August 2022 - BusinessWest

Nominations for Women of Impact Awards Due Sept. 16

By BusinessWest Staff August 31, 2022

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Since 2018, BusinessWest has been celebrating outstanding women from all industries through its Women of Impact award program. You certainly know some women who are actively leading and making a difference for their companies and their communities, and acting as role models and mentors for our region’s future leaders. Nominate one or more today for BusinessWest’s prestigious Women of Impact award.

Nominations for the class of 2022 are due by end of day Friday, Sept. 16. For nominating guidelines and to submit a nomination, click here. Nominees who score the highest in the eyes and minds of a panel of independent judges will be honored at a celebratory event on Thursday, Dec. 8.

Women of Impact was chosen as the name for the program because, while nominees can be from the world of business, they can also be from other realms, such as the nonprofit community, healthcare, public service, law enforcement, education, social work, the mentorship community, and many, many other areas.

The event’s presenting sponsor is Country Bank, and the partner sponsor is Comcast Business. Other sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, call (413) 781-8600.

HCC Welcomes John Sieracki as Leadership Gift Officer

By BusinessWest Staff August 31, 2022

Daily News

HOLYOKE — The office of Institutional Advancement at Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently welcomed John Sieracki as its first leadership gift officer and manager of campaign initiatives.

Sieracki joins HCC after nearly 19 years at Mass Humanities, where he started in 2003 as director of Development. In that role, he built a multi-faceted Development office from scratch that now has a thriving major donor program, a robust and engaged volunteer group, a prestigious awards dinner, and multi-platform annual appeals. He also managed a portfolio of major gift prospects resulting in five- and six-figure donations and oversaw capital campaign planning.

Prior to that, he served as director of Development for the Northern Forest Center and Baltimore Educational Scholarship Trust. His 30-year career also includes stints in development at Landmark College, New York Law School, New York Academy of Sciences, and Children of Alcoholics Foundation.

He has also been active in the Western Mass. community as a volunteer, serving as a board member and president of the Amherst Committee for a Better Chance program, and treasurer of Blues to Green, producer of the annual Springfield Jazz and Roots Festival.

“We are thrilled to have John on board,” said Amanda Sbriscia, HCC’s vice president of Institutional Advancement. “He brings a wealth of development experience and a genuine passion for connecting with folks to advance college priorities and support our students.”

In his new role, Sieracki will manage a portfolio of donors and prospects and seek new major gifts and deeper philanthropic relationships. He will also manage and support the efforts of HCC’s capital-campaign steering committee, work closely with the college’s board of trustees and HCC Foundation’s board of directors on fundraising involvement, and organize and lead other campaign-related initiatives.

Sieracki holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Delaware and a master’s degree in fine arts in creative writing and poetry from UMass Amherst, where he received the Best New Poets Award from the Department of English.

Hitchcock Center for the Environment Receives IMLS Grant for SEEDS Program

By BusinessWest Staff August 31, 2022

Daily News

AMHERST — The Hitchcock Center for the Environment in Amherst was recently awarded a $222,076 Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) FY2022 Museums for America grant for its SEEDS (Schools Exploring Engineering, Design, and Sustainability) program in partnership with Springfield Public Schools. This grant requires a 1:1 match in funding and will rely upon community support to fully fund this new initiative.

“The Hitchcock Center for the Environment’s SEEDS program is opening doors to STEM education for children in our Commonwealth, preparing them for a bright, green, net-zero future,” U.S. Sen. Ed Markey said. “These young people will inherit the responsibility of protecting our planet someday soon, and thanks to the Hitchcock Center and its supporters, they will have the curiosity, knowledge, and drive to do so.”

SEEDS is a new Hitchcock Center program that focuses on using an engineering design-challenge approach to build STEM capacity in third-grade classrooms in the Springfield school system. Project activities will include developing and implementing experiential learning in classrooms through school-based design challenges and creating professional training and mentoring support for each teacher participating in the program. The center will schedule field trips for participating classrooms to its certified Living Building, a net-zero energy facility that harvests and recycles its own water, uses composting toilets, and was constructed with responsibly sourced, non-toxic materials. The project will enhance materials and curriculum for participating schools and encourage students and teachers to explore the intersections of engineering, technology, and design and their role in addressing environmental challenges that confront society.

