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Oxana Pavlovschi
Seller: Katie B. Oleksak
Date: 08/31/21

9 Vine St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Michael Targonski
Seller: Charles L. Michaud
Date: 08/27/21

151 Western Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $254,000
Buyer: Robert Newlin
Seller: Robert J. Mahar
Date: 09/03/21

110 Woodside Ter.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Vadim Plotnikov
Seller: Melro Associates Inc.
Date: 08/24/21

WILBRAHAM

3155 Boston Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Heather L. Fontaine
Seller: Jad Mourad
Date: 09/02/21

14 Cooley Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Christopher Howland
Seller: Margerie A. Kirchhof
Date: 08/27/21

3 Decorie Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Alyssa D. Werbicki
Seller: Gerald F. Heller
Date: 08/31/21

1 Edward St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $402,000
Buyer: Dingbin Chen
Seller: Philip J. Tarpey
Date: 08/27/21

5 Elm Circle
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Olivia Feehan
Seller: Kaylan Beaudry
Date: 08/30/21

17 Falcon Heights
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $1,600,000
Buyer: Falcon T
Seller: Jay C. Falik
Date: 08/23/21

6 Highridge Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $585,000
Buyer: Peter C. Fatse
Seller: Daniel W. McNamara
Date: 08/26/21

16 Hunting Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $360,700
Buyer: Jessica Armstrong
Seller: Henry Bradford
Date: 08/23/21

17 Longview Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $427,000
Buyer: Philip L. Knight
Seller: Kerry E. Slepchuk
Date: 09/02/21

43 Main St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Kathleen Simolaris
Seller: Mariusz M. Koziol
Date: 09/02/21

771 Main St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $339,000
Buyer: Susan Collins
Seller: Nancy A. Collins
Date: 09/02/21

7 Squire Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $670,000
Buyer: David J. Breglio
Seller: John M. Biela
Date: 08/27/21

43 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Coloni Brown
Seller: Jeffrey R. Kuselias
Date: 08/25/21

73 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Benjamin Torres-Gonzalez
Seller: Tony Desousa
Date: 08/25/21

515 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $369,000
Buyer: Jesse S. Branham
Seller: Hazel Zebian
Date: 08/30/21

777 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $396,000
Buyer: Edward C. Hitchcock
Seller: Keith J. Mcinnes
Date: 08/26/21

18 Wandering Meadows
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $684,000
Buyer: John C. Lewis
Seller: Kara A. Arcidiacono
Date: 08/27/21

19 Westwood Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Brett D. Kalish
Seller: Peter C. Fatse
Date: 08/25/21

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

58 Cottage St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Kelly A. McKeown
Seller: Nicholas T. Dines
Date: 08/23/21

81 Cottage St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $366,400
Buyer: Robert A. Cann
Seller: Thomas L. Paige
Date: 09/01/21

159 Farview Way
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Liam Bannon
Seller: Carolyne Hinkel
Date: 08/27/21

234 Heatherstone Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $438,900
Buyer: Anthony J. Ferrari
Seller: Hector N. Camacho-Lopez
Date: 08/24/21

31 Jenks St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $379,000
Buyer: Sarah Tsang
Seller: Plummer FT
Date: 08/31/21

118 Lindenridge Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $765,000
Buyer: Wilson Gautieri FT
Seller: Bercume Construction LLC
Date: 08/30/21

55 Mechanic St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Adam J. Schifferli
Seller: Alicia A. Doherty
Date: 08/31/21

32 Moorland St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Noelle Nubani
Seller: Henry E. Whitlock
Date: 08/24/21

427 Old Farm Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Maria F. Ferrari-Haines
Seller: Anna Liu
Date: 08/26/21

185 Pelham Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Madalin Fiterau-Brostean
Seller: John H. Bay
Date: 09/01/21

562 South Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: David Thiel
Seller: Susanna Nazarova
Date: 08/27/21

137 Shutesbury Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $910,000
Buyer: Egbert Bakker
Seller: Thomas B. Baker
Date: 08/25/21

