Month: March 2022

EASTHAMPTON — Sourcepass announced it has added Easthampton-based Suite3 to its portfolio of IT companies focused on serving small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs). The deal is Sourcepass’ second acquisition in 30 days and will not only boost the company’s solutions targeting the financial-services industry, but also grow the company’s reach in the Northeast, expanding its footprint into 43 states.

“According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, SMBs made up 99.9% of U.S. businesses in 2020, and their employees account for almost half of the U.S. workforce. However, they often have difficulty accessing the capabilities and resources that would help them grow,” said Chuck Canton, chairman and founder of Sourcepass. “That is why Sourcepass looks for the best IT companies serving this market, like Suite3, to give SMBs tools to be competitive. It is good for the companies, good for the IT partners we select, and ultimately good for the U.S. economy.”

Suite3 provides managed network, cloud migration and management, cybersecurity, and IT support services to more than 6,000 managed customer endpoints. Its clients span more than eight industries, with a strong focus on financial services.

“As Suite3’s cybersecurity offerings became more sophisticated, the next logical step for us was to expand to offer 24/7 support and security operations. With Sourcepass’ support, we can accelerate our timeframe to offer these expanded offerings, and our clients gain additional resources through the relationship,” said Dave DelVecchio, president of Suite3. “One of the things at the core of our business model is an obsession with customer satisfaction and engagement. Once we knew Sourcepass shared that commitment and our visions were aligned, we knew they were the right partner for us. We are excited to be part of the Sourcepass family and look forward to contributing to the journey.”

As part of the transition, Suite3’s current employees will join the Sourcepass team. They will also receive institutional training and growth opportunities. In addition, the core Suite3 leadership team will remain, with new roles to help Sourcepass with its growth into the financial-services industry and culture of customer engagement.

Current Suite3 clients will also see benefits from the new agreement. Sourcepass will extend its interactive web portal to enable 24/7, on-demand, omni-channel support to Suite3 customers, and they will have access to Sourcepass’ broad portfolio of technology solutions.

“Our goal is to be the leading managed service provider (MSP) for SMBs,” Canton said. “We can only do that by selecting the best partners, like Suite3 and our recent deal with NST. The next step is to implement our proven systems and operational strategies to help these companies grow and thrive so they can deliver innovative digital IT services to SMBs and help those organizations succeed.”

Hometown Financial Group to Acquire Randolph Bancorp Inc.

EASTHAMPTON — Hometown Financial Group Inc., the multi-bank holding company for bankESB, bankHometown, and Abington Bank, has entered into a definitive merger agreement by which Hometown will acquire Randolph Bancorp Inc., the bank holding company for Envision Bank.

Under the terms of the merger agreement, which has been unanimously approved by both boards of directors, Randolph shareholders will receive $27 in cash for each share of Randolph common stock. The total transaction value is approximately $146.5 million. The merger is anticipated to close in the fourth quarter of 2022, subject to certain conditions, including the receipt of required regulatory approvals, shareholder approval, and other standard conditions. Randolph’s directors and executive officers who currently own, in the aggregate, approximately 7.65% of Randolph’s outstanding common shares have signed voting agreements pursuant to which they have agreed to vote their shares in favor of the merger.

As a result of the transaction, Envision Bank will merge with and into Abington Bank to create a $1.4 billion bank with 11 full-service retail locations across the South Shore, including the towns of Abington, Avon, Braintree, Cohasset, Holbrook, Marion, Randolph and Stoughton. Envision’s mortgage division also has lending centers in North Attleboro and Quincy as well as two mortgage offices in Massachusetts and one in Southern New Hampshire. As part of the merger agreement, at closing, Hometown will add at least one Randolph director to the Hometown and Abington Bank boards of directors.

The transaction will expand Hometown’s market presence in eastern Massachusetts. Following completion of the transaction, Hometown will have consolidated assets of approximately $4.4 billion and a branch network of 38 full-service offices across Massachusetts and northeastern Connecticut.

“With the addition of Envision Bank, we more than double our full-service locations and assets in eastern Massachusetts,” said Matthew Sosik, CEO of Hometown Financial Group Inc. “We are very excited to share the significant resources of Hometown Financial Group with the employees and customers of Envision Bank.”

Abington Bank President and CEO Andrew Raczka added that “Envision Bank customers will enjoy our enhanced products and services, and our business customers will benefit from an increase in lending capacity.”

This transaction will be the sixth strategic merger for Hometown in the last seven years. In 2015, Hometown acquired Citizens National Bancorp. Inc., based in Putnam, Conn., and then merged with Hometown Community Bancorp MHC, the holding company for Hometown Bank, in 2016. It then acquired Pilgrim Bancshares Inc. and Abington Bank in 2019, and later that same year merged Millbury Savings Bank with and into bankHometown.

“Our holding company structure brings the best of both worlds to our customers, employees, and communities,” Sosik said. “Each bank has deep roots in the neighborhoods they call home, so each can operate independently to harness its own local branding power while taking advantage of our extensive shared resources that take advantage of size, scale, and efficiency.”

Sosik said Hometown Financial Group will continue to seek out additional strategic acquisitions and partnerships with like-minded financial institutions.

“We are very pleased to have reached this agreement. Our shared values and complementary business models make this an ideal partnership,” said William Parent, president and CEO of Randolph Bancorp Inc. “Both organizations are highly respected as leaders in the community, and we believe Hometown Financial Group’s focus on innovation and technology will help meet the evolving needs of customers of both Hometown Financial Group and Envision Bank by providing greater access to digital banking tools and an expanded branch network. These enhancements will improve the customer experience and create a stronger banking competitor in Eastern Massachusetts.”

BFAIR Earns Three-year CARF Accreditation

Special Coverage Sports & Leisure

NORTH ADAMS — Berkshire Family & Individual Resources (BFAIR) received a three-year Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) accreditation for its Day Habilitation and Adult Family Care (AFC) services. The accreditation extends through 2025.

During the accreditation process, the CARF surveyors noted that “BFAIR has a solid reputation with funders and referral agencies that express appreciation for this collaborative, transparent, and respectful approach as a community partner providing quality services and supports. BFAIR often leads the way in the state with its approaches.”

Pete Mirante, BFAIR board chair, noted that “our AFC, Day Habilitation staff, case managers, directors, and caregivers are to be congratulated for the outstanding results of the CARF survey.”

Rich Weisenflue, CEO of BFAIR, added that “I am proud of our program staff and leadership team for their commitment and dedication to offering quality, personalized, and community-based services. The accreditation outcome is even more impressive if the past two years and the challenges staff faced every day to protect the health and safety of our clients is taken into consideration.”

Drake Project Called a Game Changer for Amherst and Its Downtown

By George O'Brien March 31, 2022

Cover Story

Sound Strategy

Barry Roberts and Gabrielle Gould outside the home of the Drake in downtown Amherst

You might call it a development of note. That’s one poetic way to describe the transformation of the old High Horse restaurant space in the former First National Bank of Amherst building into a live performance and music space that will be called the Drake in a nod to a former downtown landmark. Like its namesake, a hotel with a famous bar, the new venue is expected to be a destination, a creator of lasting memories, and a key contributor to vibrancy downtown.

Barry Roberts isn’t sure how long the graffiti has been there.

He does know that it’s been a fixture — and a talking point — since long before he bought the property it graces, which now houses the Amherst Cinema, Amherst Coffee, and a number of other businesses in the heart of downtown Amherst, and that was 15 years ago.

And he suspects that this message has been ‘refreshed’ a few times over the years, because it’s as easy to read now as it was years ago.

It says ‘Save the Drake — for Willie, for Humanity,’ a reference to the legendary hotel and bar located in its basement, known as the Rathskeller, and its equally famous bartender, Willie. (Just about every student who attended UMass or Amherst College in the ’60s or ’70s has a Drake story. Or 100 of them.)

Roberts and others collaborating on an ambitious initiative in another property he owns, the former First National Bank of Amherst, are not exactly saving the Drake as most remember it. But they are reviving the name and creating a venue they expect will be just as successful when it comes to making memories that will live on for decades.

Indeed, the Drake is the name going over the door of a live performance and music venue that will go into space last occupied by the High Horse restaurant. The facility, to be operated by the Downtown Amherst Foundation (DAF), a 501(c)(3) that was founded to bring arts and culture to the Amherst area, is due to open April 26. and when it does, it is expected to have an immediate and profound impact on Amherst and its downtown, said Gabrielle Gould, executive director of the town’s Business Improvement District (BID), who played a key role in putting the many pieces of the puzzle together for this project.

She told BusinessWest that repeated studies revealed that what was missing from the landscape in Amherst’s downtown was a venue for live music, one that could compete with several such facilities across the Connecticut River in Northampton and not only keep Amherst residents and area college students in that community, but bring people from across Western Mass. — and perhaps the Northeast — to the town.

“We see people consistently going across the bridge and spending anywhere from $60 to $400 a night because of the amount of entertainment and music that is in that area,” Gould said. “For me, creating a vibrant downtown has to be experience-driven, and if you’re not providing arts and culture and experiences surrounding that, what is there to come here for?”

Roberts agreed.

“This is a game changer — an absolute game changer,” said Roberts, who is also president of the BID, adding that the facility has the potential to become what the Drake was — a landmark, a drawing card, and an attraction that will create memories for generations of people.

While doing that, the Drake will play a key role in an ongoing resurgence, or comeback story for downtown Amherst, said Gould, adding that the district lost a number of businesses — 15 by her count — during the pandemic. Many were restaurants, but there was some retail as well, she noted, adding that almost that many new businesses have been added in recent months, bringing vibrancy and excitement to the area.

Overall, she sees the Drake project as one very important chapter in an emerging story involving a new and more vibrant downtown Amherst, one that is well-positioned for what happens post-COVID.

“There’s a future here that is unlike anything that anyone could have envisioned five years ago,” she said, adding that the pieces are falling into place for this community that was so hard-hit by the pandemic.

As the work to ready the Drake for its opening enters its final stages, BusinessWest talked with Roberts and Gould about how this intriguing project came to fruition and what it means for a downtown that has been in search of a spark and now has one.

Landmark Decision

As she talked about the Drake project, Gould noted that it has been a product of good fortune, or good timing, in many respects.

Elaborating, she said ideal space (the former High Horse location) became available at essentially the same time resources, many of them in the form of pandemic-relief monies, were being made available to communities such as Amherst as they sought to recover from COVID and its many side effects.

“Right now, there’s a firehose of funds available — COVID funding, the Build Back Better plan … everything,” she said, adding that she doubts whether this project would have become reality so quickly in more normal times. “We’re not looking for silver linings, but we’ll take what we can get.”

The old Drake hotel and its famous bar were a destination and creator of memories. The same is expected from what could be called the ‘new’ Drake.

But mostly, this project came about because of recognized need for such a facility in Amherst, she said, and a rare opportunity to make it happen. This need is spelled out in large letters — quite literally — on the website devoted to the Drake.

“When COVID hit, it really came to a place where we realized that we had a moment, and we needed to strike when the iron was hot.”

“For decades, the Amherst community as asked for, begged for, and sought out a space for a live performance and music venue,” the passage reads. “The Amherst BID and the Downtown Amherst Foundation have listened and are ready to build for the future. Arts and culture will be the economic and destination driver Amherst needs to head into 2022.”

It goes on to say the Drake is the first project toward building Amherst as a destination for locals and visitors alike, hinting strongly that there will be others, including a performance shell for the south common downtown, an initiative that has been a priority for the BID and the DAF for some time now and is still very much on the drawing board, said Gould.

But for now, the Drake is taking center stage, literally and figuratively.

“When COVID hit, it really came to a place where we realized that we had a moment, and we needed to strike when the iron was hot,” she said, noting, again, that this project is the byproduct of good timing and recognized need. “This was our opportunity; Barry having this space become available was just beyond perfect, because there really is no other available space in the downtown area that would lend itself as perfectly as this space to the concept that we wanted to go forward with.”

With the site secured, a proposal for a performance venue was put together and presented to a number of funding sources, Gould went on, adding that $175,000 in seed money was awarded to the Amherst BID by the Massachusetts Office of Business Development’s Regional Pilot Project. With that money, an attractive lease was secured, the architectural firm Kuhn Riddle was hired “at an incredibly reduced rate,” to design the venue, and additional fundraising efforts were initiated.

Gabrielle Gould says a live-performance venue has long been a priority for Amherst, and it should provide a spark for its downtown.

Overall, the buildout costs for the project are a projected $750,000, said Gould, adding that the fundraising goal is $1.3 million, with just over $1 million secured to date.

It has come from a variety of sources, including $250,000 in local, community support in amounts ranging from $10 to $50,000; a $100,000 cash gift plus a Steinway piano from Amherst College; American Rescue Plan Act funds, local and state grants, and other sources. “You name it, we’ve gone after it,” Gould said.

Speaking of naming it, that was another task on the do-to list, said Gould, noting that there were several contenders being considered when someone suggested naming it after the famous bar immortalized in that graffiti, which is asked about on an almost daily basis at Amherst Coffee.

“And I thought, ‘why not play off that nostalgia of a bygone era?’” Gould told BusinessWest. “Another thing that will bring us together again after this pandemic is community and nostalgia, and going back a little bit. So while we’re going forward, let’s pay some homage to the past.”

While construction, fundraising, and naming efforts have been the most visible aspects of the project to date, the BID and DAF have also been putting together an operations plan, said Gould, noting that Laudable Productions, which already works with several area venues, has been hired to book performers for the Drake, which will be operated as a nonprofit, with all proceeds going to future performances.

A soft opening is set for April 26, featuring the Northampton Jazz Workshop, also known as the Green Street Trio, she noted, adding that the lineup for the spring and summer will be announced in early April.

“The idea is to program events for five or six nights a week,” said Roberts, adding that such a hefty slate of shows will have a profound impact on the downtown and the many types of businesses to be found there.

Indeed, while the Drake is about live performances and music, it is really about economic development, said both Roberts and Gould, noting that, while those phrases ‘game changer’ and ‘driving force’ are often used in business and development circles, they both apply here. Indeed, they believe this project will succeed in not only keeping people in Amherst or bringing more people to it, but propel the town forward as various constituencies work to bring a new parking facility to the downtown area.

“If you want retail to thrive, if you want restaurants to thrive, you can’t just be a shopping center — that’s what malls are for; they have free parking there, it’s great. We want to create something in Amherst that positions us as a destination for 300 miles and further from us.”

While Amherst still boasts a number of fine restaurants and a variety of retail, Gould said, it needs more — specifically in the form of arts and entertainment — to be a true destination on par with its neighbor across the Coolidge Bridge.

“If you want retail to thrive, if you want restaurants to thrive, you can’t just be a shopping center — that’s what malls are for; they have free parking there, it’s great,” she explained. “We want to create something in Amherst that positions us as a destination for 300 miles and further from us.

“We will bring performers into this really intimate, beautiful, small space that you will never get to see in a venue like this, and for the ticket price we’ll be able to offer,” she went on. “People will hopefully be coming from New York, Boston, Pennsylvania, and all over.”

Getting the Message

Getting back to that graffiti on the side of the Amherst Cinema building — which will be recreated in neon on one wall in the new Drake — Roberts doesn’t know when it was spray-painted there or by whom.

But he does know that he always wanted to save the message and maintain it for future generations even as he redeveloped the site for new uses. It is a link to the past, he said, and one that has also become an inspiration for those securing a vibrant future for this area.

The Drake, as tens of thousands of students and area residents remember it, isn’t being saved, technically speaking. But the spirit of that landmark, that institution, will live on in an important way.

Not as a name over a door, but as a powerful force in moving Amherst forward and making it a destination and source of memories.

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

Golf Industry Eyes Continued Growth, but Challenges Abound

By George O'Brien March 31, 2022

Still on a Roll

Dan Burak, owner of Tekoa Country Club.

The game of golf — and the business of golf — has enjoyed a resurgence since the start of the pandemic, with many people picking up the game or returning to it after pausing for one of many reasons. As the new season begins, there is optimism that the momentum gained will carry over into 2022, with an understanding that there are many challenges — from workforce issues and rising prices for just about everything to the very real possibility of a golf-ball shortage — that will have to be overcome.

As the 2022 golf season commences — earlier than what would be considered normal at many facilities — those operating courses are, to borrow language from the game, looking at both scoring opportunities and some potentially heavy rough.

Indeed, as courses across the region start to welcome players to their first tees — some have actually been open for weeks now — they are looking optimistically toward building off some pandemic-generated momentum for a sport (and a business) that was in the tall grass and struggling on many levels just a few years ago.

When the pandemic closed many indoor (and some outdoor) options when it came to sports and recreation, golf became an attractive alternative in the late spring and summer of 2020, and many of those who took up the game or returned to it after pausing for one of many reasons stayed with it in 2021, said Dan Burak, manager of a number of area commercial properties, who added Tekoa Country Club in Westfield to his portfolio in 2009.

“The golf side of the business has been phenomenal the past few years,” he told BusinessWest, adding quickly that the banquet side of the ledger has not recovered as quickly, but there are many positive signs there for 2022, which we’ll get to later. “We were almost too busy on the golf side. We had to say no to a lot of people and tell them that there were just no tee times available. We hated to say no, but it was a good problem to have.”

Jesse Menachem says some courses posted record years in 2021 as golf witnessed a resurgence, and he and others expect that momentum to carry into 2022.

Jesse Menachem, executive director and CEO of the Massachusetts Golf Assoc., said courses across the state have seen significant increases in play over the past two years, with many of them recording record years in 2021, despite frequent rain that closed facilities for several days during the season.

“Last year saw a continuation of the demand, the increased level of interest and activity, from the latter part of 2020, the second half of that year,” he said. “It was really encouraging in terms of tee sheets being very full, merchandise sales being through the roof, and, in some cases, hitting some record numbers — membership levels being high, wait lists at many private clubs that had not experienced that in the past years … across the board, those trends are really solid.”

Looking ahead, course owners, managers, and pros alike are expecting those patterns to continue into 2022. But despite this generally upbeat outlook, there are many formidable challenges to overcome. These include everything from workforce issues — golf operations are in the same boat as almost all businesses in the broad recreation and hospitality category — to simply stocking golf balls in the pro shop; from sharp increases in the price of everything, from gas to food to fertilizer, to deciding how much of these increases can be passed on to the consumer.

The workforce crisis is being handled the same way it is in other sectors — by increasing wages when necessary and casting a wide net when it comes to recruitment, said Mike Fontaine, general manager of the Ledges Golf Club in South Hadley, a muncipally owned, semi-private facility.

“We’re trying to staff up, like everyone else, and the price of staffing is at a level that we’ve never seen before,” he said. “And we have to be creative with how we go about handling that; we’re getting more applicants, which is positive, but it’s still a challenge.”

As for supply matters, they were certainly an issue in 2021, and there are no signs of improvement on the horizon, as we’ll see, with course operators struggling to secure everything from mowers to golf gloves.

Meanwhile, and for all those reasons listed above, those who have taken up the game, returned to it, or kept with it all along will find playing a round to be expensive in 2022. The only question is how much more expensive.

“It’s inevitable,” said Menachem, citing the rising cost of practically everything needed to operate a course, from labor to weed killer. He added quickly, though, that while courses must account for the rising prices they’re facing, they have to be careful not to price out those who are discovering golf — or rediscovering it, as the case may be.

For this issue and its focus on sports and leisure, BusinessWest looks at what promises to be another solid year for the industry, but also the many challenges lurking down the fairway.

‘Hole’sale Improvement

Flashing back to the spring of 2020, Burak said it was a curious, challenging time for course owners and managers.

First, courses were allowed to open, and then they were ordered to close, even as many other states allowed them to operate. Then, when they were allowed to reopen, they couldn’t operate their restaurants or even allow customers to use the restrooms in the pro shop.

Courses adapted to the new landscape, and so did players, said Burak, noting that, with the 19th hole closed and players unable to buy alcohol at the course, many adopted a BYOB strategy.