“The Springfield Public Schools are very happy to be able to partner with the Hitchcock Center, who will work with our teachers to get our kids excited and inspired about science and nature,” said Ronald St. Amand, director of Science for Springfield Public Schools, adding that SEEDS “will provide our students with opportunities to learn about STEM careers and to see themselves in STEM. Through the program, kids will come to understand that climate change is urgent, but that we are not powerless against it. Our students can be hopeful about and be part of climate-change solutions.”

The mission of the Hitchcock Center is to educate and to inspire action for a healthy planet. Instead of simply teaching about climate change, the Hitchcock Center is helping people develop the skills needed to create climate solutions and foster climate resilience by helping them reconnect to and learn from nature’s efficient and sustainable systems, develop a problem-solving mindset, and share a positive vision for the future.

“It is critical that younger generations feel empowered to combat climate change. The Hitchcock Center’s incredible work ensures everyone can learn about environmental and energy issues impacting our community, country, and planet,” U.S. Rep. James McGovern said. “The funding announced for their SEEDS program is well-deserved. It will go a long way in expanding learning opportunities that further students’ knowledge about STEM and its power to protect our environment. This grant is great news for the Hitchcock Center and the people of Amherst, and I look forward to seeing how they continue to equip future leaders with the skills they need to tackle the climate crisis.”

Eversource Named Among State’s Most Charitable Companies by Boston Business Journal

By BusinessWest Staff August 31, 2022

Daily News

BOSTON — For the fifth year in a row, the Boston Business Journal has named Eversource an honoree in its annual 2022 Corporate Citizenship Awards, a recognition of the region’s top corporate charitable contributors.

“Having the chance to make a positive difference in the lives of our customers is a privilege,” said Theresa Hopkins-Staten, Eversource Foundation president and vice president for Corporate Citizenship and Equity. “We have a responsibility to invest in organizations, initiatives, and services that provide broad, meaningful, and sustainable change in the communities we serve that are most at-risk, overburdened, and under-resourced. We look forward to that continued spirit of partnership as we all work together to create conditions for all of our communities to thrive.”

The Boston Business Journal annually publishes this list to showcase companies that promote and prioritize giving back to their communities, a feat that is even more important during times of turmoil and crisis, such as those collectively experienced throughout 2021.

“The past couple of years has presented companies and communities with many challenges, and the needs have continued to grow,” Market President and Publisher Carolyn Jones said. “It is with honor that we present our list of the Top Charitable Contributors in Massachusetts — companies who gave $100,000 or more to Massachusetts-based charities in 2021. Collectively, they gave $322 million in cash contributions — a true example of the business community coming together to help those in need.”

In addition to financial support, Eversource also empowers employees to volunteer and give back to local organizations by providing regular volunteer opportunities and a program to match charitable contributions by individual employees. In 2021, Eversource’s volunteer programs engaged more than 4,900 employees and their families, who volunteered more than 23,700 hours at company-sponsored events.

Canceling Loans Isn’t the Answer

By Editorial August 31, 2022

Opinion

Editorial

It’s easy to find reason behind the Biden administration’s decision to cancel up to $20,000 in federal student loan debt for tens of millions of borrowers.

Indeed, the amount of overall student debt has skyrocketed in recent years, and many individuals and families are paying off amounts of $40,000 or more — and struggling, often mightily — to do so.

Student loan debt has been cited as a reason why many young professionals are unable to buy homes and achieve the lifestyle they had envisioned when they went to college and pursued a career.

But the administration’s plan to simply cancel large swaths of this debt is not the answer to this growing problem. It is costly (we don’t even know how much this is going to cost the taxpayers), arbitrary, and, yes, inherently unfair to those who have already paid off college loans, worked two or three jobs so they wouldn’t have to take on debt, or opted not to go to college because they couldn’t afford it.

But beyond that, this plan to simply take debt off the books is a simplistic approach to a problem that you can equate, in some respects, to a backyard weed. You can cut it down, like the Biden administration is doing by erasing some of this debt, but to really address the problem, you need to get at the roots.

And this will require a solution that is far more complicated than simply forgiving $10,000 or $20,000 in college-loan debt.

The cost of a college education has skyrocketed over the past few decades, far accelerating the pace of inflation. It is these spiraling costs that need to be brought under control.

Increasingly, a college education is necessary to thrive in today’s technology-driven economy. But the cost of that education — at most all institutions, but especially private, four-year colleges and universities — is now more than most individuals and families can handle — unless they assume large amounts of debt to close the gap between the cost and what they can afford.