43 Sunset Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $815,000
Buyer: Horst Henning Winter RET
Seller: Nathaniel A. Barker
Date: 08/23/21

40 Van Meter Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Vincent Homer
Seller: Danielle Raad
Date: 08/30/21

591 West St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Yanfen You
Seller: Tina Berins
Date: 09/01/21

37 Woodlot Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $598,000
Buyer: Zachary J. Sheffler
Seller: Jacqueline B. Juras
Date: 08/31/21

BELCHERTOWN

50 Federal St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: 50 Fed Operating Co., LLC
Seller: Frank Ernest FT
Date: 09/01/21

16 Magnolia Lane
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $495,000
Buyer: Martha A. Duroshea
Seller: Erik Correa
Date: 08/27/21

52 Old Bay Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $950,000
Buyer: Children & Families Inc.
Seller: Wayne A. Lebrun LT
Date: 08/24/21

23 Robin Lane
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Amanda L. Ryder
Seller: Robert A. Cunningham
Date: 09/01/21

170 Sabin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Michael A. Cole
Seller: Joseph P. Maggi
Date: 09/03/21

213 South Washington St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Stephen G. Fellers
Seller: Emidio F. Vitorino
Date: 08/31/21

570 South Washington St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Thomas A. Janas
Seller: Merle A. Paine
Date: 08/25/21

CHESTERFIELD

202 East St.
Chesterfield, MA 01096
Amount: $483,525
Buyer: Austin Crumpton
Seller: Joseph F. Lingg RET
Date: 08/27/21

33 Farmhouse Road
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Linda A. Udall
Seller: Bricker Ferrante RET
Date: 09/01/21

26 Windy Lane
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $685,000
Buyer: Dana Romanczyk
Seller: Jeffrey G. Donovan
Date: 08/31/21

CUMMINGTON

Powell Road #1A
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Jonathan Kephart
Seller: Julius G. Fabos
Date: 09/02/21

Powell Road #1B
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Jonathan Kephart
Seller: Julius G. Fabos
Date: 09/02/21

Powell Road #1C
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Jonathan Kephart
Seller: Julius G. Fabos
Date: 09/02/21

Trow Road #1A
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Jonathan Kephart
Seller: Julius G. Fabos
Date: 09/02/21

Trow Road #1B
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Jonathan Kephart
Seller: Julius G. Fabos
Date: 09/02/21

Trow Road #1C
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Jonathan Kephart
Seller: Julius G. Fabos
Date: 09/02/21

EASTHAMPTON

18 Clark Lane
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Seth A. Menkel
Seller: Colleen M. Chambers
Date: 08/24/21

13-15 Federal St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Jarred A. Difazio
Seller: John A. Knybel
Date: 09/01/21

110 Hendrick St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Jillian Williams
Seller: Mark A. Glidden
Date: 08/27/21

GOSHEN

56 Ball Road
Goshen, MA 01096
Amount: $138,421
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Gayle L. Rek
Date: 08/31/21

13 South Chesterfield Road
Goshen, MA 01032
Amount: $244,000
Buyer: Kelsey A. Henshaw
Seller: Paul E. Bacon RET
Date: 09/03/21

GRANBY

119 Batchelor St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $825,000
Buyer: Michael C. Marcotte
Seller: James Downing
Date: 09/02/21

126 Cold Hill Road
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Andrew Boyko
Seller: Max A. Bowers
Date: 09/01/21

HADLEY

20 Breckenridge Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $397,000
Buyer: John Coelho
Seller: Lauri R. Majewski
Date: 09/02/21

145 East St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Katieann Szelewicki
Seller: Roger J. Menard
Date: 08/30/21

43 Hockanum Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Samantha Solano
Seller: Gwen McClellan
Date: 09/03/21

6 Joelle Ter.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $453,000
Buyer: Margaret H. Kearney
Seller: Joanne M. Wanczyk
Date: 09/01/21

2 Middle St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $462,000
Buyer: Wayne Dawson
Seller: Susan Pikor
Date: 08/30/21

72 Mount Warner Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $795,000
Buyer: Michelle L. Stevens
Seller: Sheridan FT
Date: 08/30/21