And upon learning that this is a much cheaper option than buying at the course, many kept with that strategy even after the restrictions were limited.

Mike Fontaine says that, while the golf business has been solid, there are stern challenges to be met, including workforce issues.

“When we opened the clubhouse … they were already in the habit of stopping at the package store and getting their beer there,” he said. “Some are a little more flagrant about it, with a cooler that’s visible, but some get very creative. It’s a problem.”

Overall, trying to police those players who ignore the large signs informing them that coolers are prohibited is just one of many challenges facing course owners and operators as the new season begins, and probably one of the minor ones.

The list of bigger concerns starts with workforce matters. Indeed, while Burak said he has had relatively good luck on that front, securing an adequate supply of workers for the course, the kitchen, and the ballroom in 2021, Menachem noted that most course operators were not as fortunate. And the forecast for 2022 is for more of the same.

“It’s a challenge, not only in our industry, but in many others in service, to support operations and fill out your staff for what’s needed to support a consistent and solid operation,” he told BusinessWest, adding that the challenges are not just with jobs at the lower end of the wage scale.

“We’re learning and hearing that clubs are struggling to fill assistant superintendent or assistant professional jobs,” he went on. “There’s many reasons for that, and I think the pandemic exposed it and in some ways expedited it. The days of the golf professional working seven days a week and being obligated and tied to the facility … that’s starting to change. Lifestyle, family activities, balance, quality of life, all that is really top of mind, and it’s something our industry has to be cognizant of.”

Beyond these changes, courses have to contend with a shortage of workers and immense competition for candidates who have no shortage of options.

“You might drive down the road and see a couple of restaurants or stores posting jobs for $18, $20, or even $25 an hour, and that’s competition to our facilities,” said Menachem. “The minimum wage, or the $15-an-hour rate to maintain a golf course and help serve on the maintenance crew, is probably a thing of the past.”

Attilo Cardaropoli says course owners and managers face a number of challenges, including long waits for new equipment and parts for everything from golf carts to refrigerators.

Fontaine concurred, speaking for nearly all course owners and managers when he said recruiting and retaining good help was a formidable, and expensive, challenge in 2021. But as he surveys the scene, he is seeing a somewhat improved hiring landscape for 2022, with the big issue being the price that will have to be paid for that help.

Attilio Cardaropoli, owner of Twin Hills Country Club in Longmeadow, a private club, agreed.

“Last year was a nightmare — we couldn’t find anybody to work,” he told BusinessWest. “Things are somewhat better this year, and we’re hoping it gets better still as the summer comes along with returning college students that we use quite a bit. Overall, it’s starting to ease up a bit, but it’s still not where it should be.”

Par for the Course

Meanwhile, other challenges facing area courses include the rising cost of needed goods — again, that means everything from food to golf balls to landscaping equipment — and the short supplies of all the above. And, of course, these two issues go hand in hand. As supplies shrink (often as demand increases), prices go higher.

Burak put all this perspective by relaying his difficulties in securing a much-needed tractor.

“I want the same brand that I had before, because I have all the attachments for it,” he explained. “I went to the dealer, saw the model I wanted, and I said, ‘what’s the availability?’ He said, ‘I have none in stock, and I have seven on the waiting list that are already sold. The first one that comes in goes to the guy who’s been on the list the longest, and he put his order in last August.’ I probably won’t get the tractor in all season, the list is so long, and that’s just one dealer.”

Cardaropoli told a similar story with his efforts to secure a new fleet of golf carts.

“We were supposed to get them right now, but the dealer says they’re just not available yet,” he said. “We’re hoping that they’re just a few months late, but we just don’t know. We ordered them last year, and we’re still waiting. And for some of the older ones that we’re still using … they break down, and we can’t get parts for them. It’s a struggle.”

Fontaine concurred. “With fertilizer alone, we’re seeing increases from 75% to 135% — and that’s just going to be a huge hit,” he said, noting that some of the materials in those products come from Russia and Ukraine, meaning things are likely to get worse before they get anhy better.

But the problem extends to golf equipment as well, with those we spoke with, noting that it was difficult to keep gloves, bags, and especially balls in stock last year, and similar problems are expected for 2022.

SEE: List of Golf Courses in Western Mass.

“We were very fortunate that we got our big order of golf balls in the spring from Titleist,” said Burak, mentioning the top ball maker in the world as he talked about 2021. “And we ended up with more than we needed, actually, and the rep kept coming back, saying, ‘do you have any we can take back? We have customers begging for them.’”

Dave DiRico, owner of Dave DiRico’s Golf & Racquet, told BusinessWest that such problems are likely to continue into 2022.

“Titleist is saying that by mid-summer, they could be running out of golf balls,” he said, adding that talk within the industry is that the resin needed to manufacture balls comes from China, and it is in increasingly short supply. “That’s what the companies are telling us. With many of these things that come from China, the prices are jumping, or you just can’t get them.”

Golf bags are a good example of this, he said, adding that supplies are limited and prices are skyrocketing, with models that cost $119 last year going now for at least $160.

Going for the Green

Despite these many challenges, golf-course operators are expecting 2022 to be another good year, perhaps a record year.

As noted, many courses are already open, and most anticipate opening sooner than would be considered normal, if recent weather patterns continue. And a good start is always important, Menachem said.

“It’s always a big help because it gets people interested, and you can build momentum,” he explained. “You can also drive some shoulder-season revenue that is not always available.”

Meanwhile, all evidence is pointing toward a continuation of what was seen in 2020 in terms of tee sheets filling up and, at Tekoa at least, having to tell callers that there are no times available.

On the private-course side of the ledger, Cararopoli noted that membership at Twin Hills is at nearly full capacity despite a healthy increase in fees — an indication, he said, that the momentum generated over the past two years is sustainable.

Meanwhile, on the banquet side of the balance sheet — a huge part of the business for many operations — there are many signs of improvement as well. Indeed, after 2020 was almost a complete washout and 2021 saw events but certainly not a full slate, especially later in the year, 2022 looks to be something approaching normal.

“The phone is ringing off the hook on the banquet side,” Burak said. “And that’s been so quiet — it’s been killing us for two years.”

Cardaropoli agreed, noting a slower pace of improvement at Twin Hills, with the phone ringing far more often than it has the past few years, at least with people looking to book events.

“The banquet side is just starting to pick up now,” he said. “Our January and February were terrible, we picked up a few in March, and April looks a little better; it’s really starting to look good for the fall, especially for charity tournaments.”

Returning to the golf side of the business, while the outlook is certainly upbeat, one wild card when it comes to how well these courses do concerns what happens with pricing, said Menachem, noting that, while increases are inevitable, courses need to walk a fine line on this matter.

They no doubt need to raise prices to cover the increases they’re facing, but they should be careful not to raise them to the point where such hikes might discourage those getting into the game or becoming more serious about it.

“There has to be some caution and some balance,” he said. “With the way we’re seeing these trends with new golfers coming in and others coming back to the game, we want to make sure we’re not boxing them out or potentially losing them again. Ten to 15 years ago, we saw some similar trends, when golf was at its peak and we were getting new golfers. Prices were going up, and we lost some of those fringe golfers.”

Those we spoke with said they’ve had no choice but to raise fees given all the price increases they’ve been hit with — on the labor front and every other front, for that matter.

“We have to go up on our membership, and we have to raise our price on greens fees and cart fees just to stay stable and competitive with the market,” Fontaine said. “With COVID and now the war in Ukraine, people have become accustomed to seeing prices going up, but I’m not sure how much higher we can go.”

Burak agreed, noting that Tekoa has increased greens fees $3 across the board, with memberships going up as well. Those hikes, implemented last fall, probably don’t cover all the increases he’s facing, he said, but competition for the golf dollar is steep, and the somewhat modest increase he’s implemented reflects that.

But he was quick to note that further adjustments may be necessary if inflationary trends continue.

“We’re going to have to see what our expenses turn out to be once things really get going,” he said, adding that these sentiments are true on both the golf and banquet sides of the business.

Bottom Line

Summing up the outlook for 2022 and beyond, Menachem said there is plenty of room for optimism within the golf industry, but there are also some bunkers and water hazards, figuratively speaking, that present real challenges to progress — and profitability.

“With all the positivity or demand and interest, there’s definitely, on the flip side, things we need to be focused on,” he said, adding that, in most respects, those within the industry expect to build on the momentum that’s been generated and put up some good numbers.

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

Region’s Cultural, Recreational Destinations Anticipate a Strong 2022

Special Coverage Tourism & Hospitality

Time to Shine

For the region’s large and very important tourism and hospitality sector, the past 24 months have been a long, grueling slog marked by COVID-forced restrictions, new variants impacting attendance, a workforce crisis, and large doses of uncertainty about what will come next. Pivoting has been the order of the day, and normalcy has been an elusive goal. But as winter turns to spring, with summer right on its heels, leaders of area attractions are talking optimistically about a year that seems loaded with promise. For this issue’s focus on tourism, we spoke with four of them — a casino, two cultural destinations, and an enterprise focused on the great outdoors — about why 2022 will be different, and why that matters for this region’s tourism economy.

Read the stories below:

• Amid Challenges, MGM Springfield Takes Strides Toward Normalcy

• Springfield Museums Moves Toward a Full Slate of Activities

• Shakespeare & Company Looks to ‘Sigh No More’ in 2022

•Adventure East Connects Locals with the Great Outdoors

Yankee Candle and Its Deerfield Village Remain Powerful Draws

By Contributor March 31, 2022

Franklin County Special Coverage

Lighting the Way

Yankee Candle has long been a national and even global powerhouse in the scented-candle business, but the company will always have special appeal in Western Mass., where Michael Kittredge launched it more than a half-century ago. That appeal is partly — perhaps largely — due to Yankee Candle Village, which has become a significant attraction over the years, one that continues to raise the profile of Deerfield and other Franklin County destinations.

By Mark Morris

Yankee Candle Village may be best-known for its Christmas-themed displays around the holidays, Wade Bassett sees plenty of promise in the spring as well for a company — and tourist destination — that holds year-round appeal, especially as COVID-19 numbers continue to trend downward.

Bassett is the director of Sales and Operations at the Village, Yankee Candle’s flagship store located in Deerfield. Additionally, the company maintains a manufacturing facility in Whately, a distribution center in South Deerfield, and its flagship store on Route 5. Year-round employment totals nearly 600 people, and as the manufacturing and retail operations get busier for the holidays, the number of employees can reach as high as 750.

During the pandemic, staff at Yankee Candle Village incorporated extra cleaning protocols and made sure to always have masks for anyone who requested one. Bassett said the focus remains on providing a safe and worry-free shopping experience for guests who are looking forward to getting out and celebrating traditions with family and friends.

“We’re seeing daycationers, people who aren’t ready to jump on a plane yet. Instead, they are spending time visiting local attractions like Yankee Candle Village.”

“We’re seeing daycationers, people who aren’t ready to jump on a plane yet,” he said. “Instead, they are spending time visiting local attractions like Yankee Candle Village.”

Wade Bassett says Yankee Candle’s relationships with the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Springfield CVB, and local businesses have driven traffic to the site.

He credited the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau for keeping Yankee Candle Village top of mind as a key regional destination. “Their efforts focus on a collaborative approach to drive traffic and tourism to the area, and we couldn’t be prouder of our partnership with both of them.”

Last year’s arrival of Tree House Brewing Co., located a half-mile north on Route 5 from Yankee Candle Village, has contributed to the amount of traffic in Deerfield, which benefits all local destinations.

“We have a great relationship with Treehouse Brewery, and we’re excited to have them as another strong and prosperous business in our community,” Bassett said, pointing out that guests can visit Powder Hollow Brewery at Yankee Candle Village, then head up Route 5 to Tree House Brewery, and from there it’s a short trip to Berkshire Brewing Co. located close by in the center of Deerfield. “It’s essentially a mini-beer tour right here in our own backyard.”

Deerfield Town Administrator Kacey Warren, who credits Yankee Candle Village for being a strong tourism draw that benefits Deerfield and Western Mass., made a similar observation on the potential mini-beer tour.

“We now have three fun brewing spaces in town that we hope people will visit to make them all successful,” she told BusinessWest.

The Nose Knows

Guests to the flagship store in Deerfield will also find more than 150 fragrant candles on hand. Bassett said many visitors enjoy the treasure hunt of discovering new seasonal candle fragrances such as Sakura Blossom Festival as well as traditional favorites like Clean Cotton, Pink Sands, and McIntosh, a personal favorite of Bassett’s.

The new Well Living Collection are candles designed to transform the mood in the room, he added. “It’s a collection we created to help find balance at a time when wellness is more important than ever.”

Over the last two years, as people were spending more time at home, the Yankee Candle manufacturing facility in Whately stayed busy. Demand for fragrant candles increased during that time, and Yankee Candle products saw plenty of movement off retail shelves. As more people transitioned into working from home, Bassett explained, they were looking to create a space of relaxation and comfort.

“Through fragrance, we are able to help our customers transform their homes into a space that’s happier, fresher, and more inviting,” he said. “Our passion for fragrance helps make your house feel more like a home.”

“Our programs are all about celebrating traditions with families. We are looking at more events that will appeal to all the families who visit us.”

While Yankee is obviously in the candle business, it is also clearly in the home fragrance business. That leads to developing products that may not be candles but help reinforce the Yankee Candle brand in new and different ways, such as the ScentPlug Fan.

“The ScentPlug Fan circulates fragrance throughout every corner of the room and has a built-in light sensor that provides a soft glow when the lights are low,” Bassett explained. Depending on the season or mood, a variety of scents can be easily swapped out of the fan unit.

The new Signature Candle line features new scents in redesigned vessels.

As April approaches, Bassett discussed several events planned for Yankee Candle Village, beginning with the arrival of the Easter Bunny on April 2, as well as Easter Bunny greetings every weekend leading up to Easter Sunday. There are also events planned for April school vacation week.

“Our programs are all about celebrating traditions with families,” Bassett said. “We are looking at more events that will appeal to all the families who visit us.”

This year, the Franklin County Chamber moved its office and visitor center to Historic Deerfield, a move designed to bring more tourism activity to Deerfield and surrounding towns. Before the pandemic, Historic Deerfield would attract nearly 20,000 visitors every year. Diana Szynal, executive director of the chamber, said the new visitor center is an opportunity to encourage people to explore the area further and stay longer in the county.

“Part of our mission as a regional tourism council is to encourage people to extend their stay,” she said. “Yankee Candle, Historic Deerfield, and other great attractions give people a reason to spend that extra time in our area.”

Making Scents of It All

While visitors come to Yankee Candle Village all year, fall and the holiday season are still the busiest times for guests.

“When you grow up in New England, there’s the smell of fall, the feel of Christmas, and the traditions that come with it,” Bassett said. “It’s like no other time of the year.”

A highlight every year at Yankee Candle Village is the arrival of Santa Claus, who makes his way there by either helicopter or fire truck. Bassett said he enjoys talking with the families who attend this event every year.

“In some cases, the kids who came here years ago are now parents, and they are bringing their own children,” he noted. “It’s become a generational event for lots of families.”

The holidays are just one time when the loyal fanbase of Yankee Candle shoppers will visit the flagship store. But it’s not unusual for people to go there several times a year. “Fragrance evokes memories which are extremely powerful for our guests,” Bassett said.

Now a 30-year employee, he expressed gratitude to be working with “such an amazing company.” And he’s looking forward to spring and the opportunity to talk about another new Yankee Candle product line, the Signature Candle.

“It’s a line featuring new scents in redesigned vessels,” Bassett said. “My personal favorite is Iced Berry Lemonade, a mix of strawberry, lemon, and grapefruit aromas that will be my go-to fragrance for spring.”

As soon as the snow melts in the hilltowns, Bassett plans to make sure an Iced Berry Lemonade candle will have a prominent place on his backyard patio — a reminder that Yankee Candle, both its products and its famous Village, remain a year-round draw for people in Western Mass. and well beyond.

Greenfield Keeps a Sharp Focus on the Future

By Contributor March 31, 2022

Community Spotlight Special Coverage

Community Spotlight

By Mark Morris

Greenfield Mayor Roxann Wedegartner says Main Street will undergo much change over the next five years.

When it comes to her city, Mayor Roxann Wedegartner takes the long view.

“In five years or less,” she said, “you will not recognize Main Street in Greenfield because so many good things will be happening.”

Two notable projects in the works involve the building of a new, $20 million library on the east end of Main Street and a new, $18 million fire station on the west end.

“These two big investments at each end of Main Street show the city’s commitment to making Greenfield a desirable place to do business,” Wedegartner said.

That commitment also includes a $5 million project to address parking on Main Street. Right now, the street has a mix of angled as well as parallel parking. When complete, Main Street will have all parallel parking and a bike lane.

“Businesses are rightly concerned about the disruption from the work, but we have lots of parking downtown, so their shops will still be accessible,” the mayor said.

Danielle Letourneau, Wedegartner’s chief of staff, said the plan is to modernize more than the parking.

“During the redesign of Main Street, we want to replace the old pipes and infrastructure under the pavement,” Letourneau said. “That way, the redesign will get a couple things done with only one disruption.”

The street project is expected to begin in the fall, Wedegartner said. “By making investments above ground and on the infrastructure below ground, we are showing that we believe in the future of Greenfield and of our downtown.”

In 2021, Greenfield was one of 125 communities in Massachusetts that took part in the state-sponsored Rapid Recovery Plan (RRP), a program designed to help local economies recover from the impact of COVID-19. Based on input from city officials and businesses, the state put together a formal plan for Greenfield titled “The Deliberate Downtown.”

While noting the downtown area is “very walkable” and has solid entertainment anchors, the report also pointed out that Greenfield took a bigger economic hit from COVID than other communities. According to the plan document, more than 70% of downtown businesses said they lost money in 2020 and in 2021, and two-thirds said they were still far behind their pre-COVID levels of business.

“Greenfield is not a place you happen to go, it’s a place where you are drawn to. Once here, it’s our job to help people make the best use of their visit to downtown.”

Foot traffic also suffered as 97% of the local merchants said fewer people visited their businesses. MJ Adams, the city’s director of Community and Economic Development, said the community is in many ways a place of necessity because it serves as a hub for Franklin County and attracts people in from surrounding towns for the YMCA, the John W. Olver Transit Center, and other regional assets.

“Greenfield is not a place you happen to go, it’s a place where you are drawn to,” Adams said. “Once here, it’s our job to help people make the best use of their visit to downtown.”

One idea to bring more people downtown involved blocking Court Square in front of City Hall to create a pedestrian-friendly area with the adjacent town common. Tried for the first time last year, the effort was framed by Wedegartner as a pilot project that received positive reviews from people who enjoyed the weekly farmer’s market as well as the opportunity to relax at bistro tables and Adirondack chairs with eats from nearby food trucks. The only negative feedback came from some residents who couldn’t find parking near City Hall.

“We learned that people who have lived here for years did not know we have an accessible parking lot behind City Hall,” Wedegartner said. “This year, we’ll adjust the plan to make sure people know about all our parking.”

City staff spent so much energy to establish the space last year, they couldn’t give much thought to what programs could be offered there, Adams noted. “This year, we’re doing it the other way around. Now that people have seen the space, they are asking us when they can use it this year.”

Out and About

Indeed, a public open space was among the recommendations from the “Deliberate Downtown” report, which suggested this would be a good way to encourage more foot traffic downtown. According to Letourneau, this is not the first time the open-space idea has been suggested.

“We found plans from previous administrations that discussed closing off the Court Square area dating as far back as 1985,” she said.

The Court Square space now operates from May to November, and once she can find the budget for it, Wedegartner wants to redesign the area, incorporating the town common into a permanent pedestrian space.

Steve Capshaw says VSS Inc. may look to hire 50 more workers soon, and has found a solid pool of talent in the Greenfield area.

Outdoor dining will also return as the weather gets warmer. When the governor relaxed outdoor-dining restrictions at the height of the pandemic, the idea was to help restaurants generate some business during warm-weather months. That special order ended this week, on April 1, but cities and towns across the state have sought variances to continue the program through 2022.