The challenge for the Biden administration is to tackle this problem at the roots, to somehow control and perhaps even bring down the cost of a college education so that individuals and families don’t have to take on debt. That’s a big challenge and there are no easy answers.

But that answer will be a better, more meaningful solution than waving one’s hand and simply eliminating hundreds of billions of dollars in loan payments at taxpayers’ expense.

That’s because the weed is going to grow back. v

Reflecting on the Big Picture

By Editorial August 31, 2022

Opinion

Editorial

The scaffolding has come down from the five-story wall on Worthington Street facing Stearns Square after a lengthy process of restoration and completion of a new mural undertaken by artist John Simpson.

So now, people can see what they have. And what have is much more than art, although it is certainly that.

It is bridge from the past to the present — and the future — as a well as a conversation piece and another important effort to ‘activate’ property in the City of Homes, and especially in its downtown.

We’re seeing that word ‘activate’ quite a bit lately in reference to downtown properties — everything from the old Court Square Hotel, now being renovated into apartments, to the parking lot adjacent to the soon-to-be-demolished and replaced Civic Center Parking Garage (that property will become an extension of the MassMutual Center and used for various gatherings). It’s also been used to describe restoration work at Stearns Square, Pynchon Park, the riverfront, and other landmarks.

Overall, it is used to describe efforts to take something that was once dormant, or underutilized, and bring it back to useful life.

It’s understandable that the phrase would be used in reference to buildings or parks or even vacant lots. But a wall — in this case, the east wall of the Driscoll Building, built in 1894 and on the National Register of Historic Places?

Yes, a wall.

The wall has been there for 125 years or so, and the advertisements for cameras and related equipment that adorned the wall and sold by the company, Bloom’s, which occupied the structure, have been there for nearly 70 years. But they had become faded and easy to overlook.

Now, the wall is impossible to overlook. It features those same ads, carefully restored to what they were in the 1950s, as well as other images depicting people, businesses, products, and culture that help tell the story of Springfield — everything from a Dr. Seuss book to an Indian motocycle to a depiction of Milton Bradley.

In short, the wall is no longer a wall. It’s a piece of art, but it’s more than that. It’s a window to the past and a vibrant, colorful part of the present and future of the city. It’s also an attraction. People stop, they look, they take pictures, and they marvel at what once was — and still is. You don’t often see 50-foot-high ads for camera equipment.

Even more importantly, this wall is another piece of the city that has been activated, or given a new life. With each triumph like this — and it is a triumph — Springfield takes another important step forward in its efforts to become more vibrant and more livable.

Mark Cress, John Pucci Named Lawyers of the Year

By BusinessWest Staff August 30, 2022

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Bulkley Richardson partners Mark Cress and John Pucci were named 2023 Lawyer of the Year in their respective practice areas by Best Lawyers, in partnership with U.S. News Media Group.

Cress was named the 2023 Lawyer of the Year for bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights/insolvency and reorganization law and was also recognized in 2022 as Lawyer of the Year for his work in the area of corporate law. He leads the firm’s banking, finance, and bankruptcy practice group and has significant experience representing banks and other financial institutions, for-profit and not-for-profit entities, and individual clients in connection with all forms of financing and business transactions. He also represents parties in creditor-debtor relationships and appears on behalf of creditor parties in proceedings before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

Pucci was named the 2023 Lawyer of the Year for white-collar criminal defense and has held that title for 10 of the past 13 years for his success as a litigator. He co-chairs the firm’s independent investigations practice and represents individuals and companies in complex civil and criminal litigation of all kinds in both state and federal court, as well as in responding to government investigations and in conducting corporate internal investigations. He has particular experience in the areas of white-collar criminal defense and state and federal regulatory agency matters.

Lawyer of the Year rankings are awarded to one lawyer per practice area and region. Honorees receive this award based on their high overall peer feedback within specific practice areas and metropolitan regions.

Veritas Prep High School Opens for Inaugural School Year

By BusinessWest Staff August 30, 2022

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Veritas Prep High School welcomed its inaugural ninth-grade class for their first day of school on Aug. 29. Located at 225 Carando Dr. in Springfield, the school offers the opportunity for scholars to meet essential high-school graduation requirements while earning college credits toward useful degrees. After more than a year of renovations, the school welcomed its inaugural class of 100 students.