HATFIELD

458 Main St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $386,000
Buyer: Chris W. Ellis
Seller: Dianne M. Ellis
Date: 08/30/21

HUNTINGTON

2 Mountain View
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Daniel J. Sullivan
Seller: Tracey L. Jacey
Date: 09/03/21

154 Pond Brook Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Bruce C. Magliola
Seller: Gary L. Parks
Date: 09/03/21

63 Worthington Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Kathryn Koegel
Seller: Christopher O’Connell
Date: 08/26/21

NORTHAMPTON

45 Austin Circle
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Isaac Allen
Seller: Kimberly A. Watts
Date: 08/30/21

8 Blackberry Lane
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $850,000
Buyer: B&Brandina Jersky RET
Seller: Jacqueline F. O’Connell
Date: 09/03/21

43 Center St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $318,000
Buyer: Dale T. Raczynski
Seller: C. L. Bateman 1991 TR
Date: 09/01/21

19 Corticelli St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: 19 Corticelli Street LLC
Seller: Wendy Abrahamson
Date: 09/01/21

47 East Center St.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $459,000
Buyer: Kate F. Crowther
Seller: Karen L. England
Date: 08/25/21

540 Elm St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $313,000
Buyer: Emmalie Dropkin
Seller: Heather G. Richard
Date: 08/25/21

36 Grant Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Cameron S. Brown
Seller: Joseph D. Squires
Date: 08/30/21

37 Grant Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Micah Walter
Seller: Jaon M. Hart RET
Date: 09/03/21

48 Longfellow Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $998,000
Buyer: Timothy V. Parsons
Seller: C. Heuser Barr
Date: 09/01/21

70 Main St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $8,910,000
Buyer: Florence RIK MP LLC
Seller: Florence Medical Properties LLC
Date: 08/24/21

63 Maple St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $8,910,000
Buyer: Florence RIK MP LLC
Seller: Florence Medical Properties LLC
Date: 08/24/21

77 Maple St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $8,910,000
Buyer: Florence RIK MP LLC
Seller: Florence Medical Properties LLC
Date: 08/24/21

150 Maplewood Ter.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Caleb Alvord
Seller: Michael Patenaude
Date: 09/02/21

15 Massasoit St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $747,500
Buyer: Elizabeth V. Spelman
Seller: Mary B. Radke
Date: 09/02/21

28 Morningside Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $618,000
Buyer: William B. O’Neil
Seller: Camilla S. Humphreys RET
Date: 09/03/21

6 Myrtle St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Fortune Creative LLC
Seller: YWCA Of Western Mass. Inc.
Date: 08/27/21

13 Park St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Vanessa Ly
Seller: Bonnie M. Burnham
Date: 08/30/21

157 Prospect Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: E. Sandra Morrison TR
Seller: Michael T. Cahillane
Date: 08/26/21

250 South St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $793,500
Buyer: Jennifer L. Nye
Seller: Michael C. Jacques
Date: 09/03/21

53 Warner St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Murray D. Emerson
Seller: Niveen S. Ismail
Date: 08/31/21

1526 Westhampton Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $740,000
Buyer: Jenna Schmidt
Seller: Timothy V. Parsons
Date: 08/27/21

SOUTH HADLEY

12 Bolton St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Kristiaan S. Krause
Seller: Jennifer A. Lavalley
Date: 09/03/21

56 Chestnut Hill Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Emily Jackson
Seller: Joseph H. Ely
Date: 08/31/21

225 Hadley St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Michael P. McManus
Seller: Karen A. Couture
Date: 09/03/21

229 Hadley St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Michael P. McManus
Seller: Karen A. Couture
Date: 09/03/21

244 Hadley St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Scott Family Properties LLC
Seller: Stanley A. Palmer
Date: 08/31/21

39 Lyman St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Mustafa A. Barbhuiya
Seller: Brian S. McClaflin
Date: 08/27/21

27 Mountain View St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $269,900
Buyer: Kara Karwoski
Seller: Elizabeth Gallup-Atkins
Date: 08/25/21