While not all restaurants took advantage of outdoor seating, Wedegartner said, it was a popular option with many people. “We will be doing some version of outdoor dining again this year.”

An ongoing challenge for the mayor and her staff involves two prominent vacancies in Greenfield. The First National Bank building overlooks the town common and has been empty for several years. Efforts to reconfigure the space as a cultural venue were abandoned recently because several entertainment and cultural venues, such as Hawks & Reed, the Shea Theatre, and other spots no longer make the bank building feasible.

“We are putting together an RFP to see if a private developer might have an idea for that space,” Adams said. “It’s an important project for the city to get something in the former bank building.”

Wilson’s Department Store once dominated Main Street but now stands as a prominent downtown vacancy. The nearby Green Fields Market has been considering an expansion into Wilson’s, but it hasn’t yet happened. Wedegartner called the situation an ongoing conversation that’s still in progress.

“Their move into Wilson’s will be wonderful if it can happen,” she said.

Manufacturing Progress

Advanced manufacturing is one area where Greenfield has seen steady growth. Wedegartner pointed to Bete Fog Nozzle and especially VSS Inc. as significant companies to the city and surrounding communities.

Once known as Valley Steel Stamp, VSS has transitioned into high-tolerance machine services for the aerospace and defense industries. Steve Capshaw, president of VSS, said the company has grown over the last 10 years from $2 million in annual sales to $40 million.

MJ Adams in front of Court Square, which will be a pedestrian area again this summer.

“We’re looking to increase sales another 50% next year,” Capshaw said, adding that the three- to five-year plan is to become a premier advanced manufacturer and assembler for the aerospace industry. VSS customers include Pratt and Whitney and Raytheon Missiles, as well as manufacturing key parts for F-15 and F-35 fighter jets.

Demand for his company’s services remains strong as many of his customers are “re-shoring” or having components made here in the U.S. once again. As Capshaw pointed out, COVID exposed supply-chain issues and unrealized cost savings companies thought they were going to get when they moved production overseas.

“No one in our industry who is looking for a job comes here already trained. With the pool of available labor in the Greenfield area, we have successfully hired and trained people to become skilled machinists.”

“Our customers are making this shift for cost and strategic purposes,” he said. “Looking ahead, we see very strong demand for U..S-made precision machine services.”

With 135 employees currently at VSS, Capshaw would like to hire at least 50 more people this year just based on current business. Because his company uses computer numerical control (CNC) machining — pre-programmed software dictates the movement of the factory tools — Capshaw understands that he must build his workforce through training.

Greenfield at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1753
Population: 17,768
Area: 21.9 square miles
County: Franklin
Residential Tax Rate: $22.32
Commercial Tax Rate: $22.32
Median Household Income: $33,110
Median Family Income: $46,412
Type of Government: Mayor, City Council
Largest Employers: Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Greenfield Community College, Sandri
* Latest information available

“No one in our industry who is looking for a job comes here already trained,” he said. “With the pool of available labor in the Greenfield area, we have successfully hired and trained people to become skilled machinists.”

With a predicted need of several hundred more employees in the coming years, he said the search for new workers will encompass a 20-mile radius around Greenfield to “build on what has already made us successful.”

Despite the tight labor market, Capshaw welcomes the challenge. “We like competing for labor. It makes all companies do better, and I don’t see it going away.”

Back in 2010, VSS moved into a 22,000-square-foot facility in Greenfield Industrial Park. After several additions to the site, VSS now occupies 45,000 square feet and is looking to expand.

“Right now, we’re working with the city to find a local place we can buy or a site where we can build an additional facility,” Capshaw said. “We will keep what we have and look to add more space for manufacturing.” He also credited Greenfield officials for all their help in the company’s expansion.

With a new library taking shape, a new Fire Department about to break ground this spring, and a growing advanced-technology manufacturing sector, Greenfield is well on its way to realizing Wedegartner’s vision of transforming the city for the near and distant future.

Adventure East Connects Locals with the Great Outdoors

By Joseph Bednar March 31, 2022

Travel and Tourism

Call of the Wild

Kayakers paddle on the Connecticut River with Mount Toby in the background. (Photo by Alexander Terrill)

Feeling burned out by a career in health finance, Brian Pearson and his wife went on an adventure, backpacking through South America for seven months.

They liked it so much, they stayed there for well over a decade, settling in Santiago, Chile, where he built a travel company. But when international travel was halted by the pandemic in early 2020, he came home to Massachusetts and launched Adventure East, with the goal of helping locals in Western Mass. access the great outdoors.

“I decided it was a great opportunity to take advantage of all the outdoor interest coming out of the pandemic,” he told BusinessWest. “People wanted more time outdoors when there was nowhere else to go.”

The idea, he said, is that people enjoy being out in nature, but planning an outdoor adventure can be time-consuming and challenging. So Adventure East handles the logistics of outings involving hiking, biking, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, skiing, shoeshoeing, and more — as well as the equipment — so participants can take in the region’s natural beauty without the hassle of figuring out logistics, and be shuttled back to their car to boot.

The model has remained a strong one even with indoor tourism opening back up in late 2020 and through 2021. For one thing, the health benefits of being outdoors became more widely discussed during the pandemic. And more people simply came to realize — and are still realizing — how much the region has to offer in that regard.

“We’re providing access to the outdoors, providing information about where to go, guides that are knowledgable … they’re very experienced people, passionate about what they do. We have experts in a lot of different areas.”

While its activities take place throughout the region’s forests, mountains, and waterways, Adventure East’s headquarters is in Sunderland, across Route 116 from the Connecticut River boat ramps there.

“That nine-mile stretch from Turners Falls to Sunderland is really wonderful; there are farms and residential homes along the river, but the state has done a fantastic job over the years building the Connecticut River Greenway,” Pearson said, noting that paddlers are always impressed by the sights of Mount Toby and Mount Sugarloaf, and of bald eagles flying about.

The company has been expanding its activities in the corporate and education sectors as well, he said, with clients including Baystate Health, Amherst College, UMass Amherst, the Bement School, and Hartsbrook School.

“We’re already working with large companies like Baystate and UMass, getting their employees outdoors. I wouldn’t call them full-blown corporate retreats, but more having people enjoy a walk or hike and unwind and be in nature, share a meal … we do farm-to-table activities in connection with local farms in Sunderland, Whately, and Hatfield.”

On the education side, Adventure East has gotten Sunderland grade-schoolers outdoors during winter vacation, and brought kids from Mohawk Trail Regional School canoeing on Ashfield Lake when it’s warmer, he added.

“At the colleges, we’ve gotten more outdoor programs onto their radar, and we’re looking to do more outdoors with students, showing them what they have in the Valley. We continue to provide information on the walking trails right out their back door. It’s really fantastic.”

Pearson said the guided hiking tours are geared at a wide range of skill and experience levels, with access to trails on both state and private conservation lands, ranging from trail walks with naturalists to snowshoeing; from bird watching to yoga and ‘forest bathing’ — a form of mindfulness where participants “soak up the energy of the forest and take that with them,” he explained.

“It’s been scientifically shown that 40 minutes in the forest can reduce stress, reduce cortisol levels … there’s a real therapeutic aspect to nature. It’s not complicated. You don’t need us to experience it, but we love to share it and support people getting out there.”

And when people appreciate nature, he added, that leads to greater respect and even conservation efforts, “to preserve the outdoors for future generations to do the same types of activities.”

As tourism begins to open up fully after two pandemic-hampered years, Pearson envisions Adventure East evolving into a destination company that works with other operators like itself and destinations throughout the Northeast.

“It could be up in Maine or the White Mountains or Vermont, really connecting these types of experiences into multi-day itineraries, which is exactly what I was doing in South America,” he noted. “There is a segment of the population that really appreciates the exact type of service we offer and enjoy not having to deal with details. We want to connect with people and provide a personalized experience.”

It’s work Pearson finds gratifying.

“When I was in Chile, many local Chileans would call me up: ‘we’re going to such and such a place this weekend; what does Brian recommend?’ It was an honor to help Chileans appreciate their own country.”

The Pioneer Valley is a lot like that too, he said, filled with outdoor opportunities to explore that many locals really don’t know about.

“It’s about being out there, experiencing it, having a real appreciation,” he said. “I enjoy doing that, whether it’s teaching kids to ski for the first time or showing people magical spots in the woods, 10 minutes from Route 116. There’s so much in our valley.”

— Joseph Bednar

Shakespeare & Company Looks to ‘Sigh No More’ in 2022

By Joseph Bednar March 31, 2022

Tourism & Hospitality

Staging Ground

Actors in last year’s production of King Lear, starring Christopher Lloyd (center), rehearse in costume on The New Spruce Theatre stage.

“Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more / Men were deceivers ever / One foot in sea, and one on shore / To one thing constant never.”

That’s a line from William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Three words in particular — ‘Sigh no more’ — have been adopted by Shakespeare & Company as its theme for 2022, and for good reason.

“We’ve chosen to signify we’re walking out of hard times, but they’re not far behind us,” said Jaclyn Stevenson, director of Marketing & Communications at the Lenox-based theater organization. “‘One foot at sea and another on shore’ — we’re moving on to greater things, but we’re not out of the woods yet.”

Cultural destinations across Western Mass. and the U.S. can certainly relate to that sentiment, navigating plenty of woods as COVID-19 shut down almost all live performances in 2020 and continued to hamper the craft in 2021. But Shakespeare & Company has one foot firmly planted on the shore of a post-pandemic world, and hoping it stays there.

“It’s been very challenging,” Stevenson told BusinessWest. “We went from having no performances at all to having outdoor performances last year — and it was a great benefit to have that option. Then, as things started to reopen, there’s that constant challenge of monitoring what the COVID-19 protocols for the public are, and on top of that, the protocols for actors are often different, so we’re looking at the safety of the patrons as well as the safety of our actors.”

Part of that process was creating a second outdoor space, the 500-seat New Spruce Theater, an amphitheater that went up in only 90 days last summer.

As the company’s two indoor venues reopened as well, changes ranged from an entirely new HVAC system, ensuring the best air quality, to ‘safety seating,’ which puts empty seats between each party. That means less tickets sold, but safety was paramount, Stevenson noted.

“This summer, we’re going to have performances on four stages, two outdoor and two indoor. Some people like the air-conditioned performance experience, and some people like to be outside. But the summer season will continue to be challenging because things are ever-changing.”

The two Shakespeare productions planned for 2022 include Much Ado About Nothing — “a lot of companies are doing it this year because it’s so celebratory; everyone’s happy to be back,” Stevenson said — and Measure for Measure, which involves “war and a madman and depression, so it’s very timely.”

This year marks Shakespeare & Company’s 45th season of performances, actor training, and education, Stevenson said, and while the shows are well-known, not as many people are aware of the other two pillars.

The actor training takes several forms: month-long intensive programs, weekend intensive programs, and a Summer Shakespeare Intensive modeled after the month-long program, which provides young actors — undergraduate theater students, recent graduates, and early-career acting professionals — the opportunity to immerse themselves in Shakespeare six days a week for four weeks during the summer performance season.

In addition, the Center for Actor Training offers a variety of specialized workshops throughout the year, exploring a full range of disciplines, including rhetoric, wit, clown, fight, voice, movement, public speaking, and more. The Center for Actor Training now offers many of its workshops and classes online, providing the opportunity for theater professionals around the world to study with its faculty.

The education side of the ledger is highlighted by the annual Fall Festival of Shakespeare, which brings more than 500 students from 10 high schools together each year for a nine-week, collaborative, non-competitive, celebratory exploration and production of multiple Shakespeare plays. “Our faculty members are working, professional actors,” Stevenson noted.

The program — which culminates in full-scale productions at their own schools and then on the main stage at Shakespeare & Company’s Tina Packer Playhouse — is the subject of Speak What We Feel, a 2021 documentary by Patrick J. Toole that won the Audience Award for Best Documentary Film at the 2021 Berkshire International Film Festival.

“The Fall Festival has persevered and continues to grow,” Stevenson said, though it was much scaled back in 2021. “Hopefully, this fall, we can go back to a typical setup.”

While Shakespeare’s plays are the heart of the organization’s mission, Stevenson was quick to point out that visitors can take in plenty of contemporary plays as well throughout the year, as well as comedy and other events.

Meanwhile, she noted, the campus itself is a recreational — or at least relaxing — spot. “We have a 33-acre campus and walkable, accessible grounds that include a full array of modern sculpture peppered in with buildings of many eras. It’s a beautiful campus — you can come here, park your car, walk around, and have a picnic.”

It’s all located in the heart of Lenox, which is why the company has collaborated with local restaurants, which have created Shakespeare-inspired cocktails and desserts.

“The idea is, you can order an ice-cream cone and be reminded that, right down the street, we’re offering productions during the day and evenings in a full array of modern and contemporary titles.”

Bridging the gap between classic and modern — that’s Shakespeare & Company, which hopes 2022 is the year it finally steps out from the sea of a pandemic and moves confidently up the shore, sighing no more.

— Joseph Bednar

Amid Challenges, MGM Springfield Takes Strides Toward Normalcy

By George O'Brien March 31, 2022

Travel and Tourism

Looking for Better Odds

Chris Kelley says MGM Springfield is ready and waiting for the state to give the green light to sports betting.

As he talked with BusinessWest for this issue’s focus on travel and tourism, Chris Kelley was lamenting a huge opportunity lost.

He was talking, of course, about March Madness, the college basketball tournaments that grab and hold the nation’s attention for two weeks. Even more specifically, Kelley, president and chief operating officer of MGM Springfield, was referring to the gambling and related activity that goes with that madness — everything that can’t happen at his facility because Massachusetts has yet to legalize sports gambling while most all the states surround it have.

“It’s the largest sports event, bar none, around the country, and to be now literally surrounded by states that offer that experience — most poignantly, in the case of MGM Springfield, Connecticut — is just an extraordinary challenge for the city, for our workforce, for our guests, and for the property,” he explained, adding that, while he continues to have conversations with state legislators about passing a sports-betting bill, when it comes to March Madness, he can only wait until next year.

Fortunately, though, that is not the case with most other aspects of his multi-faceted business.

Indeed, there are plenty of positive developments at the casino complex on Main Street that are creating an optimistic outlook for 2022 as the tourism sector and the region in general look to put COVID in their collective rear view.

For starters, there was the Massachusetts Building Trades Council’s annual convention, staged a few weeks ago at MGM. This was the first large-scale gathering of its kind at the resort casino since before the COVID, said Kelley, adding that there are a number of other events on the calendar as businesses, trade groups and associations, and other entities return to in-person events.

“We hadn’t had an event like that in two years, where we had people engaging with our convention and ballroom areas, staying in the hotel, eating in our restaurants … it was a very positive thing for the property to see us come back to life.”

Such events are a big step in the return to normalcy and, of course, comprise a huge revenue stream for the casino operation.

“We hadn’t had an event like that in two years, where we had people engaging with our convention and ballroom areas, staying in the hotel, eating in our restaurants … it was a very positive thing for the property to see us come back to life,” he explained.

Meanwhile, on the entertainment side of the ledger, there are similar steps toward normalcy, or what was seen prior to the pandemic, said Kelley, noting there are a number of shows slated at the casino, the MassMutual Center, and Symphony Hall, featuring performers such as Jay Leno, Chelsea Handler, John Mulaney, Brit Floyd, and many others.

“Entertainment is coming back in a much bigger way in 2022 than we saw the past few years,” said Kelley, adding that, in addition to those events at the larger venues, MGM Springfield is bringing back its popular Free Music Friday in the casino’s plaza, something that was started last summer.

“It was an opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to folks and give the community a reason to come back together, but it was such a success that we’re going to bring it back again. And, obviously, the price is right,” he said, adding that program provides an opportunity to showcase local talent.

Overall, the past two years have been a difficult, often frustrating time for all those in casino industry, which had to pivot and adjust to new ways of doing business during the pandemic, said Kelley, adding that it was also a learning experience, one that is yielding dividends and will continue to do so as MGM eases back to something approaching normal.

“It’s been a roller-coaster ride in every sense of the word,” he said in summing up the past 24 months. “Our ability to adjust quickly and be agile in the way that we operate, as well as our ability to provide an environment for health and safety that our guests felt comfortable engaging with — those were all unique challenges relative to a business that is not accustomed to closing and had never really experienced the types of changes that COVID required, whether it was six-foot-high pieces of plexiglass or the inability to serve drinks on the floor, or a face-mask policy.

“But all of that being said, I think we’ve come out of this a stronger operation than we were when we went into it,” he went on. “Just look at technology … we’re now able to offer everything from digital menus to digital check-in, our guests’ ability to interact with us through technology has increased exponentially, and that’s just one example of what I mean by coming out of this stronger. We’ve become a much more agile team now, and that’s to the benefit of the guest experience.”

As for sports betting, Kelley said the conversations are ongoing, and he’s optimistic that something can get done — hopefully before March Madness 2023. In anticipation of such a measure, the casino has added new amenities, including a large viewing area, a sports lounge on the floor of the casino, and a VIP viewing area in TAP Sports Bar.

“We’re ready to move forward the minute we see a green light on this issue,” he said, adding that he’s hoping, and expecting, that the light will change soon.

— George O’Brien

Future of Work Commission Releases Report

BOSTON — State Sen. Eric Lesser and state Rep. Josh Cutler unveiled the Future of Work Commission report following their final meeting at the State House this week The report and information on the commission can be found online at senatorlesser.com/futureofwork.

Of the main findings, the report highlights the need for the Commonwealth to expand existing workforce-training infrastructure, implement flexible and lifelong training, and incentivize employer participation in all stages of workforce development. Without actively addressing work-adjacent issues such as closing the childcare access gap for working families, expanding public transportation services, increasing housing options, and investing in broadband and IT, workers will be at a disadvantage for years to come.

Another integral theme of the report is equity and racial justice. Following the resounding economic and social shifts of recent years, the success of all workers is dependent on incorporating a lens of equity in all decision making.

“We’re no longer waiting for the worker of the future — they have arrived,” Lesser said. “It was a pleasure to work alongside my co-chair, Representative Cutler, as well as our 15 other fellow commissioners from all corners of the state to compile this report. The conversations and insight shared in this report provide a roadmap on how we can shape decision making and policy to shape our world around the worker of the future. Between childcare, internet access, self-care, race, and skills training, we have a heavy lift before us to meet the needs of our residents and stay competitive in the innovation hub of Massachusetts. I have no doubt that we will rise to the occasion if we align ourselves with the right things and craft mindful legislation to meet those needs.”

The Future of Work Commission was established pursuant to Section 92 of Chapter 358 of the Acts of 2020 and charged with conducting “a comprehensive study relative to the impact of automation, artificial intelligence, global trade, access to new forms of data, and the internet of things on the workforce, businesses, and economy.” The commission worked extensively over the 2021-22 session to assess the challenges facing work and workplaces in Massachusetts. Convening both in-person across the Commonwealth and virtually, commissioners held public meetings with stakeholders, experts, and working people facing a rapidly changing work environment.

United Way of Pioneer Valley Salutes Hometown Hero to Celebrate Centennial

SPRINGFIELD — United Way of Pioneer Valley will host a luncheon in honor of its 100th-anniversary year, alongside special guest Chirlane McCray, the former first lady of New York City and native of Springfield.

Today’s unprecedented challenges have low- to moderate-income households struggling with an economic downturn due to inflation and other consequences of the prolonged pandemic. The United Way of Pioneer Valley envisions a future where everyone has the support they need to succeed. To date, it has invested more than $193 million toward essential support to help keep communities stable, with the assistance of generous community investors.

The luncheon will take place on Thursday, June 2 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel, located at One Monarch Place, Springfield.

“We are very honored to have the former first lady of New York City, Chirlane McCray, as the featured speaker for our centennial luncheon. Her personal story of growing up in Western Massachusetts, her journey, and her public service is truly inspiring,” said Paul Mina, president and CEO of the United Way of Pioneer Valley.