“It has been a dream of ours for many years to continue to educate students past their middle-school years,” said Rachel Romano, founder and executive director. “We have created an innovative, wall-to-wall, early-college program that will address many barriers to higher education our students face. With the help of more than 200 Springfield community members, current and former Veritas scholars and families, and Veritas teachers, leaders, and staff, we have been able to reimagine what high school looks like.”

Veritas Prep Charter School was founded in Springfield in 2012 with the mission to prepare students in grades 5-8 to compete, achieve, and succeed in high school, college, and beyond. In 2020, Veritas Prep was approved to open a high school and began the work to open this new location. All Veritas Prep Charter School eighth-grade students were guaranteed a place in the new high school, and a lottery was held to fill the remaining spots. The high school will expand by one grade per year up through grade 12.

“Currently, only 26.4% of Springfield residents obtain a higher-education degree, compared to almost 50% statewide,” Romano noted. “We are determined to change that statistic, preparing our students for the world after graduation. With our model, students will graduate with college credits already under their belt, allowing them to enter a higher-education institution with a leg up over their peers.”

A grand-opening celebration will be held on Thursday, Sept. 1 from 5 to 7 p.m. The evening will include a short ceremony, including a dedication of the gymnasium to alumni Joshua Hurst, along with tours of the school and light refreshments. Those interested in attending can RSVP at veritasprepma.org/high-school-grand-opening-rsvp.

FIRST Fridays to Host Community Picnic on Sept. 2 on Eagle Street in North Adams

By BusinessWest Staff August 30, 2022

Daily News

NORTH ADAMS — All North Adams residents and visitors are invited to dine together on Eagle Street for the Sept. 2 FIRST Fridays Community Picnic event. Guests are encouraged to pack a picnic or order takeout from local restaurants, and sit and dine right on Eagle Street, which will be closed to car traffic during the entirety of the event, from 5 to 9 p.m.

“I’ve had a vision of all of North Adams sitting down together at one long table on Eagle Street ever since attending a similar event on the Cape several years ago,” said Anna Farrington, owner of Installation Space and FIRST Fridays organizer. “This is a popular kind of event around the world, and I’m excited to bring this style of community-building experience to North Adams.”

Beer and wine will be served by Desperado’s Mexican Restaurant on the sidewalk next to the Eagle Street parklet, galleries and businesses will be open late, and DJ DUBTC will be spinning tunes all night. Earlier in the evening, the community will welcome a new store on Eagle Street, Berkshire Adventurer’s Guild, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Mayor Jennifer Macksey.

During the Community Picnic, the city of North Adams will launch a scavenger-hunt game that will include a mixture of digital puzzles and a physical scavenger hunt throughout downtown North Adams, beginning on Sept. 2 and concluding on Oct. 2. Participants will be given symbols to follow and solve the puzzles digitally. Those who complete the scavenger-hunt puzzles will be entered into a raffle drawing for a winning prize. Information regarding the scavenger hunt will be available under the Mohawk Theater marquee.

The Sept. 2 event will also feature an appearance by Mr. Ding-A-Ling in the Mohawk Plaza and Center Street Parking Lot adjacent to Adams Community Bank and beneath the “Poppy Girls” mural. This pop-up is made possible by 1Berkshire and the NAMAzing Initiative. The first 100 customers are guaranteed free ice-cream servings from Mr. Ding-A-Ling.

“I know many of us are craving connection opportunities, and I can’t think of a more open, authentic, and equitable way to host a community picnic than on a street like Eagle Street, allowing guests to order from a variety of restaurants or to cook food themselves,” said Andrew Fitch, FIRST Fridays organizer.

This is the second FIRST Friday for which Eagle Street will be closed to car traffic. The intention of the event is to provide a positive, uplifting experience for all city residents and opportunities for local businesses to thrive. Eagle Street will be closed to car traffic on the Oct. 7 FIRST Friday as well for the Night Market event.

Baker-Polito Administration Highlights School-safety Initiatives, New Funding

By BusinessWest Staff August 30, 2022

Daily News

BOSTON — Last week, Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, joined by Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Jeff Riley, acting Commissioner of Early Education and Care Amy Kershaw, and public-safety officials, announced plans to file legislation proposing significant investments in school-safety initiatives to support programming, training, and resources for schools and districts throughout the Commonwealth.