45 Pynchon Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Meghan Ginley
Seller: Richard A. Nagine
Date: 08/31/21

90 Richview Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Bryan L. Desrochers
Seller: Emily A. Jackson
Date: 08/31/21

22 River Lodge Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Jonathan D. Remillard
Seller: Julie A. Wienski
Date: 09/01/21

25 Wood Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Dino Marinello
Seller: Edward Courchesne
Date: 08/26/21

8 Wright Place
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Cheryl Israel
Seller: Joanna W. Lawless
Date: 08/31/21

SOUTHAMPTON

40 East St.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $125,100
Buyer: Patrisha Nulph
Seller: Wilmington Savings
Date: 09/02/21

6 Fitch Farm Way
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $872,500
Buyer: Debra Rogers
Seller: David A. Hardy Contractor
Date: 09/03/21

WARE

73 Beaver Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $484,000
Buyer: Bruce D. Meekin
Seller: David P. Dylewicz
Date: 08/31/21

61 Church St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $289,900
Buyer: Jason R. Smith
Seller: Elaine E. Bernier
Date: 08/31/21

56 Coffey Hill Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Juan Chen
Seller: Judith M. Alfano
Date: 08/27/21

188 Greenwich Plains Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Victoria Biegalski
Seller: Terri A. Pelletier
Date: 09/03/21

1 Hillside Ter.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $281,250
Buyer: Arielle P. Lask
Seller: Charles I. Lask
Date: 08/27/21

7-29 Homecrest Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $840,000
Buyer: Homecrest Avenue LLC
Seller: Costas D. Anamisis
Date: 08/27/21

284 Malboeuf Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Noella M. Conroy
Seller: Michael G. Gaudette
Date: 08/30/21

63-69 North St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $486,250
Buyer: BN&RN Properties LLC
Seller: MD&PB Properties LLC
Date: 09/03/21

38 Shoreline Dr.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $535,000
Buyer: Roland Bolduc
Seller: Helmut K. Marosits
Date: 09/01/21

WILLIAMSBURG

74 Nash Hill Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Sara J. Cochran
Seller: Kristin E. Kirk
Date: 09/02/21

WESTHAMPTON

150 Kings Hwy.
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Maria A. Holguin
Seller: Madden, Michael E., (Estate)
Date: 09/03/21

WORTHINGTON

230 Patterson Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $359,000
Buyer: Marilyn R. Glazer-Weisner
Seller: Catherine V. Crochiere
Date: 08/31/21

Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of September 2021. (Filings are limited due to closures or reduced staffing hours at municipal offices due to COVID-19 restrictions).

CHICOPEE

Chicopee Boys Club Inc.
580 Meadow St.
$253,600 — Demolish press box, construct pre-engineered metal building

Chicopee Child Development
989 James St.
$44,999 — Roofing

Chicopee Tower Nominee Trust
481 Center St.
$35,000 — Dish Wireless to place three antennas, six remote radio units, one junction box, and one cable at RAD on self-support tower

Guardian Property Management
17 Adams St.
$1,128.79 — Modify existing fire-alarm system, install cellular communicator for fire-alarm monitoring, replace heat detectors on exterior porches

Guardian Property Management
27 Adams St.
$1,128.79 — Modify existing fire-alarm system, install cellular communicator for fire-alarm monitoring, replace heat detectors on exterior porches

Main Street Property
340 McKinstry Ave.
$30,000 — Remove sand-storage silo, infill roof framing and decking, patch roof

Jeffrey Neece, Theresa Neece
70 Maple St.
$12,500 — Repair building walls and ceilings after remediation and mold treatment resulting from water entering building from tropical storm

Prime Communications AT&T
601 Memorial Dr., Suite D
$22,000 — Paint inside of store, install carpet squares, set up fixtures

Public Storage Properties XVII
31 Jamrog Dr.
$70,000 — Dish Wireless to install antennas, ancillary tower, and ground equipment at unmanned wireless facility

Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield
534 Front St.
$1,000 — Install freezer