McCray currently serves on the faculty at the Yale School of Medicine, working with the Yale Child Study Collaborative. She is also a senior advisor for strategic initiatives at the National Council of Mental Wellbeing. As the firstl of New York City, she was nationally recognized as a champion for mental-health reform. Named a 2019 World Health Organization Champion and a 2020 Empire Whole Health Hero by Crain’s New York Business, she is the founder of Thrive NYC, the most comprehensive mental-health plan of any city or state in the nation, which has been made permanent with the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health. She created the Cities Thrive Coalition, bringing together more than 200 mayors, county officials, and thought leaders from all 50 states to improve mental-health and substance-use treatment. As the co-chair of New York City’s Taskforce on Racial Inclusion & Equity, McCray helped ensure that the city’s recovery from COVID-19 focused on the hardest-hit communities with improved access to healthcare, broadband, small-business support, and greater representation in government. She also chaired the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City and co-chaired the NYC Commission on Gender Equity.

“It means a great deal to me to be honored by the United Way of Pioneer Valley,” McCray said. “Because of the incredible work this organization does and because of my deep affection for my birthplace, of all the accolades I have received, this one is especially rewarding.”

United Way will be accepting legacy gifts to commemorate its 100th anniversary. A legacy gift is a one-time contribution starting at $500, in addition to individuals’ normal annual support. All legacy level gifts will be memorialized on the 100th-anniversary Wall of Hope.

If interested, contact Meghan Rothschild at (413) 218-4994 or [email protected].

Massachusetts Unemployment Creeps Down Slightly in February

BOSTON — The state’s February total unemployment rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.7% over the month, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) preliminary job estimates indicate Massachusetts gained 14,600 jobs in February. This follows the previous month’s revised gain of 9,400 jobs. The largest over-the-month private-sector job gains were in leisure and hospitality; trade, transportation, and utilities; education and health services; and manufacturing. Employment now stands at 3,662,400. Since the employment trough in April 2020, Massachusetts has gained 571,400 jobs.

From February 2021 to February 2022, BLS estimates Massachusetts gained 173,500 jobs. The largest over-the-year gains occurred in leisure and hospitality; professional, scientific, and business services; and education and health services. Financial activities was the only sector to see job losses.

The February unemployment rate of 4.7% was 0.9% above the national rate reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The labor force increased by an estimated 5,500 from 3,766,900 in January, as 9,900 more residents were employed, and 4,400 fewer residents were unemployed over the month. Over the year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was down by 2.0%.

The state’s labor-force participation rate — the total number of residents 16 or older who worked or were unemployed and actively sought work in the last four weeks — was up one-tenth of a percentage point at 65.9% over the month. Compared to February 2021, the labor-force participation rate was up 0.8%.

Jessica Dizek, Thomas Giles Elected to Three County Fair Board of Directors

NORTHAMPTON — The Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden Agricultural Society, the nonprofit organization that manages Northampton’s Three County Fair and fairgrounds, has elected two new members to its board of directors, Jessica Dizek of Mapleline Farm in Hadley and Thomas Giles, former owner of Hadley Garden Center.

Dizek and Giles join the society’s board, consisting of 21 other members who make up the fair’s agricultural leadership. The society held its first meeting in December 1817 and received its charter from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts two months later in February 1818.

Dizek is the fifth generation on her family’s farm. Mapleline Farm milks about 125 Jerseys and bottles their milk on the farm premises, while running a distribution business, wholesaling fluid milk products to the local area and Boston market.

Prior to her taking over operating the farm full-time in 2018, Dizek held full-time employment off the farm for 20 years, most recently at UMass Amherst. She started at the university working for cooperative extension programs and eventually working in alumni major gifts. During this time, she also earned her MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. She currently serves as treasurer for the New England Jersey Breeders Assoc. and as a director for the Massachusetts Dairy Promotion Board, and is a member of the Massachusetts Dairy Advisory Board for the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center.

Giles is a graduate of the Stockbridge School of Agriculture, having majored in landscape operations, and first worked for the Hadley Garden Center in the spring of 1973. In January 1988, Giles and his wife, Janine, purchased the center and ran it for 33 years until selling it to Gardeners Supply Co. of Vermont in January 2020.

Giles is an active member of the First Congregational Church of Hadley and is on the board of directors for Easthampton Savings Bank and has also served on the horticulture/forestry advisory committee at Smith Vocational High School.

Why the Inaction on Sports Gambling?

By Editorial March 30, 2022

Opinion

Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised by this state’s mind-numbing hesitancy when it comes to sports gambling.

After all, legislators waited years after other states moved ahead with casino gambling to finally put a measure in place for Massachusetts. Time and again, casino gambling was brought up for votes and brushed aside for … another day. Finally, casino gambling was approved roughly a decade ago, but the hesitation cost the state dearly. Indeed, by the time the three casino operations in the state, including MGM Springfield, were up and running, the competition in surrounding states had increased exponentially, essentially changing the landscape and making it far more difficult for those casinos to gain the revenues that were projected when the casino bill was finally passed.

One might have thought the state would have learned from this expensive lesson, but here we are in late March, the middle of this year’s college basketball championships, the biggest betting event on the planet, and the state appears nowhere close to passing a sports-gambling bill.

It’s perplexing, but it’s also quite frustrating. The casinos sorely need this huge revenue stream, and the lack of sports betting is putting them at a competitive disadvantage, not only during March Madness, but the other 11 months of the year as well. The casinos have all built facilities in anticipation of a sports-gambling measure — MGM has created two areas for watching and wagering on sports (see story on page 33) — but they currently sit unused or have been put to other uses.

Theories abound about why there is such hesitation on sports gambling, including the one concerning it becoming competition for the state’s highly lucrative lottery. We understand the premise, but people were saying the same thing about the state’s three casinos. Almost four years after they’ve opened, the lottery is still thriving.

Another theory is that legislators are wary that sports gambling — on top of the casinos and the aforementioned lottery — would be too much gambling and perhaps put more people at risk of developing addictions.

We understand this theory as well, but if people want to bet on sports — and a large number of people do (Americans spent $9.7 billion on sports bets this past January alone) — they will find a way to do it. And with New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and other nearby states already allowing such gambling, they don’t have to travel far to do it.

Overall, 15 states introduced sports-betting legislation in 2021, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the big question is why Massachusetts didn’t make it 16.

Bills have been introduced — several of them, in fact — but they haven’t received the requisite attention to gain any traction.

Overall, sports gambling is just not a priority in this state. Should it be? There are plenty of other priorities, certainly, including housing, education, mental health, and childcare. But while tackling them, it seems the state Legislature could find the time and inclination to pass a sports-gambling measure.

The ongoing hesitancy simply doesn’t make sense. And it should not continue.

Chipping Away at Arbitration

By Contributor March 30, 2022

Opinion

By Mark Adams

For many employers, arbitration agreements have been a valuable tool for resolving employment disputes. They allow cases to be handled outside the court system without the costs associated with prolonged discovery schedules and complex procedural rules, and, most importantly, without a public record that would allow for public access to those proceedings. All told, arbitration cases are cheaper and faster for all concerned.

Not just employers appreciate the value of arbitration agreements. Congress recognized their benefit when it enacted the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA), recognizing the right of parties to be able to freely enter into contracts to resolve their disagreements. In Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital v. Mercury Construction Corp., the U.S. Supreme Court stated “as a matter of federal law, any doubts concerning the scope of arbitrable issues should be resolved in favor of arbitration.” Title VII claims, Age Discrimination in Employment Act claims, and Fair Labor Standards Act claims are just some of the many forms of disputes that can be compelled to be resolved through an arbitration agreement.

Yet, despite this long-standing national policy, arbitration agreements can have their limits. Some state fair-employment-practice agencies do not recognize their enforcement when it comes to cases that can come within their jurisdiction. For example, when it comes to discrimination claims arising under its Massachusetts General Law Chapter 151B, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination has the wherewithal to move forward with a discrimination complaint on its own accord in the public’s interest.

Now, Congress has passed and President Biden has signed into law the “Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021” to prohibit employers from compelling employees to resolve sexual-harassment and sexual-assault disputes through the use of an pre-dispute arbitration agreement. While the act takes effect immediately and applies to such agreements that exist, it does not apply to cases that are already pending. Rather, the act applies to claims that accrue on or after the law’s enactment.

While the motivations for the law’s passage are fairly clear (the rise of the #MeToo movement and the need for greater awareness on such cases), it does raise the question of whether future legislative initiatives may be forthcoming to create additional carveouts in the interest of workplace transparency. In fact, there is an interim final rule that has been promulgated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in implementing procedures for the handling of retaliation complaints under the Taxpayer First Act (TFA), which does exactly that. The rule (which is currently under comment until May 6) states that “no pre-dispute arbitration agreement is valid or enforceable if the agreement requires arbitration of a dispute arising under the TFA anti-retaliation provision.”

That is not to say pre-dispute arbitration agreements are dead. Far from it. After all, they also serve to resolve other disputes that may not have legal consequences at all. However, what may be next? Pay equity and transparency claims? Other forms of federal discrimination? Only time will tell. However, with the growing demand for greater transparency comes the potential for additional erosion of the longstanding policy favoring arbitration agreements in the future.

Mark Adams is director of Compliance at the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast. This article first appeared at eane.org.

Picture This

Picture This

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

Messages of Solidarity

The day Russia invaded Ukraine, the College Radio Foundation issued a call for solidarity for Ukraine’s students. Over the next 24 hours, about 50 college stations on three continents responded, and the foundation compiled the audio clips into a 37-minute file that was sent to the National University of Ostroh Academy in Ostroh, Ukraine, then posted on SoundCloud and distributed to universities around Ukraine. Stevie Converse, an adjunct professor of communications at Holyoke Community College and adviser to the HCC Radio Club (pictured), recorded HCC’s contribution. “We are the students from 103.5 WCCH in Holyoke, a city in Western Massachusetts in the USA,” he said. “We stand with you in Ostroh and all across Ukraine. Please know we are in solidarity with the the Ukrainian people, and we wish you safety, unity, and eventual peace for you and your homeland.”

Supporting Mental Health

A $15,000 grant from the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, will help the Mental Health Assoc. (MHA) expand programming and resources for its Grow, Reimagine, Inspire, Transform (GRIT) program that provides residential rehabilitation for individuals identifying as LGBTQ+ in recovery with substance-use and mental-health disorders. Services offered at GRIT include recovery-based group therapy, how to cope mindfully with traumatic stress, and 24/7 individual support.

Hit the Road

Senator Velis Presents $75,000 in ARPA funding to the Agawam Senior Center State Sen. John Velis recently presented earmark funding of $75,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to the Agawam Senior Center, to assist the center in acquiring a new van, which will increase mobility for local seniors by making transportation more accessible. Velis (center) was joined by Agawam Mayor William Sapelli (left), Agawam Senior Center Executive Director Michael Squindo (right), and members of the community.

Agenda

Agenda

Cannabis-Industry Training Classes

Starting April 2: The Cannabis Education Center (CEC) at Holyoke Community College (HCC) will be running three cannabis-industry training programs. The CEC’s 12-hour, introductory Cannabis Core course will be held April 2-3 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. Cannabis Extraction Technician training also begins April 2 and runs through April 23. The course meets weekly on Wednesdays over Zoom from 10 to 11 a.m., supplemented by self-paced online instruction. In this course, students will learn the basic fundamentals needed to work in a cannabis extraction laboratory: how to extract useful molecular components from cannabis and hemp using various techniques, including both solvent and solventless methods. Topics covered include good lab practices, health and safety metrics, extraction techniques, winterization, and dewaxing. Cannabis Culinary Assistant training begins April 19. Classes will meet in person on Tuesdays and Wednesdays through May 10 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, 164 Race St., Holyoke. Cannabis culinary assistants are responsible for cooking, baking, and infusing cannabis- or hemp-based products with extracts. The program is a 20-hour introductory course that provides an overview of cooking and baking techniques used to create edibles. The course reviews tools, equipment, food safety, standard recipes, and dosing, and provides discussions on infused oils, sauces, chocolates, ice cream, and more. Cannabis is not used in this program. Participants will be introduced to industry professionals, prepare for employment opportunities, and have the opportunity to earn SERV Safe certification. The cost of the Cannabis Core training is $599. Industry-specific course training is $799. Scholarships may be available to those who qualify. To register, visit hcc.edu/cannabis-core.

UMass 5K Dash and Dine

April 9: After a two-year hiatus, UMass Dining Services will host its 11th annual UMass 5K Dash and Dine on campus starting at 9 a.m. The goal of the event is to promote health and wellness at the university while raising funds for the Amherst Survival Center. In total, UMass dining has been able to raise more than $50,000 for the Amherst Survival Center. The 5K features a USA Track and Field certified course to runners, walkers, and wheelchair participants. When race participants are finished, all are welcomed to have lunch at the award-winning dining commons on campus. The race fee is $10 for all UMass and Five College students, $15 for UMass Amherst faculty and staff, and $20 for the general public. Children age 8 and under may participate for free. This race fee includes registration and the complimentary meal. Online registration ends at midnight on Wednesday, April 6. Walk-up registration is available on race day. To register for the event or make a donation, visit runumass.com.

MOSSO Chamber Music Series

April 14: The Westfield Athenaeum continues its three-concert chamber music series at 7 p.m., with musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, known as MOSSO, providing the music. A woodwind quintet of MOSSO musicians will be showcased, and Guy McLain, executive director of the Westfield Athenaeum, will offer a pre-performance talk at 6 p.m., which is free to ticket holders. Ann Bobo, principal flute, and Nancy Dimock, principal oboe, will be joined by their colleagues Ian Greitzer, clarinetist, Ron Haroutunian, bassoonist, and horn player Robert Marlatt. The MOSSO season at the Westfield Athenaeum opened on March 10, and will conclude with a concert on May 19, with a program to be announced soon. Tickets for the concert cost $20 and must be purchased in advance at the Westfield Athenaeum during business hours, or online at www.westath.org. Audience members will be required to wear masks.

Eggstravaganza at the Zoo in Forest Park

April 16: The Zoo in Forest Park will host its annual Eggstravaganza from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will include grab-and-go stations for children with take-and-make activities, prize-filled Easter eggs, books, and candy while supplies last. There will also be animal encounters and enrichment to allow guests an up-close look at some of the animals, as well as free face painting and visits from Felix the Fox and Andy the Armadillo. Pre-registration is required to attend. No additional tickets will be sold at the door. Registration closes April 11 or when all tickets are sold. To purchase tickets, visit www.forestparkzoo.org/eggs.

Springfield Symphony Orchestra Spring Concerts

April 22, May 13: The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) Board announced two spring concerts will be hosted at Springfield Symphony Hall with former SSO Music Director Mark Russell Smith serving as guest conductor. Smith is music director and conductor of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra. He previously served as music director for the SSO from 1995 through 2000. He has worked as director of New Music Projects for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and artistic director of Orchestral Studies at the University of Minnesota, and has also served as music director for the Richmond Symphony Orchestra and Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra. Details about the concerts, program, and availability of tickets will be forthcoming and available at springfieldsymphony.org.

Social Justice Awards

April 23: Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services (MLKFS) announced that this year’s Social Justice Awards will honor the organization’s former President and CEO Ronn Johnson, who passed away in January. The organization also announced that the Justice Resource Institute has stepped forward as the first event sponsor. The 2022 Social Justice Awards will continue to be a virtual event this year and will begin at 11 a.m. Michael Weeks, president and CEO of the Providers Council, will be the keynote speaker. This year’s honorees are Barbara Gresham (education), Bishop Bryant Robinson Jr. (lifetime achievement), Bishop Talbert Swan II (race relations), CMSS and Eileen McCaffery (arts and culture), Doris Harris (health advocacy), First Church of Christ in Longmeadow UCC (faith-based initiative), MassHire Springfield and Kevin Lynn (economic development), and Thomas Morrow and Julius Lewis (entrepreneurship). Individuals and organizations interested in supporting Johnson’s work at MLKFS through sponsorship or a donation should contact Lenise Williams at (413) 736-3655 or [email protected], or visit mlkjrfamilyservices.org/donate.

Great Golf Escape

April 25: The Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield (YPS) will host its annual Great Golf Escape tournament at Twin Hills Country Club in Longmeadow. YPS aims to engage the younger demographic in career development, networking, community involvement, recreational and social activities, and more. The cost for this event is $125 for YPS members, $500 for a YPS member foursome team captain, $135 for non-members, and $540 for a non-member foursome team captain. Check-in begins at 9 a.m. There will be prizes and a poker challenge throughout the event. The first-place team will also be able to select a charitable organization to receive a donation from YPS. Registration includes lunch, post-golf dinner, and giveaways. Members can register for the event at www.springfieldyps.com/events. This event is open to the public. However, YPS members will receive a free mulligan, entry into the door-prize raffle, and more. They’ll be offering golfers on-course hospitality, including ice-cream samples from Batch Ice Cream, sponsored by LiftTruck Parts & Service, and craft beer samples from Leadfoot Brewing. Major sponsors for this event include PeoplesBank (presenting sponsor), F45 Riverdale, Marcotte Ford, and the John Glover Insurance Agency. Foursomes and sponsorships are still available by visiting springfieldyps.com/golf or e-mailing [email protected].

‘Rewire: Finding Purpose and Fulfillment After Retirement’

April 27: Holyoke Community College (HCC) will present a three-hour, in-person workshop focusing on life after retirement. “Rewire: Finding Purpose and Fulfillment After Retirement” will meet from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development on HCC’s main campus, 303 Homestead Ave. The workshop will be facilitated by former career counselor Barbara Foster. “Retirement is a major life transition, not unlike a major career change” Foster said. “People often fail to consider how they will find purpose and fulfillment in retirement. The average 65-year-old will remain active for 20 years or more after leaving a full-time job. The workshop will assist both pre-retirees and recently retired people to consider how they will spend the 2,000 hours a year they formerly spent at work. This could be volunteering, starting a new business, developing hobbies, seeking part-time work, or new learning experiences.” The workshop will offer a series of exercises and self-assessments, as well as time to reflect, brainstorm with others, and develop goals and a vision for this new chapter of life. Participants will also leave with an extensive list of resources to explore. Space is limited, so advance registration is required. To register, visit hcc.edu/rewire, or call (413) 552-2500 for more information. The cost is $39. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required for all workshop participants, and masks must be worn in all HCC campus buildings.

Get Hired Job Fair

May 5: Holyoke Mall will host an in-person job fair from 3 to 6 p.m. on the lower level near Macy’s. Sponsored by Valley Opportunity Council, the Get Hired Job Fair is a convenient opportunity for Western Mass. employers to interview and hire workers, and to help job seekers connect with businesses who need their skills. Employers from a variety of industries will be in attendance looking for candidates at all skill levels. Several stores and venues at Holyoke Mall will also be in attendance to fill open positions. The event is free to attend for all job seekers. Employers that have already signed up to staff a table include MGM Springfield, Holyoke Medical Center, Springfield College, Trinity Senior Communities, and Valley Opportunity Council. Employers interested in participating in the upcoming job fair should contact Jim Geraghty, advertising representative for Holyoke Mall, at (617) 840-2998 or [email protected]. For full details regarding the job fair, visit www.holyokemall.com/event/get-hired-job-fair.

sheLEADS Conference

May 20: The Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce will host sheLEADS, a woman’s conference aimed at building a bold, brave community of women in the 413 with an eye on professional development and beyond. “This is a high-energy day filled with professional development, relationship- and leadership-building opportunities. Our focus is on providing attendees tools and connections that they didn’t have when they walked in,” said Moe Belliveau, the chamber’s executive director. The day begins at the Boylston Room in Easthampton at noon and ends with networking at Abandoned Building Brewery. In between, attendees can look forward to “Activating Your Leadership Strengths,” facilitated by Colleen DelVecchio of Colleen DelVecchio Consultants; “The Language of Leadership,” a panel discussion featuring Pia Kumar, chief strategy officer at Universal Plastics, Lynnette Watkins, president and CEO of Cooley Dickinson Health Care, and Waleska Lugo-DeJesus, CEO of Inclusive Strategies; and “Be Great Where Your Feet Are,” featuring keynote speaker Robyn Glaser Sr., vice president, Business Affairs for the Kraft Group. For tickets and details, visit www.easthamptonchamber.org.