“As children return full-time to the classroom this fall, we want parents and educators to know that our administration is always working to improve and build on all the resources available to districts to make their schools as secure as possible,” Baker said. “Our administration has and will continue to provide critical resources for students, staff, families, and first responders while making significant investments in training for first responders and school staff so they can protect Massachusetts schools.”

Baker signed a supplemental budget with $15 million for school-safety initiatives in October 2018. To date, as part of the Safe and Supportive Schools Initiative, the Baker-Polito administration has awarded $15 million in grant funding, including $7.5 million to more than 150 districts statewide to invest in security-related infrastructure upgrades and $7.5 million in grant funding to increase mental-health support and to support schools’ hiring of additional mental-health and behavioral-health specialists.

Additionally, the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security and the Department of Early and Secondary Education frequently collaborate on training and best practices for emergency and active-shooter responses in school settings. District superintendents are required each year to attest to that they have a multi-hazard evacuation plan in place and provide training to support that plan.

The Commonwealth has also adopted the Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) program, an internationally recognized model for integrated active-shooter and hostile-event response. Through cross-discipline collaboration among first responders and emergency personnel, ASHER is designed to protect communities and help them prepare for, respond to, and recover from crisis events. The ASHER framework has already been implemented in state-run police and fire training academies, and parallel training is being finalized for current state police and fire personnel.

The Baker-Polito administration will file a supplemental budget request in the coming weeks totaling nearly $40 million to support critical school-safety initiatives and equip students, staff, and emergency responders with the training necessary to respond to better respond to threats within schools.

The proposal will include matching grants for security and communications upgrades in K-12 schools and public higher-education institutes, grant funding for childcare providers to support safety measures and multi-hazard emergency planning, grant funding to help districts pilot an anonymous tipline to report potential threats, funding for a statewide “Say Something” public-awareness campaign and corresponding training, support for ongoing emergency-response training for school officials, and creation of a comprehensive school-safety website.

“These safety proposals would support a huge range of children and students, from those in childcare to those at public colleges and universities,” Education Secretary James Peyser said. “The key to these proposals is collaboration among different state agencies and different local entities. When we invest in strengthening partnerships between school districts and first responders, we help ensure that schools are safe environments focused on learning and growing.”

Opinion: Canceling Loans Isn’t the Answer

By BusinessWest Staff August 29, 2022

Daily News

It’s easy to find reason behind the Biden administration’s decision to cancel up to $20,000 in federal student-loan debt for tens of millions of borrowers.

Indeed, the amount of overall student debt has skyrocketed in recent years, and many individuals and families are paying off amounts of $40,000 or more — and struggling, often mightily — to do so.

Student-loan debt has been cited as a reason why many young professionals are unable to buy homes and achieve the lifestyle they had envisioned when they went to college and pursued a career.

But the administration’s plan to simply cancel large swaths of this debt is not the answer to this growing problem. It is costly (we don’t even know how much this is going to cost the taxpayers), arbitrary, and, yes, inherently unfair to those who have already paid off college loans, worked two or three jobs so they wouldn’t have to take on debt, or opted not to go to college because they couldn’t afford it.

But beyond that, this plan to simply take debt off the books is a simplistic approach to a problem that you can equate, in some respects, to a backyard weed. You can cut it down, like the Biden administration is doing by erasing some of this debt, but to really address the problem, you need to get at the roots.

And this will require a solution that is far more complicated than simply forgiving $10,000 or $20,000 in college-loan debt.

The cost of a college education has skyrocketed over the past few decades, far accelerating the pace of inflation. It is these spiraling costs that need to be brought under control.

Increasingly, a college education is necessary to thrive in today’s technology-driven economy. But the cost of that education — at most all institutions, but especially private, four-year colleges and universities — is now more than most individuals and families can handle, unless they assume large amounts of debt to close the gap between the cost and what they can afford.

The challenge for the Biden administration is to tackle this problem at the roots, to somehow control and perhaps even bring down the cost of a college education so that individuals and families don’t have to take on debt. That’s a big challenge, and there are no easy answers.

But that answer will be a better, more meaningful solution than waving one’s hand and simply eliminating hundreds of billions of dollars in loan payments at taxpayers’ expense.

That’s because the weed is going to grow back.