Benjamin Surner Jr.
7 Coburn St.
$116,000 — F&S Real Estate to reinforce several roof carrying beams

HADLEY

CBR Realty Corp.
195 Russell St.
N/A — Install exterior door in Tandem Bagel office

Philip Goulet
331 Russell St.
N/A — Change name of business on existing sign

Hadley Elmwood, LLC
102 Russell St.
N/A — Remove non-load-bearing partition wall, paint and patch walls

Walter Wanczyk Jr.
180 Russell St.
N/A — Roofing

LEE

Anthony Caropreso
35 Consolati Way
$35,000 — Roofing

LENOX

Hillcrest Educational Center
349 Old Stockbridge Road
$20,000 — Replace rear exterior courtyard stairs

Lenox Collection, LLC
7 Hubbard St.
$15,000 — Roofing

NORTHAMPTON

Colvest Northampton, LLC
303 King St.
$125,000 — Tenant buildout for new physical-therapy tenant

Herrick Mill, LLC
1 Short St.
$17,500 — Convert office space to apartment

Meadowbrook Preservation Associates Limited Partnership
491 Bridge Road
$616,000 — Roofing

Northampton Recreation Department
Bridge Street
$9,000 — Replace dugout at Sheldon Field

Pombridge Manor, LLC
5 Pomeroy Ter,
$54,903 — Three electric-vehicle charging units

Southpaw Properties, LLC
35 North Main St.
$25,400 — Roofing

Speedway, LLC
237 King St.
$15,000 — Marquee face replacement and five LED pump toppers

PITTSFIELD

AM Management, LLC
235 East St.
$10,000 — Install water line from street to building

Christopher Barbarotta
131 Fenn St.
$4,000 — Remove old rooted beam and install new post and beam

Berkshire Theatre Festival Inc.
109 South St.
$176,144 — Roofing

Holiday Inn & Suites Pittsfield
1 West St.
$14,500 — Door replacements and alterations

One Hundred Five Elm Street, LLC
105 Elm St.
$2,200 — Cut door opening in wall

Joseph Renzi
117 Fenn St.
$3,000 — Add heat detectors in business, smoke/carbon monoxide detectors in apartment

Scarafoni Associates
235 Tyler St.
$150,000 — Roofing

SPRINGFIELD

Felix Almonte
19 Albemarle St.
$35,015.93 — Install solar panels to roof of detatched garage

ML&J, LLC
750 Boston Road
$46,000 — Alter interior of Marlee’s for accessible restroom, vestibule, new bar area, and dividing wall

Pioneer Valley Hotel Group
100 Congress St.
$125,000 — Roofing

The Republican Co.
1860 Main St.
$7,500 — Install fire-alarm system for 6 Bricks marijuana dispensary

Springfield Cemetery
171 Maple St.
$810,433 — Addition to Dorcas Chapin Chapel and crematory building at Springfield Cemetery

Thi Tai
200 Dickinson St.
$20,000 — Roofing at Cathy Beauty Supply

WILBRAHAM

SBA Towers IX, LLC
720 Ridge Road
$65,000 — Dish Wireless to install three antennas and associated equipment at existing SBA cell site

Daily News

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) has been awarded nearly $1 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to create a new engineering pathways program to help boost the numbers of Latinx and women engineers working in the field.

The grant — $956,458 over four years — will allow HCC to design an accelerated, one-year engineering certificate program that will culminate in paid internships with high-tech research organizations such as the renowned Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York.

The money comes from the NSF’s program for Hispanic Serving Institutions and is intended to improve undergraduate education in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields. HCC has been a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution, or HSI, since 2016. Colleges and universities are recognized as HSIs when their Hispanic/Latinx enrollment exceeds 25%.

HCC’s partners in the grant include Holyoke High School, Westfield High School, Western New England University, UMass Amherst, the Northampton-based Collaborative for Educational Services, a national association called the 50K Coalition, and the Society for Women Engineers.

The main goals of HCC’s new Western Massachusetts Engineering Pathways Program are to increase participation in engineering by members of groups historically underrepresented in the field, to revitalize HCC’s engineering programs to be more responsive to a diverse student body, and to ensure the program meets the needs of regional employers.