Building Permits

Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of March 2022. (Filings are limited due to closures or reduced staffing hours at municipal offices due to COVID-19 restrictions).

CHICOPEE

83 Worthen Street Inc.
650C Memorial Dr.
$107,288 — Interior renovations

Janet Hughes
358 Britton St.
$14,999 — Roofing

Benjamin Surner Jr.
7 Coburn St.
$45,000 — Install two overhead doors

HADLEY

Hadley Center Rentals LLC
132 Middle St.
N/A — Repair drywall, replace kitchen and living-room floor

LENOX

Cornell Inn Holdings LLC
203 Main St.
$50,000 — Roofing

NORTHAMPTON

16-18 Main Street Realty Trust
16 Main St.
$40,420 — Interior renovations, new handrails

J Barc Inc.
17 Pleasant St.
$2,000 — Remove walls at rear of store

Living Room LLC
292 South St.
$22,390 — Install roof-mount solar system

Northampton Holdings LP
180 North King St.
$1,000 — New ground sign

PS 144 King LLC
144 King St.
$1,000 — Wall sign for Panda Solutions

Smith College
123 Elm St.
$136,000 — Renovations to lounge and kitchen

PITTSFIELD

The Clock Tower Associates Inc.
75 South Church St.
$5,800 — Relocate and add sprinklers

SPRINGFIELD

Baystate Medical Center Inc.
759 Chestnut St.
$226,763 — Alter interior surgical pathology lab into office space on first floor of Daly Building

Baystate Medical Center Inc.
759 Chestnut St.
$93,680 — Alter interior space in pathology conference room

City of Springfield
130 Pearl St.
$320,000 — Alter existing half-height walls in briefing room and adjacent offices to full height, replace ceiling grid, and update lighting at Springfield Police headquarters

Pete Martins
11 Tapley St.
$160,000 — Remodel interior of Dunkin’ Donuts

Route 20-21 Associates Inc.
1380 Boston Road
$1,000 — Interior demolition for future buildout at former Olive Garden

Sonal Patel LLC
570 Sumner Ave.
$110,000 — Remodel interior of Dunkin’ Donuts

Springfield College
263 Alden St.
$30,000 — T-Mobile to remove and replace six roof-mounted cellular antennas, add three fiber cables, add three radio units, swap two equipment cabinets, and remove one equipment cabinet on residence hall

People on the Move

People on the Move

Linda Schmidt

Robert Walters III

Brittany Ward

UMassFive College Federal Credit Union announced three recent management-team promotions: Assistant Vice President of Finance/Controller Linda Schmidt, Interactive Teller Machine (ITM) Supervisor Robert Walters III, and Hadley Branch Manager Brittany Ward. Schmidt’s career at UMassFive began in 2010 as a teller and a Call Center representative. Her role quickly progressed to a Contact Center supervisor, where she remained until 2014. That year, she moved into the Finance department, holding the title of staff accountant until 2016, and most recently serving as financial analyst. In her new position, she will oversee the Finance department, as well as perform all controller responsibilities for the credit union. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in accounting at the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. Walters’s career at UMassFive began in 2018 as a member service specialist in the Hadley branch, and he was most recently promoted to backup supervisor in January 2020. In his new position, he will oversee the daily operation of the ITM department, ensuring adequate staffing levels for member volume, troubleshooting the video teller machines, and ensuring members have an excellent service experience. Ward began her career at UMassFive seven years ago and has held multiple positions during her tenure at the credit union. Starting as a member service specialist, she moved on to become a retail trainer, ITM supervisor, assistant manager in the Contact Center, and most recently the ITM manager. In her new role, she will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Hadley branch, including the training and development of the branch staff.

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Bulkley Richardson recently welcomed James Moher and Michael McAndrew to the firm. Moher joined the firm as counsel in the Business and Finance department, where his practice will focus on general corporate and business matters, including mergers and acquisitions and other transactional work. He will also be active in the areas of cannabis and other emerging businesses. Moher previously practiced at a Hartford, Conn. law firm and most recently was founder and CEO of a successful startup business, giving him an insider’s perspective on the challenges and opportunities faced by a small business. He received a bachelor’s degree from Boston College in 2008 and a juris doctor from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2011. McAndrew joined Bulkley Richardson’s Litigation department as an associate. Previously, he was a law clerk at several area law firms and served as a clerk intern to the Hon. Alfred Covello in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. He received a bachelor’s degree from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, magna cum laude, in 2018 and a juris doctor from Western New England University School of Law, magna cum laude, in 2021.

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Angelina Stafford

Justin Kissell

Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury and Murphy, P.C. (DWPM) announced that the firm has elected Angelina Stafford as a new shareholder and welcomed to its team attorney Justin Kissell as an associate. Stafford, who was previously an associate attorney at DWPM, concentrates her practice on trust and estate matters, including estate and tax planning, estate and trust administration, business succession planning, and probate litigation. Stafford earned her juris doctor degree summa cum laude from Western New England University and her bachelor’s degree with distinction from the University of Michigan. Prior to joining Doherty, Wallace in 2013, she clerked for the Connecticut Appellate Court. She is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Kissell joined the firm in 2021 and became an associate attorney in January 2022 after being admitted to the bar. He is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School in Boston. While at Suffolk, he was the chief note editor for the Journal of Health & Biomedical Law. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics, with a minor in political science, at the University of New Hampshire. Kissell’s experience includes working as a law clerk at Rimon, P.C. in Boston, where he worked in trusts and estates, taxation, and general business. Prior to that, he was a summer intern at the Dedham District Court, working with the Hon. Judge Michael Pomarole. He is admitted to practice in the state of Massachusetts.

•••••

The board of directors of Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services has elected Aieshya Jackson as vice president and Darren James as treasurer. Jackson is a business manager for the city of Springfield Library Department and has more than 15 years of financial-services experience. She is a graduate of Bay Path University, where she earned a master’s degree in healthcare management. She also attended the Connecticut School of Finance and Management. James is a financial representative for Northwestern Mutual and has more than eight years of financial-services and operations experience. He earned a bachelor’s degree from American International College with a concentration in communications and business.

•••••

Western New England University School of Law announced that Professor Tina Cafaro was unanimously confirmed to serve as associate justice of the District Court. Cafaro began her legal career in 1995 as a clerk for the Hon. Justice Kent Smith of the Massachusetts Appeals Court. She then joined the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office as an assistant district attorney in 1996. Since 2001, she has been a clinical professor of Law and director of Criminal Law Clinics at the Western New England University School of Law. In this role, she instructs students in both prosecution and defense clinics, and has served as a special assistant district attorney for the Hampden District Attorney’s Office. She has been an instructor for the Massachusetts Police Training Committee, the Massachusetts State Police, and the Massachusetts Trial Court Academies since 1999. Cafaro has been a member of the Hampden County Bar Assoc. education committee since 2015 and is active in her community. She has been a basketball and lacrosse coach with the East Longmeadow Youth Sports Program for nearly two decades, and previously served on the East Longmeadow Basketball Assoc. board of directors. She received her bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst in 1992 and her juris doctorate from Western New England University School of Law in 1995.

•••••

OMG Inc. has hired Brianna Akers as talent-acquisition specialist. In her new role, Akers will work closely with the talent-acquisition manager and the company’s management team to develop and implement strategic hiring strategies that expand the employee base across all facilities for continued growth. She reports to Gina Williamson, talent-acquisition manager. Akers began her career at ProAmpac as a human-resources coordinator, supporting payroll, recruitment, benefits administration, and other aspects of human resources. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Western New England University and a master’s degree from Springfield College.

•••••

Elizabeth Román will join New England Public Media’s newsroom as managing editor for news after reporting for nearly two decades at the Republican. In recent years, she has also edited El Pueblo Latino, co-founded Colectivo de Medios Latinos, and appeared as a panelist on NEPM’s “The Short List” and “Connecting Point.” In her role at NEPM, she will edit daily news stories, work to expand the diversity of sources in news coverage, and explore ways to create more Spanish-language news content. Román is a lifelong resident of Springfield and the daughter of Puerto Rican parents who migrated to Massachusetts from the island more than 40 years ago. She is a graduate of Holyoke Community College and UMass Amherst. Throughout her career as a print journalist, it has been her objective to provide accurate representation of communities of color in Western Mass., and she is excited to continue that work at NEPM.

•••••

DDS Acoustical Specialties, LLC announced the addition of Tyler Hadley to its team as director of Marketing. He will create, implement, and manage marketing campaigns that promote the products and services offered by the company, and will develop essential communication resources that educate and inform customers about the importance of acoustics and the solutions DDS Acoustical Specialties provides to solve noise issues. Hadley brings a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Westfield State University along with more than six years of experience in marketing and communications. He has a broad knowledge of advertising, design, social media, and other marketing platforms and systems. Prior to joining DDS Acoustical Specialties, Hadley worked for Way Finders, a nonprofit organization based in Springfield, where he managed marketing and communications for the organization and its seven lines of business. He also sits on the board of directors for the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield and serves on committees for the Human Service Forum and the Fair Housing & Civil Rights Conference.

•••••

Friends of Children Inc. presented Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan with the 2022 Changemaker Award at a dinner on March 25 at the Garden House in Look Park. Sullivan was presented with the Changemaker Award to celebrate his accomplishments, advocacy, and impact. He has been a steadfast advocate for vulnerable people in the Pioneer Valley, including children and young people served by Friends of Children, since 2003. He has led initiatives to address child abuse and domestic violence. He co-founded the Children’s Advocacy Center of Franklin County and North Quabbin Region and serves as an advisor to its board, as well as to the Children’s Advocacy Center of Hampshire County. Sullivan was part of the core team that helped establish the Franklin County Family Drug Court. He co-founded and co-chairs Hampshire HOPE and the Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and North Quabbin Region to address the opioid epidemic and its devastating impact on children and families. He is a board member of the Massachusetts Children’s Trust, an organization dedicated to ending child abuse. He also testified twice to the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities in support of bills that would establish external oversight of the state’s child welfare system.

•••••

Musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, the not-for-profit organization also known as MOSSO, has engaged a management team to assist in producing live classical-music concerts for Greater Springfield and Western Mass. MOSSO Chair Beth Welty (who will also serve as MOSSO’s interim librarian) announced that Douglas Evans, former CEO at the Bushnell in Hartford, Conn., will serve as management consultant. Mark Auerbach, an area public-relations consultant who was the Marketing director of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra from 1982 to 1985, will serve as public-relations and marketing consultant. Northampton- and Hartford-based development specialist Nancy Wheeler of WheelerConnect will work with MOSSO as a major-gifts consultant. And Gregory Jones, who has worked in concert production with artists including Simon & Garfunkel and Bob Dylan, will coordinate productions. Welty added that Sarah Sutherland, a MOSSO horn player with a mathematics and statistics degree, will be MOSSO’s finance director, and Lauren Winter, MOSSO’s principal horn player, will coordinate box-office operations and personnel. Matthew Anderson, who holds a bachelor’s degree in composition from the Hartt School and an MBA from the University of Hartford, will work in production.

Company Notebook

Company Notebook

UMass Amherst College of Engineering Receives $10 Million Gift

AMHERST — The UMass Amherst College of Engineering (COE) has received a $10 million gift from Jerome and Linda Paros aimed at accelerating its cutting-edge work in atmospheric research and hazard mitigation by enabling a new center of excellence. The gift is the largest ever received by the college. The gift will support the translation of ongoing and future research into improved hazardous weather predictions, alert systems, and policies that will save lives as the world continues to experience increases in the intensity and frequency of storms and other extreme weather events that stem from climate change. The $10 million gift will provide discretionary support for the new Paros Center for Atmospheric Research, funding for the Paros Fellows/Scholars Endowed Fund for graduate fellowships and undergraduate scholarships, and to establish the Paros Chair of Atmospheric Research and Hazard Mitigation. Building upon UMass Amherst’s leadership in the field through the Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA) — an engineering research center housed at UMass and established through prior National Science Foundation funds — this new funding will enable UMass researchers to expand CASA’s original mission to explore new frontiers in atmospheric measurement, science, and technology. Jerome Paros, a 1960 UMass Amherst alumnus, is a leader in the field of geophysical measurements. He holds more than 50 patents and is the founder, president, and chairman of Paroscientific Inc., Quartz Seismic Sensors Inc., and related companies based in Redmond, Wash. These companies use the quartz crystal resonator technology he developed to measure pressure, acceleration, temperature, weight, and other parameters. His work has improved the measurements of geophysical phenomena such as tsunamis, earthquakes, and severe weather, and enhanced knowledge about the complex earth, air, and ocean processes that produce climate change. In the mid-2000s, Jerome and Linda Paros endowed a fund in measurement science at UMass Amherst, with the goal of creating synergy in this field of study between the COE and the College of Natural Sciences.

HCC Lands $147,000 Grant to Buy Mobile Culinary-arts Lab

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) has been awarded a $147,000 Skills Capital Grant to purchase a truck for its culinary-arts program that will be used as a mobile kitchen for community outreach and education. The funds, from Gov. Charlie Baker’s Workforce Skills Cabinet, are part of a new, $3.3 million package of grants to 20 educational organizations in Massachusetts for updating equipment and expanding student enrollment in career education programs. According to the award letter, HCC will use the $147,000 to purchase and outfit a mobile food lab that will support both credit and non-credit culinary-arts programs and also incorporate other areas of study, including nutrition, health, business, and entrepreneurship. HCC’s grant application notes that residents of Holyoke face a high level of food insecurity and that downtown Holyoke has been identified as a ‘food desert.’ The mobile food lab will be used to engage community partners such as the Holyoke Boys & Girls Club and area food pantries. Students will meet with representatives from area organizations to create menus based on ingredients of their choice or what might be seasonally available. Once the truck arrives — sometime later this year — food-truck operations will be worked into the current culinary-arts curriculum in both credit and non-credit courses such as event planning and line-cook training. Students will have to learn to cook in a much smaller space than they are used to in the kitchens at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute; they’ll also have to learn food-truck logistics, such as how to dispose of dirty ‘grey’ water, replenish the kitchen with fresh water, and maintain a stable power source.

McGovern Auto Group Opens McGovern Chevrolet of Greenfield

GREENFIELD — McGovern Auto Group, which operates 19 dealerships across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New York, announced the opening of McGovern Chevrolet of Greenfield. The new dealership, which replaces Dillon Chevrolet, employs 25 people across its sales, leasing, and maintenance teams, with plans to increase headcount to at least 40 by the end of 2022. The opening was enabled by McGovern Auto Group’s acquisition of Dillon Chevrolet, located at 54 Main St., from longtime owners Tom and Jay Dillon. Under the McGovern brand, the new dealership will feature a lot with more than 125 new and used cars, plus a completely reimagined customer experience including comfortable, clean, and modern waiting areas with free coffee and high-speed WiFi. To mark the transition to new ownership after 60 years in the Greenfield area, McGovern Chevrolet is also offering all Greenfield area residents an express detail — a $100 value — with any service. Founded in 2016, McGovern Auto Group is a full-service dealer group with four collision centers in addition to a commercial and municipal division. Known for luxury vehicles such as Ferrari and Porsche, the company also brings deep expertise working with brands including Chevrolet, GMC, Ford, Hyundai, Honda, and Toyota.

Bulkley Richardson Supports Baystate Children’s Hospital

SPRINGFIELD — Throughout the course of a year, the Davis Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Baystate Children’s Hospital cares for more than 800 newborns. These babies are fighters, but they require essential care. Many have come into the world too early; others emerge with medical challenges that need to be addressed in the moments after birth. All of them deserve the best chance for a healthy life. Bulkley Richardson, a Springfield-based law firm, recently made a $10,000 gift to support that essential care through the purchase of a transcutaneous CO2 monitor. This device provides a non-invasive and efficient way to monitor newborns’ exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide (CO2) when they require a ventilator to assist their breathing. It also allows the team to review and respond to important health details in real time instead of through multiple painful blood draws. With one in 10 families needing the NICU in their lifetime, this type of equipment will be used by many and provide a more comfortable experience for Baystate’s youngest patients.

DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology Adding Nail & Esthetics Programs

WEST SPRINGFIELD — DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology is getting a makeover. The school, which opened its doors in 2002, will be renovating and expanding this spring to add a nail program and an esthetics program. Paul DiGrigoli, owner and CEO of the DiGrigoli Companies, first opened DiGrigoli Salon in 2000 on Riverdale Street in West Springfield. A couple years later, he added the fully accredited and award-winning DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology, which has produced hundreds of cosmetologists in the Western Mass. area and beyond. Due to the expansion of the school, DiGrigoli Salon officially came to an end on Feb. 26. The extra space from the salon will allow for larger facilities and amenities for both students and clients of the new DiGrigoli School. Renovations will begin in spring, and details of the new programs and enrollments will be available by fall 2022. The currently running cosmetology program will continue uninterrupted, with its next class starting on May 3. Former clients of DiGrigoli Salon are welcome to visit the school’s student salon, which offers a variety of hair and basic manicure services. Appointments can be made by calling (413) 827-0037 or on a walk-in basis.

AIC Named to 2022-23 Military Friendly Schools List

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) announced it has earned the 2022-23 Military Friendly School designation. Institutions earning the Military Friendly School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2022-23 survey, with 665 recognized for going above the standard. The 2022-23 Military Friendly Schools list will be published in the May and October issue of GI Jobs magazine and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com. Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher-education and military-recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer), and loan-default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.

Home City Development Signs Land Disposition Agreement for South End Townhouses

SPRINGFIELD — Home City Development Inc. (HCDI) has signed a land disposition agreement with the city of Springfield to develop up to 40 for-sale residential units on the former Gemini site in the South End of Springfield. This townhouse development will serve low- to moderate-income households earning between 70% and 100% of adjusted median income. The residential zoning change was approved in October, and Mayor Domenic Sarno signed the land disposition agreement in January. The team is working closely with funders to make sure the project is developed and managed appropriately to serve the community. The HCDI team continues to meet with the South End Citizens Council, receiving valuable input. HCDI has received a preliminary commitment from MassHousing for the majority of the public financing necessary and has applied to the city of Springfield for the remaining funds. Once these funds are in hand, construction could start as early as the fall of 2022. Designs are being finalized by Architecture Environment Life of East Longmeadow and Torres Engineering of Wethersfield, Conn.

Pioneer Moving Launches Program to Turn Food Waste into Donations

SOUTH HADLEY — When people move residences, they typically do a lot of purging before moving day. One common area to clean out is the pantry, resulting in large amounts of wasted food. Pioneer Moving is on a mission to use this practice to benefit to those in need though the company’s newly launched Pioneer Program. The Pioneer Program collects non-perishable food from residents who are getting rid of items they don’t need and distributes it to shelters and food banks. The program is 100% free to everyone involved and is simple to participate in. Consumers can obtain a Pioneer Program box from a real-estate agent, rental office, or another local business. The participants fill up their box with non-perishable, non-expired food. Then they can call the Pioneer Program to promptly pick up the box from them. The Pioneer Program team will distribute the food to a local food pantry or homeless shelter. Pioneer Moving donates the boxes and labor time collecting and delivering the food. Brian Clark, owner of Pioneer Moving, founded the Pioneer Program when he noticed a large amount of food being tossed in the trash by residents on moving day that could be donated. Knowing that people who are moving are typically rushed for time to get everything ready for the movers, Clark immediately recognized that residents would be more than happy to have someone help them easily get rid of items they no longer want or need.