Greenfield Local Cultural Council Seeks Funding Proposals

By BusinessWest Staff August 29, 2022

Daily News

GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Local Cultural Council (GLCC) has set an Oct. 18 deadline for organizations, schools, and individuals to apply for grants that support cultural activities in the community. Proposals can be for community-oriented arts, humanities, and science programs.

Greenfield has an allocation of $19,400 this year. The grant portal (click here) will be open on Sept. 1.

According to the GLCC Chair Linda McInerney, “these grants can support a variety of artistic projects and activities in Greenfield, including exhibits, festivals, field trips, short-term artist residencies, or performances in schools, workshops, and lectures.”

Greenfield’s funding priorities are to support Greenfield-based artists, performers, and venues, although others may apply. The committee is particularly interested in proposals that include a public-art component, that enhance the local economy or add value to existing initiatives, and that reach the broadest possible audience.

The GLCC is part of a network of 329 local cultural councils serving all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. It is the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation, supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, sciences, and humanities every year. The state Legislature provides an annual appropriation to the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, which then allocates funds to each community.

For local guidelines and complete information on the GLCC, click here or contact Linda McInerney at (413) 522-1445 or [email protected].

Harvest Picnic and ‘Words to Live By’ Book Launch to Benefit Cancer Connection

By BusinessWest Staff August 29, 2022

Daily News

WHATELY — Cancer Connection will host a Harvest Picnic and book launch for Words to Live By: Poems and Images for Contemplation in a Time of Not Knowing at Quonquont Farm in Whately on Sunday, Sept. 11 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The event, which will include readings of a few selected poems from the book by local authors, is open to all. Reservations are required. Tickets cost $35 or $45 and can be purchased through EventBrite by clicking here.

Guests will enjoy a tasty twist on picnic fare catered by Rob Watson of Lone Wolf Catering. The menu features roasted orange-ginger glazed salmon with a Thai-basil drizzle, roasted chicken (and tofu) with a lemon-herb sauce, along with a variety of locally sourced vegetable salads, non-alcoholic beverages, and dessert.

Created to give thanks to Cancer Connection, Words to Live By is dedicated to the agency’s co-founders, Debra Orgera and Jackie Walker. The book was conceived in 2014 by John Bos, an op-ed columnist for the Greenfield Recorder, and created in collaboration with Pam Roberts, who has led the agency’s “Spirit of the Living Word” workshop since 2003; Keith Carver, professor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts; and James McDonald, a book designer.

The new, 130-page book features 50 poems and short prose pieces. Many of the book’s writers are well-established authors, including prize-winning writers Jane Yolen, Jane Lazarre, former U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser, Dawna Markova, Wendell Berry, Pat Schneider, Jane Kenyon, Ellen Bass, John O’Donohue, and Lucille Clifton. Others were members of the “Spirit of the Written Word” writing workshop at Cancer Connection. Each writing is accompanied by a photograph from nature by Carver, an award-winning nature photographer.

The initial printing of Words to Live By has been made possible by financial support from local donors and may be purchased at the event or directly from Cancer Connection after the book launch. The price of the book is $20.

Monson Savings Bank Donates $5,000 to Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley

By BusinessWest Staff August 29, 2022

Daily News

MONSON — Monson Savings Bank recently made a $5,000 donation to the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley, headquartered in Springfield, in support of its work in the region. The Healing Racism Institute aims to help create a better understanding of the root causes and effects of racism, while also explaining the institutional nature of racism. Its hallmark program is its two-day Healing Racism sessions, which provide a safe environment to learn about the impact of racism on our nation and community in an engaging and transformative process.

“Monson Savings Bank supports the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley and the important work that they are doing for our communities,” said Dan Moriarty, president and CEO of Monson Savings Bank. “We commend them for all of the work that they do to make the world a better place, specifically working to make the communities we live in a better place. Monson Savings is a local bank, meaning everyone who works at the bank lives here. We are working, raising our families, and living in the communities that the Healing Racism Institute serves. The organization holds a special place in our hearts because they are making the places we live a better, more equitable place.”

A contribution from Monson Savings Bank will support Healing Racism Institute’s campaign to be self-sustaining within three years by building infrastructure and building capacity. Funds will be used to hire staff, create a training center, increase the number of trained facilitators, and provide scholarship support.

“On behalf of the Healing Racism Institute, I would like to extend a sincere thank you to Monson Savings Bank for their generous donation,” said Vanessa Otero, Healing Racism executive director. “This donation will help us in our mission to help build racism-free communities.”