“The grant gives us the funding to create a new curriculum,” said Adrienne Smith, HCC’s dean of STEM and one of the grant managers.

Through the grant, HCC will hire an Engineering Pathways coordinator to recruit high-school students for the program. “The coordinator will also be an ongoing resource for the students,” Smith said. “We don’t want to just get students into the program; we want them to get through it and succeed.”

After students complete their coursework, they will be placed in paid internships.

“The internship is built into the curriculum,” Smith said. “We already have some things set up with Brookhaven Labs. They want our students. They’re going to pay for their housing and a healthy salary. We’re working to find other companies to do exactly the same thing.”

As a further incentive, each student in their final program course will receive a $1,000 stipend.

“At the end, after receiving their certificates, students can either go directly into the workforce, or they can continue on at HCC for another year to complete their associate degree in engineering,” Smith said.

The grant also calls for a review of HCC’s associate-degree program in engineering in consultation with HCC’s partners to increase employer engagement and improve transfer pathways to four-year institutions. In addition, the grant will facilitate the creation of a chapter of the Society of Women Engineers at HCC.

Also in conjunction with the grant, HCC has joined the 50K Coalition, a national consortium of professional engineering societies whose goal is graduate 50,000 women engineers and engineers of color by 2025.

“Our engineering graduates typically go on to Western New England and UMass Amherst and other institutions with highly regarded engineering programs, so we are helping to build that base,” Smith said.

Daily News

AMHERST — Arwen Staros Duffy, currently assistant vice president for Development at the University of Southern California (USC), has been named vice chancellor for advancement at UMass Amherst. Duffy will begin her new position Nov. 15.

Duffy has served in her leadership role at USC since 2014. She oversaw record fundraising efforts for the Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism, Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, Gould School of Law, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, Price School of Public Policy, Rossier School of Education, and Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work as part of the Campaign for USC. Previously, she served as senior vice president for Development and External Affairs at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif.

A Yale University graduate in art, she was also vice president of Advancement for the California Institute of the Arts, where she earned her MFA in 1994. Duffy began her career in higher-education advancement at UCLA, where she secured support for the School of the Arts and Architecture and College of Letters and Science.

“Arwen Duffy possesses an extraordinary range of experience and expertise that will advance the mission of UMass Amherst as we seek new heights of philanthropic support for our revolutionary aspirations,” UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy said. “Her most recent success at USC, a distinguished national university, as well as her deep knowledge of the arts, demonstrates the skill, creativity, and leadership that she will bring to UMass.”

Added Duffy, “public universities play a special role in advancing knowledge for the public good, and I embrace UMass Amherst’s commitment to create a better, more just world. It is a privilege to join the commonwealth’s flagship university at a time when philanthropy is playing a vital role in fueling its mission. This month’s extraordinary gifts to the Marieb College of Nursing will make a lasting impact in the lives of UMass students and their future patients, and I am grateful to interim Vice Chancellor Theresa Curry and the Advancement team for their dedication to engaging alumni, parents, friends, and neighbors in advocacy and support.”

Daily News

FLORENCE — Florence Bank promoted Andrew Tulis to the position of assistant vice president and Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) officer at the main office in Florence.

Tulis is a 10-year employee of Florence Bank and brings extensive knowledge and skills to his new position. In this role, he will be responsible for ensuring compliance with laws and regulations by developing and adhering to policies and procedures that oversee the bank’s BSA program, anti-money-laundering program, and Office of Foreign Asset Control compliance.

Tulis studied at New York University, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He attended the New England School for Financial Studies at Babson College, graduating with honors in 2016.

“We are excited to see Andrew’s career advance with the bank as he begins the role of assistant vice president/BSA officer,” Florence Bank President and CEO Kevin Day said. “His consistent outstanding performance, reliability, and expert knowledge have made him an essential asset to the bank.”