KeyBank Announces Support for Humanitarian Efforts for Ukraine

CLEVELAND — KeyBank announced several steps it is taking to support humanitarian efforts currently underway for the people of Ukraine. In a message to employees, Chris Gorman, KeyCorp chairman and CEO, announced $150,000 in grants from KeyBank Foundation and a 1:1 employee matching-gift program. KeyBank Foundation will give a $100,000 grant to the American Red Cross to support its efforts to provide food, water, and other essential items and services to the people of Ukraine. The Red Cross has teams on the ground in Ukraine and neighboring countries helping families and working to repair vital infrastructure, support health facilities with medicines and equipment, and support families with food and hygiene items. KeyBank Foundation will also make a $50,000 grant to UNICEF for its work supporting children and families impacted by the war in Ukraine. In addition, KeyBank is launching a 1:1 employee matching-gift program through KeyBank Foundation that will help amplify and raise the collective voice of teammates in support of Ukraine. As part of this program, KeyBank Foundation will prove a dollar-for-dollar match for all employees up to $5,000, for several organizations supporting humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, including Americares, CARE, Project Hope, Save the Children, and World Central Kitchen.

Pioneer Valley Credit Union Donates to Friends of the Homeless Shelter

SPRINGFIELD — Pioneer Valley Credit Union donated $100 worth of thermal layers, hats, socks, sweaters, and sweatpants and an additional monetary donation of $500 for a grand total of $600 to Clinical & Support Option’s (CSO) Friends of the Homeless Shelter in Springfield. The warm-clothing collection efforts were made at the Sixteen Acres and East Springfield branches throughout the month of February in addition to the option to donate over the phone. CSO’s Friends of the Homeless program is more than an emergency shelter. In addition to offering more than 1,000 individuals with a warm bed and hot shower each year, the program also assigns case workers to each guest. It also serves three community meals each day, offers a robust resource center, and operates low-income housing units for those in need.

Incorporations

Incorporations

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

AGAWAM

The Five Stones Venture Inc., 417 Springfield St., Suite 124, Agawam, MA 01001. Ryan McLane, same address. Human civil rights organization.

CHICOPEE

United Traffic Control Inc., 13 Catherine St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Alejandro Rosado, same address. Flagger traffic control.

EAST LONGMEADOW

More Than Mom Inc., 287 Prospect St., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Caitlin Van Doren, 28 Edson St., Longmeadow, MA 01106. Community organization.

GREENFIELD

People’s Music Network for Songs of Freedom and Struggle Inc., 195 Chapman St., Greenfield, MA 01301. Erland Zygmuntowicz, 245 West 104th St., Apt. 12-C, New York, NY 10025. Music education.

HOLYOKE

Wellesley Aesthetic Dental Group, P.C., 330 Whitney Ave., Suite 740, Holyoke, MA 01040. Craig Saltzman D.M.D., same address. Dental practice.

INDIAN ORCHARD

OM Gulf Racing Mart Inc., 363 Main St., Indian Orchard, MA 01151. Falguni Patel, 5 Patriot Ridge Lane, Wilbraham, MA 01095. Gas station and convenience store.

LONGMEADOW

The Niko Sierra Athletic Scholarship Fund Inc., 65 Belleclaire Ave., Longmeadow, MA 01106. Betsy Sierra, same address. Athletic and educational scholarships.

LUDLOW

Strength by Sami Inc., 297 East St., Rear, Ludlow, MA 01056. Samantha Runshaw, 42 Cedar Glenn, Belchertown, MA 01007.

SPRINGFIELD

Funny Bunny Inc., 250-270 Worthington St., Springfield, MA 01103. Andrew Brow, 30 High St., #2, East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Restaurant.

J & C Music House Records Inc., 177 Northampton Ave., Springfield, MA 01109. Jeffery D. Morgan, same address. Record production and contracts.

Kase Investment Group Inc., 8 Emmet St., Springfield, MA 01119. Shannon Glenn, same address. Real estate investment.

WESTFIELD

DLP Holdings Inc., 539 North Road, Westfield, MA 01085. John J. Dion Jr., same address. Own, hold, control, manage and operate businesses.

Jason L. Levine Law, P.C., 43 Broad St., Westfield, MA 01085. Jason L. Levine, same address. Law practice.

Doing Business As Certificates

DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the month of March 2022. (Filings are limited due to closures or reduced staffing hours at municipal offices due to COVID-19 restrictions).

HADLEY

Ananda Yoga
41 Russell St.
Justine Budhram

Awakened Hearts Healing Arts
245 Russell St., #22
Asherah Allen

Boisvert Farm LLC
70 Lawrence Plain Road
John Boisvert Jr.

Born Digital
84 Russell St.
Noah Smith

Davis Wellness
245 Russell St., #15
Julia Davis

Fort River Farm
102 Mill Valley Road
Gordan Smith

Hadley Speech Therapy
131 East St.
Katherine Prajzner

Quantal Research
97 Mt. Warner Road
Matthew Breuer

River Valley Bodyworks Inc.
8B Goffe St.
Bryan Clarke

Trivial Matters
16 Hadley Place
Eileen Keegan

NORTHAMPTON

Alchemy Learning Center
17 New South St., #108
Let Herman

Bet on Black Pet Care
8 Aldrich St., Apt. 2
Tamera Porter-Austin

Essential Reiki with Harmony
98 Main St.
Heidi Kuhl

Florence Sewing Buildings Too
5 Middle St.
Robert Nutting

Flowerwork Farm
509 Riverside Dr.
Suna Turgay

Life Essence Inc.
216 North King St.
Kim Rivers

Nelson & Ligia House Cleaning
84 High St., Apt. 2
Ligia Rubio

Nonotuck Wealth Solutions
8 Stowell St.
Jacob Dissinger

Pat Beaudoin, LMT
25 Main St., Suite 212
Patricia Beaudoin

Priceless Greens
90 Beacon St.
Jasper Price-Slade

Showcase Content
80 Barrett St., Apt. 1
John Haryasz

Smooth Movers
210 Florence Road
Shane O’Brien Sr.

Toad’s Kin Car Too
5 Middle St.
Robert Nutting

Wayne Shim DMP LLC
241 King St., #220
Wayne Shim

Wild Garden of Childhood LLC
11 Ormond Dr.
Candice Chouinard

WESTFIELD

Choice Health
307 East Main St.
Douglas Investment Group

Gabby’s
150 Elm St.
Clifford Laraway

New England RV Rentals
265 Union St.
Clifford Laraway

Royal Nails
617 East Main St.
TDL Royal LLC

Subway of Westfield C-Stores
429 North Elm St.
Clifford Laraway

Subway of Westfield C-Stores
21 Southwick Road
Clifford Laraway

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Green Coat Record Shop
2052 Westfield St.
Anthony Robert

Never Forget Pets
260 Sibley Ave.
Ann Fisher

Senate Music Group LLC
85 Ashley St.
Charles Berard

T&L Realty
90 Butternut Hollow Road
Tod Kopeyscinski

Ultimate Home Inspections
379 Rogers Ave.
Theodore Pinkerman Sr.

Bankruptcies

Bankruptcies

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

Alderman-Shapiro, Kimberly Anne
a/k/a Rossman, Kimberly
55 Garfield St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/28/2022

Berthiaume, Michael Raymond
2014 Cross St.
Three Rivers, MA 01080
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/19/2022

Boyle, Shawn
Boyle, Lisa Marie
44 North St.
Hatfield, MA 0103
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/23/2022

Jansen, Russell E.
38 Highview Dr., Apt. B
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/24/2022

Jurgensen, Susan M.
106 8th Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/28/2022

Kimberly George Companies
George, Kimberly A.
119 Eddywood St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/18/2022

Kruger, Michelle A.
a/k/a Dunn, Michelle A.
39 Demont Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/20/2022

Lalonde, Michael Ryan
29 Central Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/16/2022

Liton, Md Mijanur Rahman
507 Whitney Ave., Apt. 6A
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/16/2022

Martin, Bertland A.
7 Oak Lane
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/24/2022

Marty, Jeanlouis F.
P.O. Box 94
Oakham, MA 01068
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/28/2022

Misischia, Jeanna Marie
43 Granger Place
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/24/2022

Morales, Pablo A.
19 Dianna Dr.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/22/2022

Plourde, Austin M.
Plourde, Selina J.
a/k/a Berthiaume, Selina J.
919 Southampton Road, Apt. L2
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/28/2022
Sanchez, Lisa Marie
32 Maple Ave., Apt. 2
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/22/2022

Wood, Karrie A.
a/k/a Lucht, Karrie
14 Stone Valley Road
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/23/2022

Real Estate Transactions

Real Estate

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

FRANKLIN COUNTY

COLRAIN

2 Griswoldville St.
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Javier A. Morales
Seller: James Lesieur
Date: 03/03/22

Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $146,000
Buyer: Lucas Gray
Seller: Shanna E. Smith
Date: 02/22/22

ERVING

22 Swamp Road
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Dennis Millett
Seller: Corrine R. Smith
Date: 02/28/22

GREENFIELD

174 Conway St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Jeremy Krusas
Seller: Good Enough Living LLC
Date: 03/04/22

412 Deerfield St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Rycon RT
Seller: Rycon RT
Date: 02/28/22

8 James St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $334,553
Buyer: Julia White-Kimball
Seller: Marilyn D. White
Date: 02/23/22

672 Lampblack Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $219,300
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Paulette M. Bulko
Date: 03/04/22

99 Maple St.
Greenfield, MA 01376
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Julia T. Shaw
Seller: Peter Lapa
Date: 02/28/22

33 Phillips St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $204,400
Buyer: Peter Underdown
Seller: Mary Ebba Underdown TR
Date: 03/03/22

HEATH

151 Number 9 Road
Heath, MA 01346
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Dagan Diaz-Krier
Seller: Shawn Monroe
Date: 03/04/22

LEVERETT

24 Juggler Meadow Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Richard Wyatt
Seller: Anthony Serio
Date: 03/04/22

MONTAGUE

134 Montague City Road
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Kelsey A. Naughton
Seller: Karen L. Chastney
Date: 02/22/22

1 Randall Wood Dr.
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Angel G. Padilla
Seller: Christopher A. Glabach
Date: 02/28/22

34 Randall Wood Dr.
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $353,000
Buyer: Steven P. Christenson
Seller: Kevin K. Pelissier
Date: 02/22/22

NORTHFIELD

292 Birnam Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Timothy O. Cosgrove
Seller: Thomas Aquinas College
Date: 03/04/22

195 School St.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $605,000
Buyer: Thomas F. Chappuis
Seller: Ronald C. Vishaway
Date: 02/28/22

Warwick Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $605,000
Buyer: Thomas F. Chappuis
Seller: Ronald C. Vishaway
Date: 02/28/22

ORANGE

202 Daniel Shays Hwy.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Lynn M. Holt
Seller: Courtney J. Graves
Date: 02/24/22

15 Johnson Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $269,900
Buyer: Jacob Oliver
Seller: Christal Cutler
Date: 02/24/22

56 West Orange Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $389,900
Buyer: Thanh H. Than
Seller: Marla Cromwell
Date: 03/01/22

56 Wheeler Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Freedom Mortgage Corp.
Seller: Keri J. Anderson
Date: 02/24/22

SHELBURNE

1155 Mohawk Trail
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Kiaan Realty LLC
Seller: Pamela J. Miner
Date: 02/22/22

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

48 Bessbrook St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Danail Galabov
Seller: Real Estate Investors Northeast
Date: 02/28/22

114 Carr Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $294,000
Buyer: Pamela A. Gaulard
Seller: Alex Boyko
Date: 02/25/22

194 High St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Ashley A. Sprandel
Seller: Michael D. Sprandel
Date: 03/04/22

122 Leonard St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $449,000
Buyer: Gary Sherlock
Seller: Caren B. Foisie
Date: 02/25/22

Main St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Tree House S LLC
Seller: Mary C. Johnson
Date: 03/02/22

Meadow St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Tree House S LLC
Seller: Mary C. Johnson
Date: 03/02/22

275 School St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Kyle D. Shea
Seller: Tracy L. Hart
Date: 02/22/22

24 South West St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Dalal Mazraeh
Seller: Ronald Vandervliet
Date: 03/02/22

638 Springfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $187,500
Buyer: Bible Adventure Land LLC
Seller: Stateline Realty LLC
Date: 02/25/22

BRIMFIELD

12 3rd St.
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Christopher Quartarone
Seller: Rocha REI & Home Improvement LLC
Date: 02/25/22

CHICOPEE

183 Basil Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $314,751
Buyer: Mark Duda
Seller: Paul C. Orban
Date: 02/25/22

20 Boivin Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Derek S. Sivret
Seller: Ben Masse
Date: 02/25/22

55 Bromont St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $211,000
Buyer: Percy Brown
Seller: Labrie, Wiltrudis G., (Estate)
Date: 02/23/22

Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Daviau & Robert Properties LLC
Seller: Wildflower Property Management Inc.
Date: 02/24/22

80 Columba St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $3,875,000
Buyer: Columba Ventures LLC
Seller: Columba Realty LLC
Date: 03/02/22

31 David St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Jose R. Diaz-Hernandez
Seller: Robert P. Martel
Date: 02/28/22

385 East St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Dan Wilder
Seller: Linda J. Daigneault
Date: 03/04/22

East Main St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Agilent Technologies Inc.
Seller: PBHI Properties LLC
Date: 03/03/22

16 Emmett St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Spire Property Solutions Inc.
Seller: Revampit LLC
Date: 02/23/22

80 Fairview Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Tony Tereso
Seller: Robert Borowiec
Date: 02/23/22

890 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Jessica Colon
Seller: Laureen R. Liberty
Date: 03/04/22

64 Frontenac St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: James E. Byfield
Seller: Adrienne R. Smith
Date: 03/01/22

30 Hawthorn St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $185,777
Buyer: Real Estate Investors Northeast
Seller: Wilmington TR
Date: 02/23/22

42 Irene St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Jesus Morales
Seller: Christine E. Regan
Date: 03/02/22

45 Laclede Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $339,000
Buyer: Edgardo J. Diaz-Laporte
Seller: Russell Maylott
Date: 02/22/22

716 McKinstry Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: Barry S. Drinkwine
Seller: Doel, Stephen, (Estate)
Date: 02/28/22

25 North Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $875,000
Buyer: Superior Capital LLC
Seller: JWD Holdings LLC
Date: 02/24/22

189 Pendleton Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: T. Rita Hohl Special TR
Seller: David W. Dugre
Date: 02/28/22

69 Quartus St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $286,000
Buyer: Erllis F. Casiano-Lugo
Seller: Steven P. Huard
Date: 02/28/22

57 Saint Jacques Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Collin Sexton
Seller: Stephen Keith
Date: 02/28/22

36 Schorr St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Sherrie L. Damon
Seller: Angel Rivera
Date: 03/04/22

84 Shepherd St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Jose Ortiz
Seller: Lena M. Laterreur
Date: 02/28/22

425 Springfield St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Fahad D. Daham
Seller: Luke Realty Mgmt. LLC
Date: 03/04/22

43 Stebbins St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Taylor V. Smith
Seller: Robert E. Laroche
Date: 02/28/22

138 Wilson Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $230,500
Buyer: Jamal Amimi
Seller: Jeffery A. Jourdain
Date: 02/28/22

EAST LONGMEADOW

139 Brookhaven Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Jared D. Smith
Seller: Richard S. Bernardo
Date: 02/25/22

29 Indian Spring Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: 29 Indian Spring Road LLC
Seller: Monroe, John W., (Estate)
Date: 02/23/22

526 Parker St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Joseph J. Masse
Seller: EAW IRT
Date: 02/28/22

275 Pease Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $375,500
Buyer: Ashley N. Agustynowicz
Seller: Charles J. Lelas
Date: 02/25/22

108 Shaker Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $1,200,000
Buyer: 108 Shaker Road LLC
Seller: C&S Partnership LLC
Date: 02/23/22

394 Somers Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $379,900
Buyer: Rachel Stewart
Seller: Joyce A. Guyer
Date: 02/28/22

31 Wilder Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $351,000
Buyer: Yang Liu
Seller: Elizabeth A. Yacteen
Date: 03/03/22

16 Windsor Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: David K. Roberts
Seller: Robert F. Hartstern
Date: 03/01/22

GRANVILLE

1290 Main Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $610,000
Buyer: Mary L. Smith-Brown
Seller: Robert A. Rahn
Date: 02/25/22

HAMPDEN

10 Glendale Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $227,000
Buyer: Eric W. Kupis
Seller: Melikian, Jeffrey M., (Estate)
Date: 02/28/22

HOLLAND

24 Forest Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $131,300
Buyer: George J. Carling
Seller: Walter T. Roe
Date: 03/04/22

55 Island Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Mark Buzzell
Seller: Carrie Lynn Saunders
Date: 03/01/22

HOLYOKE

7 Charles Hill Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $244,900
Buyer: Jessica Dedeurwaerder
Seller: Cynthia J. Horne
Date: 02/28/22

30-32 Charles St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Josh Edwards
Seller: German Diaz
Date: 02/28/22

388 Cherry St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Brian J. Lepine
Seller: Maureen K. Wolfe
Date: 03/04/22

29-31 Davis St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $306,900
Buyer: Roberto Fonseca
Seller: Yvette Jackson
Date: 03/01/22

705 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Diaz Properties LLC
Seller: Wicked Deals LLC
Date: 03/04/22

5 Meadow St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Jo Landers
Seller: Roberto Fonseca
Date: 02/28/22

39 Moss Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Sarah E. St.Pierre
Seller: Tyler D. Spath
Date: 02/28/22

337 Mountain Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $292,500
Buyer: Gary Godbout
Seller: Normand J. Lusignan
Date: 03/02/22

425 Pleasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: CG Estates LLC
Seller: RC Builders LLC
Date: 02/23/22

135 Sheehan Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: David Wajda
Seller: Christopher R. Brown
Date: 03/03/22

85 South Bay State Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Samantha Guye
Seller: Steven C. Girard
Date: 02/25/22

247-249 Walnut St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: David A. Borden
Seller: Orlando Velez
Date: 03/04/22

LONGMEADOW

84 Benedict Ter.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $456,500
Buyer: Daniel F. Goodhue
Seller: John R. Vellenga
Date: 02/24/22

288 Burbank Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $328,000
Buyer: Eileen Fettiter
Seller: Anthony J. Santos
Date: 03/01/22

79 Hazardville Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Joshua R. Mueller
Seller: Vantage Home Buyers LLC
Date: 03/04/22

98 Hazardville Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Sean Smith
Seller: Peter A. Vangsness
Date: 03/03/22

1198 Longmeadow St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Maura Hinners
Seller: Maura Hinners
Date: 03/02/22

132 Maple Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Ernest Abramian
Seller: Michael E. Midura
Date: 02/25/22

28 South Park Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $511,099
Buyer: Ahsan Waqas
Seller: Larry R. Cloutier
Date: 02/25/22

111 Woodsley Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $850,000
Buyer: Marc D. Haber
Seller: Joanna H. Rosenthal
Date: 03/04/22

131 Yarmouth St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $757,536
Buyer: Jim Pang
Seller: Quercus Properties LLC
Date: 02/24/22

LUDLOW

Autumn Ridge Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $149,900
Buyer: Michael F. Torcia
Seller: Whitetail Wreks LLC
Date: 02/28/22

1535 Center St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Cioccolate RT
Seller: Harry R. Cash
Date: 03/01/22

530 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $214,000
Buyer: WMass Residential LLC
Seller: HSBC Bank
Date: 02/28/22

205 Colonial Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $565,000
Buyer: Brendan J. Monahan
Seller: Richard M. Tereso
Date: 03/04/22

23 Cross St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Connor J. Jackson
Seller: Joseph A. Dacosta
Date: 03/02/22

147 Fuller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Jonathan Delgado
Seller: James C. Durand
Date: 02/25/22

Harvest Dr. Lot 33
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $124,000
Buyer: Ryan M. Machado
Seller: Jeffrey Correia
Date: 02/28/22