BusinessTalk with with Jeff Daley, president and CEO of Westmass Area Development Corp.

By BusinessWest Staff August 29, 2022

Business Talk Podcast Special Coverage

We are excited to announce that BusinessWest 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 127: August 29, 2022

George Interviews Jeff Daley, president and CEO of Westmass Area Development Corp.

BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien has a lively discussion with Jeff Daley, president and CEO of Westmass Area Development Corp. about the agency’s most ambitious, project to date, redevelopment of the massive Ludlow Mills complex. Daley recounts the latest developments and talks about how the project has turned a critical corner. It’s all must listening, so join us for BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

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Cooper’s Corner and State Street Fruit Store Change Hands

By BusinessWest Staff August 26, 2022

Company Milestones Daily News Real Estate The Business of Aging

NORTHAMPTON — Richard ‘Rich’ Cooper, whose family built and nurtured the Cooper’s Corner and State Street Fruit Store markets, announced today that he is selling the businesses to a dedicated, longtime employee who is committed to honoring the legacy.

A Florence resident, Cooper, 67, will retire this fall and sell the markets to Michael Natale, 31, a native of Florence who now lives in Easthampton. Natale has worked at State Street and Cooper’s since 2006 in various roles, steadily rising into management and most recently serving as general manager. His father, five siblings and a niece and a nephew have also worked at the popular, hometown convenience stores.

“Mike is a clone of me. He sees what I see. He knows what customer service really means, and he understands the importance of community,” said Cooper. “Mike has a great way with the employees and customers. He is enthusiastic, dedicated and has long-term commitment.”

Cooper will work part-time alongside Natale for a few months after the sale as Natale takes over full ownership.

“Mike is the ideal buyer. This choice feels right to me,” Cooper added. “It meets the obligation I feel toward employees and to the community to keep the stores locally owned and locally committed, the way we’ve been from day one. I didn’t want to sell to a chain or the highest bidder or someone from outside the community.”

Between the two stores, there are 104 employees, most of whom live locally and work part time; roughly 40 work full time.

The Big E Announces New Food Options for 2022

By BusinessWest Staff August 26, 2022

Daily News Events Luxury Living Restaurants Sports & Leisure STUFF Made in Western Mass Tourism & Hospitality Travel and Tourism Work/Life Balance

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Big E announced Thursday that its food lineup for 2022 includes a number of new offering, including flame-grilled vegan options, sweet apple fries, bubble tea, noodle bowls, brunch options and more.

The line-up of new options includes:

New Locations

SoulFully, on New England Avenue: 100% vegan, flame grilled burgers, grilled hot dogs, loaded fries, and milkshakes;

Cha Feo, Young Building: various milk teas, boba teas and Thai teas;

Riceballs Arancini, East Road: beef, veggie, big mac, Philly, Italiano riceballs, Arancini;

Ferrindino Maple Farm, Better Living Center: maple cotton candy and maple cream;

Bakery on Brewer, New England Ave.: apple, apple bacon, blueberry and pumpkin fritters;

Sassys Sweet Potatoes, East Road: roasted root veggies, sweet potato tacos, sweet potato bread, sweet potato pie and Southwest sweet potatoes;

The Happy Dough Co., West Road: apple fries and apple fry sundaes;

Villa of Lebanon, Young Building: baba ganoush, baklava, kofta kabobs, falafel, hummus, kataif, kunapa, meat pies, spinach pie and tabouli

BoardWok Noodles, The Front Porch (Inside Gate 5): yakisoba noodles and rice bowls

The Place 2 Be, The Front Porch: breakfast all day: mini fruity pebble/berries and cream pancakes, Mini Nutella and coconut pancakes and milkshakes topped with waffles and pancakes;

Las Kangris Food Truck, Young Building: yellow rice with pigeon peas, baked pork, baked chicken, green bananas “al mojo,” and seafood salad;

Kulfi Ice Cream Taste of Persia, Food Court: Kulfi, a traditional Indian ice cream;

Frankie’s Famous Italian Frozen Lemonade, Young Building: Springfield’s iconic lemon Italian ice;

Chick-Fil-A, Springfield Road: chicken sandwiches, wraps and more

The West Side Grille Cider Garden, sponsored by Downeast Cider – Outside the Young Building: a selection of Downeast craft ciders Original Blend and Cider Donut in cans and on draft brewed in Boston; and

Ann Maries Candies, West Road: old fashioned candies, fudge and nuts.