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Carberry Conversations, presented by Springfield Technical Community College’s Amy H. Carberry Fine Arts Gallery, continues on Friday, Oct. 1 from 11 to 11:45 a.m. with a virtual conversation between associate professor and gallery coordinator Sondra Peron and adjunct professor and visual artist Jorge Costa.

This conversation between a photographer-philosopher and an artist-activist is likely to cover a wide range of topics including design inspired by nature, the connection between climate change and food politics, and race and architecture. The event is part of Hispanic/Latinx History Month at STCC. To attend the virtual event, register at stcc.io/costa.

Costa is a visual artist and an adjunct professor at Manchester Community College, Springfield College, and STCC. His work explores a variety of media, forms, and content, including research on biomimetic design, microbiology, bio-architecture, climate change, and the Anthropocene.

Costa has collaborated with other artists and shown his work in a variety of spaces, including the Brooklyn (N.Y.) Waterfront Artist Coalition; Brattleboro (Vt.) Museum & Art Center; A.P.E. Gallery, Northampton; Fowler Arts Collective, Brooklyn, N.Y., Sanford Meisner Theater, Chelsea, N.Y., Artists Space, Tribeca, N.Y., Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, Kobe, Japan; Kathryn Schultz Gallery, Cambridge; and Hemphill Fine Arts Gallery, Washington, D.C. Learn more at www.jorgecosta.space.

Carberry Conversations is a series of virtual talks throughout the academic year between Peron and several past exhibiting artists whose work has been on view at the Amy H. Carberry Fine Arts Gallery since 2013, as well as STCC’s own art faculty. Conceived in response to the ongoing pandemic, these conversations function as a space to connect working artists and photographers to STCC and the Greater Springfield community covering a wide variety of topics, including origin stories, impact of current events on the artistic process, and the function of art and photography during times of crisis. The exhibition is supported in part by the School of Liberal and Professional Studies and the Fine Arts program.

The gallery reopens later this month a new, in-person exhibition in B28 with collages by Keith Hollingworth, “40 Black Writers.”

All Carberry Conversations are free and open to the public via Zoom.

Daily News

WARE — Country Bank President and CEO Paul F. Scully announced the appointment of four prominent business professionals to its board of trustees and four new corporators from local businesses within the communities it serves.

Attorney Richard Maynard, owner of the Law Offices of Richard H. Maynard, PC and Elizabeth Rappaport, partner at Century Investment Company, both from Western Mass., have joined the board of trustees. Central Massachusetts Board of Trustees include Ross Dik, owner of Knight-Dik Insurance in Worcester, and Stacy Luster, general counsel and assistant to the president of Worcester State University, who will also serve as a corporator. 

Newly appointed corporators include Jennifer Cooke, CRPS, CPFA, AIF, and director of Retirement Plans at CIG Private Wealth Management; Melissa Fales, Loan Program coordinator at Quaboag Community Development Corporation; William Trudeau, executive vice president/partner at HUB International LLC; and Kyriakos Konstantaki, co-founder and principal at Amcomm Wireless.

“While each of our markets offers a unique value proposition, we are adding strategic business professionals throughout the region to our team to help us focus our efforts on the areas that will provide us with the most growth opportunities,” stated Scully. “We are delighted to have these new dedicated and experienced business professionals join us. Together, we look forward to the future with great optimism for continued success, growth, and prosperity for our Community, Customers and Staff.” 

Daily News

 

SPRINGFIELD — MOSSO: Musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, will present a free concert on Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m. at Springfield Symphony Hall. Maestro Kevin Rhodes, music director and conductor of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra for 20 years, will return to Springfield to lead a program titled ‘COMING HOME: A Symphonic Reunion,’ which will include popular symphonic works by Beethoven, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, and others to be announced by Rhodes from the stage. 

 

“I’ve missed my colleagues; since the pandemic silenced our concerts, and after isolating at my family’s home in Michigan, I’ve been conducting opera and ballet in Milan, Rome, Slovenia, and Slovakia,” said Rhodes. “I’m glad that my colleagues are working together to bring live classical music back to Western Massachusetts, and I’m honored to be on stage with them.” 