27 King St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Daniel J. Bastos
Seller: Joao C. Guerra
Date: 03/02/22

43 Miller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $329,900
Buyer: Haydee Hartzell
Seller: Bolek, Lisa J., (Estate)
Date: 02/24/22

162 Piney Lane
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Laura Jutte
Seller: Evgeniy L. Zhigalin
Date: 02/25/22

63 Prospect St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: John Portelada
Seller: Citizens Bank
Date: 03/04/22

109-113 Sewall St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $122,500
Buyer: William H. Kemple
Seller: Beverly C. Tokarz
Date: 02/25/22

16 Warren St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $233,000
Buyer: Max McCabe
Seller: Nuno Guerra
Date: 02/24/22

MONSON

77 May Hill Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $271,722
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Joseph L. Begin
Date: 03/02/22

200 Wilbraham Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $266,000
Buyer: Kristen Adams
Seller: Lisa M. Persson
Date: 02/22/22

PALMER

196 Breckenridge St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $232,500
Buyer: Joseph S. Grimshaw
Seller: Jared Harrison-Gouvin
Date: 03/02/22

1039-1041 Central St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Northeast Capital LLC
Seller: Joseph S. Grimshaw
Date: 02/28/22

2041-2043 High St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Alycar Investments LLC
Seller: Xing G. Wang
Date: 02/22/22

2250 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $147,682
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Michael G. Posusky
Date: 02/25/22

3020 Pine St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Daniel Foster
Seller: Martha E. Whelan
Date: 02/24/22

51 Squier St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $312,500
Buyer: Samuel Cobb
Seller: Jay W. Heinicke
Date: 02/24/22

SOUTHWICK

60 Grandview Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: John Walts
Seller: Gary S. Chlastawa
Date: 03/03/22

161 Honey Pot Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Ariel Bernstein
Seller: Jennifer D. Metzler
Date: 03/01/22

13 Hunters Ridge Circle
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Anthony S. Costa
Seller: Eric A. Ellison
Date: 02/25/22

12 Jered Lane
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Kenneth Bernier
Seller: Frank A. Buoniconti
Date: 02/28/22

71 Kline Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: 71 Kline Road Land Trust
Seller: Steve Howes
Date: 02/28/22

7 Lozier Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Daniel G. Fanion
Seller: Leo J. Stasky
Date: 03/04/22

57 Orchard St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $353,350
Buyer: Lawrence E. Smolarz
Seller: Patricia Seymour
Date: 03/02/22

5 Pondview Lane
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $535,000
Buyer: Mike McCuin
Seller: Wilmington Savings
Date: 02/23/22

13 Silvergrass Lane
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $557,000
Buyer: Matthew Musiak
Seller: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Date: 02/28/22

3 Stagecoach Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $697,700
Buyer: Sandy Liu
Seller: Richard F. Dittrich
Date: 02/22/22

20 West Glen Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $336,000
Buyer: Edna Santos
Seller: Curtin, Shelley, (Estate)
Date: 03/01/22

SPRINGFIELD

32 Ambrose St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Luis A. Figueroa
Seller: Earl R. St.Pierre
Date: 02/28/22

23 Beaumont Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $311,000
Buyer: Ashley M. Colon-Flores
Seller: Samuel Taveras-Guzman
Date: 02/28/22

57 Bevier St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $183,000
Buyer: Gabriel Acosta
Seller: Candida R. Arroyo
Date: 03/04/22

226 Boston Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Juan M. Kim-Rojas
Seller: Wilcox, Delmar C., (Estate)
Date: 03/01/22

62 Brittany Road
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $123,139
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Roseann Peabody
Date: 02/22/22

47 Brookline Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $215,500
Buyer: Alizaya Daysha-Clark
Seller: Michael Simmonds
Date: 02/28/22

22 Cedar St.
Springfield, MA 01056
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Marta Torres
Seller: BRVS LLC
Date: 02/22/22

371 Central St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $402,000
Buyer: Round 2 LLC
Seller: Central Commons LLC
Date: 02/24/22

233-235 Centre St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: New Man Ventures LLC
Seller: Gretha Whitman
Date: 02/23/22

126 Clement St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: Walter Champagne
Date: 03/04/22

40 Covington St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Aida L. Ruiz-Batiste
Seller: Ja S. Williams
Date: 03/02/22

30 Craig St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Sandra I. Moreira-Rosario
Seller: JCG Investments LLC
Date: 03/04/22

192-194 Dickinson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Ramona N. Arias
Seller: Yellowbrick Property LLC
Date: 03/03/22

20 East Hill Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Kimberly Sanchez
Seller: Mack Hopper
Date: 02/25/22

271-273 Eastern Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: BRVS LLC
Seller: Hedge Hog Industries Corp.
Date: 02/28/22

281-283 Eastern Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: BRVS LLC
Seller: Hedge Hog Industries Corp.
Date: 02/28/22

58 Eckington St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Jason M. Taylor
Seller: Bernice Thomas
Date: 02/28/22

245 Edendale St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Yomayra Viera
Seller: Sinely Vegerano
Date: 03/02/22

98 Elijah St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Fred Pafumi
Seller: Judy A. Knapik
Date: 03/01/22

29 Elliot St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $580,000
Buyer: Elisabeth A. Royal House
Seller: Thomas F. Schoepfer
Date: 03/01/22

82-84 Enfield St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $332,000
Buyer: Vinicius Stein
Seller: 4bs Investments LLC
Date: 02/22/22

160 Euclid Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $193,000
Buyer: Lela Magongo
Seller: Jason M. Taylor
Date: 02/28/22

97-99 Fernwold St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Daniele Manzi
Seller: Anne M. Popowski
Date: 02/28/22

10 Fairfield St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $272,000
Buyer: Elsida Figueroa
Seller: Paul R. Kingston
Date: 03/03/22

180 Forest Hills Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Jonathan Tirsch
Seller: Lisa M. Liebla
Date: 03/04/22

301 Gillette Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Julia Devine
Seller: Kara Sotolotto
Date: 02/28/22

20 Glendell Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Ahmed A. Aljanabi
Seller: Steven W. Boucher
Date: 02/28/22

15 Gold St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Juan Barrios
Seller: Falah Sabih
Date: 02/24/22

68 Grand St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Lamin Omoro-Norville
Seller: Angel G. Aviles
Date: 03/02/22

89 Guion St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $2,495,370
Buyer: Casella Major Account
Seller: Guion Street Realty Corp.
Date: 03/04/22

99 Guion St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $4,504,630
Buyer: Casella Major Account
Seller: 99 Guion Street Assoc. LLC
Date: 03/04/22

281 Hartwick St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: David Moriarty
Seller: Malacria, Maria, (Estate)
Date: 02/28/22

518 King St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Julio A. Ortega
Seller: Michael H. Bensche
Date: 02/22/22

19 Knollwood St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Andrea Mastrofillippo
Seller: Jose J. Torres
Date: 02/28/22

12 Ladd St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: DFG Property Group LLC
Seller: Benjamin J. Blake
Date: 03/04/22

68 Lakevilla Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: David A. Benoit
Seller: Rollins, Douglas W., (Estate)
Date: 02/23/22

101 Lamont St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Tatyana Horne
Seller: Martin Burgos
Date: 03/03/22

11 Laurelwood Lane
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Krishna Bhujel
Seller: Narad M. Adhikari
Date: 02/24/22

74-78 Leyfred Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Alycar Investments LLC
Seller: Loriann Z. Ruiz
Date: 02/28/22

418 Liberty St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Eridania Arias
Seller: Peter Rodriguez
Date: 03/02/22

949 Liberty St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $262,500
Buyer: Sai R. Katta
Seller: Gary T. Siedlik
Date: 03/04/22

43 Lyons St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Carlos M. Pena
Seller: Tina Blackshear
Date: 02/25/22

97 Maebeth St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: David Belanger
Seller: Melissa M. Belanger
Date: 02/28/22

Manilla Ave.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Juan M. Kim-Rojas
Seller: Wilcox, Delmar C., (Estate)
Date: 03/01/22

67 Melville St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Stephanie M. Rodriguez
Seller: Wilmington Savings
Date: 02/28/22

50 Midway St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Robin Hastings
Seller: Michael Richardson-Polk
Date: 03/03/22

89 Park Road
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Kathleen M. Emerson
Seller: Miguel A. Alvarado
Date: 02/25/22

21-23 Price St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Idelia Diaz
Seller: Richard G. Sorcinelli
Date: 03/04/22

24 Princess Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Mack Hopper
Seller: Paul J. McGettrick
Date: 02/28/22

123-125 Ranney St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Sulla M. Silva
Seller: CTL Realty LLC
Date: 02/28/22

42 Redden Road
Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Alexa M. Sauers
Seller: Phyllis A. Misterka
Date: 02/24/22

854 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $229,900
Buyer: Andrea Ricketts-Nelson
Seller: Betty S. Fryar
Date: 02/28/22

123 Savoy Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Johanna I. Diaz
Seller: Stacey Tazifor
Date: 02/24/22

14 Schley St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Natalie Rauh
Seller: East Coast Contracting
Date: 03/04/22

7 Searle Place
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $122,570
Buyer: Suaneth Marrero
Seller: Nhung Nguyen
Date: 03/03/22

9 Searle Place
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $122,570
Buyer: Hector I. Travieso-Diaz
Seller: Brian L. Krawiec
Date: 03/04/22

23 Standish St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Elton Anico-Ramos
Seller: Jorge I. Lopez
Date: 03/01/22

52-54 Stockman St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Ibrahim N. Khalid
Seller: Joel Antoine
Date: 02/22/22

130-132 Suffolk St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Beryelin S. Martinez
Seller: Julia Polanco
Date: 02/24/22

995 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Amarilys Rivera
Seller: Antonio C. Silvestri
Date: 03/02/22

50 Sunridge Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Bradford Thompson
Seller: Paige Belcastro
Date: 03/03/22

67 Thornton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $224,000
Buyer: Gregory K. Lockwood
Seller: Sean Fitzgerald
Date: 02/28/22

22-24 Upland St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $213,400
Buyer: Elias Maloof
Seller: Thomas O’Connor
Date: 02/28/22

32-34 Vermont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $307,500
Buyer: Rucherly M. Bonilla
Seller: Ling Yi Ju
Date: 02/22/22

45 Victoria St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Hester Tamyara-Gonzalez
Seller: Jayson A. Livingstone
Date: 03/03/22

51 Vinton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $307,000
Buyer: David Cort
Seller: Jeffrey Jean-Charles
Date: 02/25/22

98 Wachusett St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $283,000
Buyer: Luisa Henriquez
Seller: Uyen T. Le
Date: 03/01/22

129 Warrenton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: Kelsey Mcrobbie
Seller: Couture, Denis A., (Estate)
Date: 03/03/22

411 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Eridania Arias
Seller: Jeremy Rodriguez
Date: 03/02/22

55 Wilkes St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $218,500
Buyer: Joseph A. Bergdoll
Seller: Judy Bergdoll
Date: 02/23/22

23 Willard Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $267,000
Buyer: Nichele Mullen
Seller: Wealth Builders I&L LLC
Date: 02/23/22

213 Windemere St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: Raymond F. Tharin
Seller: Paula M. Murphy
Date: 02/22/22

72 Wrentham Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $171,500
Buyer: JJJ17 LLC
Seller: Rodman Capital Group LLC
Date: 03/04/22

173 Wrentham Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: Melro Associates Inc.
Seller: Leo E. Thiffault
Date: 02/24/22

TOLLAND

463 Beetle Road
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Michael J. Jacoby
Seller: Rachel M. Jacoby
Date: 02/24/22

WEST SPRINGFIELD

274 Belmont Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Stephen Keith
Seller: Vladimir V. Shandrin
Date: 02/28/22

80-86 Bridge St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $2,875,662
Buyer: 945 MS WS LLC
Seller: Creanza Realty 2 LLP
Date: 03/01/22

90 Bridge St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $2,875,662
Buyer: 945 MS WS LLC
Seller: Creanza Realty 2 LLP
Date: 03/01/22

91 Bridge St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $2,875,662
Buyer: 945 MS WS LLC
Seller: Creanza Realty 2 LLP
Date: 03/01/22

97 Bridge St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $2,875,662
Buyer: 945 MS WS LLC
Seller: Creanza Realty 2 LLP
Date: 03/01/22

53 Clyde Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: Chenevert Properties LLC
Date: 03/04/22

7 Globe St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $2,875,662
Buyer: 945 MS WS LLC
Seller: Creanza Realty 2 LLP
Date: 03/01/22

9 Globe St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $2,875,662
Buyer: 945 MS WS LLC
Seller: Creanza Realty 2 LLP
Date: 03/01/22

18-20 Globe St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $2,875,662
Buyer: 945 MS WS LLC
Seller: Creanza Realty 2 LLP
Date: 03/01/22

337 Gooseberry Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Angel Otero
Seller: Susan E. Fay
Date: 03/03/22

88 Grove St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $327,000
Buyer: Chandra B. Gurung
Seller: Kedar Khatiwada
Date: 03/04/22

119 Highland Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Francisco Joaquim
Seller: Karas, David J., (Estate)
Date: 02/28/22

640 Main St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: Shane Thompson
Seller: Dean Katica
Date: 02/28/22

947 Main St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $2,875,662
Buyer: 945 MS WS LLC
Seller: Creanza Realty 2 LLP
Date: 03/01/22

1516 Memorial Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Ulugbek Gusenov
Seller: Suzanne Bergeron
Date: 03/04/22

156 Norman St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Mark Christodlous
Seller: S&K Properties LLC
Date: 02/22/22

2119 Riverdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: 2119 Riverdale St LLC
Seller: 2119 Riverdale LLP
Date: 02/22/22

35 Woodbrook Ter.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Bjorn R. Miller
Seller: Sanjay A. Patel
Date: 02/28/22

89 Worcester St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $329,000
Buyer: Ali Almajdi
Seller: Vitaliy Polchyn
Date: 02/28/22

WESTFIELD

32-1/2 Cross St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $253,000
Buyer: Renee M. Pac
Seller: Simmons, Elizabeth B., (Estate)
Date: 02/24/22

448 Falley Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Kubra Cayan
Seller: Vasily Zhuk
Date: 02/28/22

9 Miller St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $135,930
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Betsy A. Loehn
Date: 02/22/22

812 North Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $289,000
Buyer: Colin Fitzgerald
Seller: Samuel Burgos
Date: 02/22/22

41 Prospect St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Nextliferealty LLC
Seller: Paul O. Gardner
Date: 02/23/22

153 Roosevelt Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Matthew J. Flood
Seller: Kathryn Vaillancourt
Date: 02/25/22

WILBRAHAM

25 Bennett Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $1,000,000
Buyer: Mathew Fraser-Peters
Seller: Amy Oneil
Date: 02/28/22

2589 Boston Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $615,000
Buyer: Redasi Holdings Inc.
Seller: Nathan J. Servidio
Date: 02/24/22

2597-2599 Boston Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $615,000
Buyer: Redasi Holdings Inc.
Seller: Nathan J. Servidio
Date: 02/24/22

2599 Boston Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $615,000
Buyer: Redasi Holdings Inc.
Seller: Nathan J. Servidio
Date: 02/24/22

1 Fairview Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Dylan C. Courtney
Seller: David H. Geld
Date: 02/25/22

41 Manchonis Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $321,000
Buyer: Benjamin Pieciak
Seller: Edward J. Glica
Date: 02/25/22

61 Manchonis Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $259,500
Buyer: Justin Dufault
Seller: Thomas J. Haley
Date: 03/04/22

19 Sawmill Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: John W. Figueroa-Ruiz
Seller: Tina M. Garde
Date: 02/28/22

1226 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $115,500
Buyer: AC Homebuilding LLC
Seller: Robert P. King
Date: 03/01/22

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

9 East Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $5,050,000
Buyer: 11 East Pleasant LLC
Seller: Summerlin TR
Date: 02/23/22

11-13 East Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $5,050,000
Buyer: 11 East Pleasant LLC
Seller: Summerlin TR
Date: 02/23/22

15 East Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $5,050,000
Buyer: 11 East Pleasant LLC
Seller: Summerlin TR
Date: 02/23/22

16 Foxglove Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $602,000
Buyer: Martin Z. Forsythe
Seller: Barbara N. Weinberg
Date: 02/28/22

114 Lindenridge Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $865,000
Buyer: Ali S. Moghaddam
Seller: Bercume Construction LLC
Date: 02/23/22

North Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $5,050,000
Buyer: 11 East Pleasant LLC
Seller: Summerlin TR
Date: 02/23/22

19 South Whitney St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $303,800
Buyer: Dickinson Street LLC
Seller: Richard McKeown
Date: 02/28/22

11 Surrey Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Zakiyeh Jafari
Seller: Melissa Dickson
Date: 03/03/22

BELCHERTOWN

304 Bardwell St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $447,000
Buyer: Joseph Black
Seller: Christopher R. Laurenzo
Date: 03/01/22

137 Boardman St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $297,000
Buyer: Timothy Beaulieu
Seller: Paul L. Beaulieu
Date: 02/28/22

205 Federal St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Deborah Robert
Seller: Robert F. Vining
Date: 02/28/22

Green Ave. Lot 22
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $229,900
Buyer: Joseph Stefanelli
Seller: Brooks, Ray H., (Estate)
Date: 02/24/22

Green Ave. Lot 65
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $229,900
Buyer: Joseph Stefanelli
Seller: Brooks, Ray H., (Estate)
Date: 02/24/22

55 Maple St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Polly White-Cordle
Seller: Brian A. Duprey
Date: 02/23/22

146 State St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $539,900
Buyer: 145 State Street LLC
Seller: Jet Properties LLC
Date: 03/01/22

29 Willow Lane
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Joshua Slovack
Seller: Pedro M. Monteiro
Date: 03/01/22

EASTHAMPTON

20 Pine St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Richard Beaubien
Seller: Dean T. Couture
Date: 02/22/22

GOSHEN

99 Lake Dr.
Goshen, MA 01096
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Thomas Wartenberg RET
Seller: George & Cheryl Cobb LT
Date: 03/02/22

GRANBY

7 Philip Circle
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $540,000
Buyer: Robert P. Martel
Seller: Nicholas R. Bernier
Date: 03/01/22

146 Taylor St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Brandan R. Delp
Seller: Sheehan, Eileen M., (Estate)
Date: 03/02/22

HADLEY

1 Gooseberry Lane
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $671,888
Buyer: Jennifer Harlan
Seller: Eva Wu
Date: 02/22/22

258 River Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $267,400
Buyer: Walter Ammon
Seller: Ruben L. Stern
Date: 02/25/22

115 Stockbridge Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Daniel J. Kelley
Seller: Catherine A. Kelley
Date: 02/22/22

HUNTINGTON

88 Goss Hill Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $356,000
Buyer: Christopher A. Torres
Seller: David L. Greenwood
Date: 02/25/22

221 Norwich Lake
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Aimee E. Burnham
Seller: Lynda F. Dallapegorara
Date: 02/23/22

49 Russell Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Christian T. Torres
Seller: Powers, Florence C., (Estate)
Date: 03/04/22

NORTHAMPTON

17 Barrett St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Manuel Leyton-Palacios
Seller: Gween M. Dzierzanowski
Date: 03/02/22

19 Barrett St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Manuel Leyton-Palacios
Seller: Gween M. Dzierzanowski
Date: 03/02/22

26 Finn St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $286,000
Buyer: Daisy Farm Properties LLC
Seller: Abraxas RT
Date: 02/24/22

40 Fort St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Good View LLC
Seller: Susan Kasa
Date: 02/23/22

43 Higgins Way
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $755,568
Buyer: Sally D. Popper TR
Seller: Sunwood Development Corp.
Date: 02/28/22

1 Kingsley Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Gordon Smith
Seller: Charlene Sienkiewicz
Date: 03/03/22

16 Market St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: DDM Properties LLC
Seller: Peter A. Laird
Date: 03/01/22

22 Myrtle St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Eli Dwight
Seller: Jason Bohonowicz
Date: 02/25/22

820 North King St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $309,000
Buyer: David F. Goodrow
Seller: Bob &Jackie Bartlett RET
Date: 02/28/22

SOUTH HADLEY

62 Hadley St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $441,500
Buyer: Benjamin A. Ayres
Seller: Megan Burton
Date: 02/22/22

244 Hadley St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $299,000
Buyer: Bryan J. Forbes
Seller: Scott Family Property LLC
Date: 03/03/22

68 Hadley Village Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Lisa Divalentino
Seller: Mary A. Donze
Date: 02/28/22

7 Ludlow Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Joanne D. Palheiredo
Seller: Patricia M. Vieu
Date: 02/24/22

35 Park Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $452,000
Buyer: Jason D. Valdez
Seller: Richard M. Fleming
Date: 02/28/22

87 Pearl St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Jonathan M. Colwell
Seller: Steven P. Knowles
Date: 03/04/22

22 Pheasant Run
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: James M. McCudden
Seller: Dhipati Chanda
Date: 02/28/22

5 Wright Place
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $416,000
Buyer: Nathan D. Yee
Seller: Nicholas F. Yee
Date: 02/28/22

SOUTHAMPTON

217 College Hwy.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Anna Taiping-Nahmias
Seller: Michael R. Goyette
Date: 02/25/22

41 Gilbert Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $559,900
Buyer: Michael R. Madara
Seller: Matthew J. Watkins
Date: 02/28/22

47 Pequot Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Eric Toensmeier
Seller: Shirley Anop
Date: 02/23/22

WARE

301 Beaver Lake Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: David Chapman
Seller: Laurie A. Wilkinson
Date: 02/24/22

27 Berkshire Dr.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $346,000
Buyer: Alicen Ikonen
Seller: Joshua Burton
Date: 03/03/22

3 Cherry St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: SBA Management LLC
Seller: Judith Lavalley
Date: 02/28/22

5 Cherry St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: SBA Management LLC
Seller: Judith Lavalley
Date: 02/28/22

7 Cherry St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: SBA Management LLC
Seller: Judith Lavalley
Date: 02/28/22

20-22 Dale St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Jessica F. King-Green
Seller: Eric M. Swett
Date: 03/04/22

15 Monroe St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Randy Gratton
Seller: Casey Mayberry
Date: 02/28/22

35 Pine St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $339,900
Buyer: Brendan McCann
Seller: Ronald Gresty
Date: 02/28/22

26 Smith Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: John Haffty
Seller: Robert J. Mello
Date: 03/03/22

45 Walker Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $535,000
Buyer: Mark E. Begin
Seller: David F. Wetteland
Date: 03/01/22

WILLIAMSBURG

85 Main St.
Williamsburg, MA 01039
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Jacob T. Sobol
Seller: Mario R. Paiva
Date: 02/23/22

Greater Springfield Housing Report Releases Second Study

HADLEY — The second report of a multi-phase project studying Pioneer Valley housing issues was released yesterday by the UMass Donahue Institute, Way Finders, the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, and the Metropolitan Springfield Housing Study Advisory Committee.