 

Beth Welty, assistant principal second violin with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra since 1983, points out, “MOSSO’s efforts to perform live music since the last official SSO concerts have included organizing performances at the Black Lives Matter rally in front of Springfield City Hall in September of 2020, the 2021 Springfield Jazz and Roots Festival with the Kevin Sharpe Band, the Mattoon Street Arts Festival, and a free concert on the steps of Springfield Symphony Hall in June of 2021. Area businesses have also sponsored MOSSO ‘pop-up’ concerts in various locations throughout the city.” 

 

Marsha Harbison, assistant concertmaster of the SSO since 1977, said, “the musicians of the SSO have not performed together on the stage of Springfield Symphony Hall since March of 2020. The professional musicians of the symphony are eager to perform exciting and healing music in our great Symphony Hall, under our world class maestro Kevin Rhodes.” 

 

MOSSO said the event was made possible by the support of the Music Performance Trust Fund, the American Federation of Musicians, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, Amanda Spear-Purchase and the staff of Symphony Hall, and Lyman Wood.

 

Tickets for the Oct. 15 performance are free, but must be reserved in advance. No tickets will be sold at the door, and ticket holders must be masked and have proof of full vaccination against Covid-19. All performers will also be fully vaccinated and masked. Seating will be general admission, but Symphony Hall capacity will be reduced to allow for social distancing. For details and reservations: www.SpringfieldSymphonyMusicians.com.

Donations can be made online through the MOSSO website: SpringfieldSymphonyMusicians.com or checks can be made out to MOSSO and sent to MOSSO, PO Box 3513, Amherst, MA 01004. All donations made to MOSSO will be used to produce live musical events for the Springfield community. 

Daily News

HOLYOKE — The Cannabis Education Center at Holyoke Community College has announced its schedule of industry training programs for the fall 2021 semester.

The CEC will offer three 12-hour, introductory Cannabis Core training courses with the next set to run Oct. 16 and 17, from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. each day over Zoom.

The Cannabis Core program provides an overview of the cannabis industry in Massachusetts and is geared for people looking for general knowledge as they consider a cannabis career. During four, three-hour sessions, students will interact with cannabis experts and guest speakers in reviews of the plant, various cannabis products, the endocannabinoid system, laws and prohibition, growing and plant care, labeling, packaging, testing, employment considerations, and more. 

The Cannabis Core program is a foundational course and a prerequisite for career track courses, such as cultivation assistant, extraction technician, culinary assistant, and patient services advocate. 

Additional Cannabis Core programs will run Nov. 9-17 (Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-9 p.m.) and Nov. 28-Dec. 20 (Mondays from 6-9 p.m.). 

Those who complete the core training program are then eligible to enroll in the Cannabis Cultivation Assistant training course that begins Nov. 13. 

Cultivation assistants help cannabis cultivation teams in all areas of growing operations. The CEC’s Cultivation Assistant program is a 20-hour, self-paced online course enhanced with four one-hour Zoom sessions so students can interact in real time with industry experts.

This course, taught by HCC associate professor of biology Sage Franetovich, considers agriculture as a multidisciplinary activity. The curriculum includes material on plant biology, pests (insect, animal, fungal, bacterial, and viral), the environment, economics, marketing, soil, hydroponics, plant health, nutrition, harvesting, trimming, inventory tracking and plant waste. The four, one-hour Zoom sessions will run Saturdays from 10 to 11 a.m. on Nov. 13, Nov. 20., Nov. 27, and Dec. 4.

The cost of the Cannabis Core training is $595. Career track programs cost $799. To register, please go to: hcc.edu/cannabis-core

The Cannabis Education Center is a partnership between HCC and Elevate Northeast and based out of HCC’s Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development. 

Elevate Northeast is a Massachusetts-based, women-founded 501(c)(3) nonprofit, created to support the Northeast’s growing cannabis industry through workforce training, education and advocacy. 

More information on these and other cannabis industry programs can be found on the Cannabis Education Center’s website — cannabiseducationcenter.org — or by calling (413) 552-2320.