Phase 2 analyzed regional segregation and the important relationship between place and opportunity in area communities. The research also further examined the central role of affordable, accessible, quality housing in upward mobility and quality of life in the Greater Springfield region.

“Our analysis shows a regional housing market that is being increasingly inaccessible to people at various levels of income,” said Mark Melnik, director of Economic & Public Policy Research at the UMass Donahue Institute. “This was made worse by the pandemic and has important implications in terms of access to employment, services, and other critical amenities associated with place.”

Report highlights include:

• Affordability issues disproportionately impact the region when compared to the state. The Pioneer Valley has 10% of Massachusetts’ rental units but 15% of the state’s rent-income mismatch (when rental prices are higher than renters’ ability to afford them). Based on a calculation of income mismatch for rental housing, the region currently needs at least 17,000 more rental units at or below $500 a month. This is possible with federal and state funds flowing into the Pioneer Valley to help with recovery.

• The COVID-19 pandemic, along with being a public-health crisis that hit families and networks of frontline workers with elderly, immunocompromised, smoking, and diabetic members hardest, also dramatically worsened economic conditions for low-wage, service and marginal workers primarily through layoffs. Many of the workers who were laid off are people of color and women, who frequently bear the economic brunt of both layoffs and the markedly increased care needs of both children and ill family members.

• Housing prices were gradually rising before the pandemic, then rose dramatically (for both sales and rentals) during the pandemic due to limited housing stock and low-interest rates.

• Access to clean air, public transportation, high-scoring schools, nearby jobs, networks of people who are not in poverty, and high employer engagement (by hiring local residents) are some of the measurable critical amenities that make the specific place people live important to their chances in life. Economic and racial segregation in the Pioneer Valley could be addressed by a regional, coordinated, and intentional approach to housing production and supporting programs.

• Segregation exists both historically and in the present day in the Pioneer Valley. Housing costs, deficits, and regulations are reinforcing and continuing to perpetuate segregation across area communities. The approach of working regionally on cost and availability of housing were the primary solutions suggested to begin to change these trends.

• Rural, suburban, and urban areas face different pressing issues in housing development. Rural areas have high costs of adding infrastructure that isn’t yet present, while suburban areas often have restrictive zoning or other reasons limiting buildable lots, including neighbor resistance and being somewhat built out. Urban areas face high redevelopment costs for lots with existing structures and are sometimes more built out (fewer available lots with nothing on them). Thoughtful rural and urban development needs further political and monetary support to match demand and create possibilities where they are currently arising too slowly to cope with the natural growth and upkeep of the region.

Click here to read the full report.

“This Phase 2 study provides a richly detailed portrait of housing needs for communities large and small across our region, and a starting point for action,” said Keith Fairey, president and CEO of Way Finders and leader of the Metropolitan Springfield Housing Advisory Group. “With this data, we have a clear understanding of regional, cross-sector collaboration needed to make progress on these issues, and build a more accessible, affordable, and inclusive region for all our residents.”

Pare Corp. Opens Office in Holyoke

HOLYOKE — Pare Corp., a multi-disciplinary civil, structural, geotechnical, transportation, and environmental engineering firm, announced it is growing with the opening of its third office.

Strategically located in Holyoke to serve the greater Pioneer Valley and the central and western areas of Massachusetts and Connecticut, Pare’s office is in the Whitney Place Business Center, which provides easy access to the Mass Pike and Interstate 91, as well as accessibility to biking and local bus routes. From this location, Pare will be able to quickly respond to the many growing needs of clients and communities throughout the area.

Pare will provide a full range of engineering and consulting services from the Holyoke office. The firm is currently working on a variety of public- and private-sector projects, including the Belchertown State School Carriage Grove redevelopment, the Singing Bridge redevelopment project in Chicopee, traffic-light signalization and roadway improvements for Brightwood/Lincoln School in Springfield, and traffic-engineering design for Fort River Elementary School in Amherst. The office will also allow Pare to expand several growing practice areas, including its water and wastewater engineering, highway and bridge engineering, bike paths and recreational ballfields, and geotechnical and dam services.

Pare Vice President David Loring, who has managed and designed engineering projects in the region for more than 30 years, is the office manager for the Holyoke office. He currently serves as treasurer for the Massachusetts Tri-County Highway Superintendents’ Assoc. and is on the Western New England University College of Engineering industry advisory council.

“I have strong ties to the Pioneer Valley, so I look forward to introducing my colleagues to this picturesque region and getting them involved in the surrounding communities,” Loring said. “We are also excited to help our local clients with their planning, engineering, permitting, and construction-administration needs from our Whitney Place office.”

CEO John Shevlin, who grew up in Holyoke and maintains strong ties to the region, added that “this is one of several strategic initiatives for the firm to build internal leadership opportunities, develop our services, and expand our geographic footprint. As with our Lincoln and Foxboro offices, we will provide interdisciplinary project management from this location.”

Colebrook Announces Sale of Multiple Northampton Industrial Park Properties

NORTHAMPTON — Colebrook Realty Services Inc. announced it has brokered the sale of 168 and 178 Industrial Dr. in Northampton.

The firm announced the sale of approximately 58,443 square feet of class-A industrial/flex space in the Northampton Industrial Park, along with a 12,000-square-foot R&D building and a 2.10-acre adjoining land site. Kissell Inc. and PVC West Inc. sold the properties to GMS Realty LLP.

The properties, which represent a significant portion of the park’s available industrial space, are highly strategic assets located along Interstate 91, with the Mass Pike interchange just 15 minutes south. The properties have been fully leased to strong local manufacturing and service companies for many years.

Mitch Bolotin and Ben Bolotin of Colebrook represented the seller of the property and sourced the buyer. “This is a well-cared-for class-A office, industrial, R&D portfolio,” said Bolotin, principal and vice president of Colebrook. “The new owners will continue the legacy of good stewardship and strong occupancy at the buildings.”

Inquiries about the sale of 168 Industrial Dr. and 178 Industrial Dr. may be directed to Bolotin at [email protected] or (413) 781-0066.

Carolyn Martinez Joins Christina’s House as Program Manager

SPRINGFIELD — Shannon Mumblo, executive director of Christina’s House, announced that Carolyn Martinez has joined the organization as program manager.

In her new role, Martinez will work closely with Christina’s House human-services professionals and direct service staff to ensure that mothers and their children who were homeless or near-homeless are developing vital life skills and are steadily working through the program with the goal of transitioning to stable housing and self-sufficiency.

Martinez brings first-hand experience to Christina’s House as a graduate of the program. She has worked in community healthcare settings for the past several years and has completed certificate programs in child behavioral health and community health. She is currently a student at Cambridge College working toward a bachelor’s degree in human services.

“As a graduate of the Christina’s House program, I am excited to work alongside Shannon to share the vision of the organization and continue to bring it to its fullest potential for the women and children that Christina’s House serves today and those families we’ll serve in the future,” Martinez said.

Mumblo added that “2022 has already been such an inspirational year. We have been able to hire four of our graduates to help us meet the needs of our expanding program. Three of our graduates help with per diem needs to support the program, and Carolyn was the perfect fit for the program manager role. She not only brings her experience in successfully completing the program, but also years of management and supervisory experience. It is such a fulfilling experience to see our graduates return to help encourage other families to reach their goals.”

Now in its 10th year, Christina’s House operates two houses in Springfield that provide transitional housing and social services for homeless or near-homeless mothers and children. The program educates, embraces, and encourages families as they develop the life skills needed to become self-sufficient as they transition from homelessness to stable environments. Through the program, women and their children participate in programs that include financial counseling, job-skills development, and building healthy eating and exercise habits.

The Marketplace Opens New Great Barrington Location

GREAT BARRINGTON — The Marketplace, known for its menu of specialty foods, will celebrate the grand opening of the Marketplace Specialty Food Shop, its newest location at 265 Stockbridge Road in Great Barrington, April 1-3.

Led by chefs David Renner, Kevin Schmitz, Douglas Luf, and Christopher Brooks, the Marketplace offers a variety of choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner, including a large section of prepared foods such as entrees, sides, soups, and chili. With a fully staffed pastry department, the Marketplace offers cookies, brownies, pies, custards, and cake as well as special-day custom cakes. The specialty shop also features artisan cheese. The full menu, specialty food offerings, catering options, and cafes can be found at marketplacekitchen.com.

“We are excited to offer familiar and beloved savory and sweet items as well as prepared foods that will be new to those familiar with our offerings,” Renner said. “We’re looking forward to greeting our regular customers and meeting new ones in our newly remodeled location.”

Luf added that “food is our passion. The best food starts from scratch, which is what our 20 talented chefs prepare every day for our customers using many local ingredients. Our goal is to be the community’s everyday source for takeout food and your first thought when you need catering for your special event. We love being a part of the community and are thrilled to continue our traditions in our new location.”

The 265 Stockbridge Road location is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Alissa Fuller Joins Florence Bank as Assistant VP, Compliance and CRA Manager

FLORENCE — Florence Bank is announced that Alissa Fuller joined the bank as assistant vice president, Compliance and CRA manager. She has more than 20 years of experience in retail banking, consumer lending, and compliance.

Prior to joining Florence Bank, she was a compliance specialist at a local community bank. Her duties included ensuring that the organization’s operations complied with relevant laws, regulations, and policies.

In her new role at Florence Bank, Fuller’s primary responsibilities will include the oversight of programs to ensure compliance with all federal and state laws that govern the bank’s operations. In addition, she will play a vital role in the encouragement and development of the bank’s Community Reinvestment efforts.

“I am excited to join the Florence Bank team,” she said. “It is known for its strong culture of caring for employees and the community. The opportunity to join and contribute to such a dynamic team is an honor.”

Fuller graduated from the New England College of Business and Finance in 2016 with an associate degree in business administration with a concentration in management.

“Alissa is an incredibly valuable addition to the Florence Bank team,” President and CEO Kevin Day said. “Her expertise in compliance and community reinvestment will serve as an excellent resource for us in those critically important areas.”

CitySpace Launches Pay It Forward Program

EASTHAMPTON — CitySpace launched its application for Pay It Forward, a pilot program for artists who live in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties. The program provides free venue access to CitySpace’s Blue Room, a performance and incubator space located in Old Town Hall in Easthampton. Applicants may apply at cityspaceeasthampton.org/pif through Friday, April 1 at 11:59 p.m.

CitySpace’s introductory program, Pay it Forward, invites artists of all kinds for short-term residencies and venue access for public performances and events. In addition, artists will receive a $500 payment for a public performance or event hosted in the Blue Room. Further, recipients will have access to artist-tailored workshops, peer-learning cohorts, or one-on-one coaching to deepen their practice, build new skills and relationships, and explore new ideas.

Pay it Forward is open to all artists (musicians, performers, dancers, and multi-media, literary, and visual artists) who live in Hampden, Hampshire, or Franklin counties. Priority will be given to artists who identify as BIPOC (black, indigenous, and people of color) and economically disadvantaged artists.

The Pay It Forward pilot is made possible by funding from the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

AIC Welcomes Dr. Robert Roose to Desmond Tutu Public Health Awareness Lecture Series

SPRINGFIELD — After a two-year hiatus, American International College (AIC) will continue its annual Desmond Tutu Public Health Awareness Lecture Series on Wednesday, April 6 from 11:30 a.m. tp 12:30 p.m. with “Can You Hear Me Now? Loneliness, COVID, and Social Connectivity,” presented by Dr. Robert Roose, chief medical officer and chief administrative officer for Mercy Medical Center.

Roose has been affiliated with Trinity Health Of New England since 2013, having also held the positions of chief of Addiction Medicine and Recovery Services and vice president of Behavioral Health at Mercy Medical Center. In his current role, he has led the health system through the COVID-19 pandemic, enhanced quality and safety, and facilitated operational improvements, demonstrated by achieving three consecutive ‘A’ grades from the Leapfrog Group, an organization advocating for patient safety and quality and transparency in healthcare.

“The School of Health Sciences at AIC is fortunate to have Dr. Roose accept our invitation to speak to our students,” Dean Karen Rousseau said. “While we often hear about the long-term physical effects of the COVID pandemic, healthcare professionals will also encounter the resulting long-term emotional and mental-health needs of patients. We are fortunate to have a tremendously adept individual in the community who can speak to these issues both as a physician and public health expert.”

During his time with Trinity Health, Roose spearheaded the expansion and renovation of opioid-treatment programs, developed new partnerships with community providers, opened a clinical stabilization service, and integrated addiction care into the hospital and Emergency Department with a goal of transforming care and improving operations to enable all people to receive high-quality care.

Previously, he served as director of Quality Improvement and medical director in the Division of Substance Abuse at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, N.Y. Board-certified in family medicine and addiction medicine, he was named the 2013 Addiction Medicine Physician of the Year by the New York State Department of Health’s Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services.

While the in-person event is for AIC students in the School of Health Sciences, a Zoom link is available for members of the public-health community to attend remotely at no cost. To RSVP and receive the link, contact Kristi Gosselin at (413) 205-3565 or [email protected] by April 5.

BusinessTalk with Julie Quink, managing partner at Burkhart Pizzanelli, P.C.

Business Talk Podcast Special Coverage

We are excited to announce that BusinessWest, in partnership with Living Local, has launched a new podcast series, BusinessTalk. Each episode will feature in-depth interviews and discussions with local industry leaders, providing thoughtful perspectives on the Western Massachuetts economy and the many business ventures that keep it running during these challenging times.

Go HERE to view all episodes

Episode 106: March 28, 2022

George Interviews Julie Quink, managing partner of the West Springfield-based accounting firm Burkhart Pizzanelli, P.C.

On the next installment of BusinessTalk, BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging discussion with Julie Quink, managing partner of the West Springfield-based accounting firm Burkhart Pizzanelli, P.C. It’s tax season, so the two talk about new tax laws and what they mean to businesses and individuals, but they also discuss what has been called the ‘never-ending tax season’ and the many challenges facing accounting firms today. It’s all must listening, so join us on BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest in partnership with Living Local and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

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State Sen. John Velis to Host Donation Drive for Ukraine War Victims Today

WESTFIELD — Today, March 25, state Sen. John Velis will participate in a donation drive to support refugees and victims of the war in Ukraine at the Episcopal Church of the Atonement, 36 Court St., Westfield. From 3:30 to 5 p.m., Velis and volunteers will be collecting medical, nutritional, and hygiene products to be sent to Eastern Europe.

The donated items will later be transported to Full Gospel Church of Westfield for further delivery to organizations in Eastern Europe. Velis said he is extremely proud to coordinate with community members to offer his support to the people of Ukraine.

“It’s been devastating to see the horrific images from Ukraine over the past weeks and know what the people there are going through. While we may be far away, there is so much we can do to help as refugees flee Ukraine and the war wages on. I am proud to be part of a community that has always risen to the occasion to help those who need it most.”

Phillips Insurance Agency Promotes Chris McMasters to Vice President

CHICOPEE — Phillips Insurance Agency Inc. announced the promotion of Chris McMasters to the role of vice president. He is an accredited adviser in insurance and has been with Phillips Insurance for more than eight years. He is a graduate of Springfield College.

“Chris has developed a strong clientele within the construction, hospitality, and manufacturing industries throughout New England,” said Joseph Phillips, president of Phillips Insurance. “His strong work ethic and creativity in developing risk-management strategies has set him apart.”

Phillips Insurance Agency Inc. was just named the 2022 Reader Raves Best Insurance Agency for the seventh year in a row. Established in 1953, it is a full-service risk-management firm with a staff of 31 professionals, and is the largest independently owned agency in Western Mass.

Registration Open for Free Daytime Line-cook Training at HCC

HOLYOKE — For the first time, Holyoke Community College (HCC) will run its free, 10-week line-cook certification training course during daytime hours at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute.

The course, taught by HCC culinary arts instructor and professional chef Tracy Carter, begins Monday, March 28, but prospective students can sign up and start anytime until Monday, April 4.

The line-cook training course runs four days a week, Monday through Thursday, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. until June 2 at HCC’s culinary-arts facility on Race Street in downtown Holyoke.

The program is designed for those already in the restaurant industry who want to upgrade their skills as well as unemployed or underemployed individuals interested in starting a new career in the restaurant industry. This is the first time HCC has offered its free line-cook training program during daytime hours.

“There was a demand for it,” said Maureen McGuinness, assistant project coordinator. “Some people can’t take classes at night because they work at night in restaurants, and that’s what we’re responding to. It’s kind of exciting. In the future, we will be alternating day and nighttime programs. It’s also a perfect option for anyone who loves cooking and wants to improve their kitchen skills.”

The program is being taught both online and in person at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute. Participants will learn all the essential competencies they need to become successful line cooks: knife skills; how to prepare stocks, soups, sauces, desserts, poultry, fish, and meat; culinary math and measurements; moist/dry heat cooking methods; as well as workplace soft skills, such as building a résumé and searching for jobs.

Offered as part of HCC’s Business & Workforce Development division, the line-cook course is free to qualifying applicants. For more information or to register, call (413) 552-2500 or e-mail [email protected].

Massachusetts Cybersecurity Mentorship Program Hits New Milestones