Oldies with New Offerings

The Big E Bakery: For 2022, it introduces an exciting new flavor cream puff, chocolate;

Harpoon Beer Hall, located on New England Avenue will be debuting a completely revamped menu of pretzels including the Oh that’s Sweet pretzel coated in cinnamon sugar crust served with warm caramel dipping sauce;

Chompers on New England Avenue will feature a new chicken pot pie chomper, crunchy balls with chicken, potatoes, veggies, mozzarella and cheddar cheese with a roasted chicken gravy dipping sauce.

Visit TheBigE.com to see a complete list of new food offerings.

MOSSO Brass Quintet to Perform Free Concert on Sept. 4

By BusinessWest Staff August 26, 2022

Daily News Events Sports & Leisure Tourism & Hospitality Travel and Tourism

SPRINGFIELD — MOSSO Brass Quintet will perform a free concert on September 4, at 3 p.m. at the historic White Church in Blandford. The performance is sponsored by the Recording Industry’s Music Performance Trust Fund.

The MOSSO Brass Quintet features Gerald Serfass and John Charles Thomas on trumpet, Lauren Winter on horn, Scott Cranston on trombone, and Stephen Perry on tuba. According to Perry, the program, which will be announced from the stage, will include classics by Bach, Brahms and Copland; pops and jazz by Ellington, Strayhorn and Lennon/McCartney. Perry added that the program is family-friendly and will last approximately 75 minutes.

MOSSO, which recently named Maestro Kevin Rhodes as its artistic advisor, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and is not a subsidiary of nor affiliated with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra Inc. MOSSO has presented four orchestral concerts at Springfield Symphony Hall, a series of chamber ensemble concerts in Springfield, Longmeadow and at the Westfield Athenaeum, and participated in the Springfield Jazz and Roots Festival.

Enterprise Awards More Than $14,000 to Square One 

By BusinessWest Staff August 26, 2022

Back to School Daily News Education Health Care

SPRINGFIELD — For the second consecutive year, The Enterprise Holdings Foundation has awarded funding to support Square One’s Campaign for Healthy Kids. This year’s gift totaled more than $14,000.

The contribution is made possible through Enterprise Holdings Foundation’s FY22 ROAD (Respect Opportunity Achievement Diversity) Forward program. This is an employee-driven initiative focusing on the improvement of social and racial equity in communities they serve.

In presenting the donation, Shawn Fleming, group Human Resources manager, said, “we are so proud to continue to support Square One in its commitment to providing opportunities for children and families in greater Springfield, for a second year. Advancing diversity, equity and inclusion is a company-wide priority for Enterprise Holdings, and we’re committed to strengthening our community with the help of outstanding organizations like Square One.”

“We were beyond excited to learn that Enterprise selected Square One to receive this very generous gift, again this year” said Kristine Allard, vice president of Development & Communication for Square One. “Our success in serving the children and families in our region is dependent upon the generosity of business and individuals who recognize the need to support our important work. We are so grateful to the Enterprise Holdings Foundation for this amazing gift.”

Last summer, Enterprise Holdings launched its inaugural local ROAD Forward grants to nearly 700 nonprofits addressing social and racial equity gaps facing youth and families in local communities.

The Campaign for Healthy Kids is a multi-year fund development initiative focused on Square One’s commitment to providing healthy meals, physical fitness, social-emotional wellbeing, and a healthy learning environment. All funds raised will directly support the children and families who rely on Square One to help meet their early learning and family support service needs. The campaign includes numerous opportunities for businesses and individuals to become involved as donors and partners.

Square One currently provides early learning services to more than 500 infants, toddlers and school-age children each day; and family support services to 1,500 families each year, as they work to overcome the significant challenges in their lives.

Timothy Murphy Named Among Best Lawyers in America

By BusinessWest Staff August 25, 2022

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., a labor and employment law firm serving employers in the Greater Springfield and Worcester areas, announced that one of its partners, Timothy Murphy, has been recognized by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America for 2023. He is listed in three fields: employment law: management, labor law: management, and litigation: labor and employment.

Focusing his practice on labor relations, union avoidance, collective bargaining and arbitration, employment litigation, and employment counseling, Murphy has been included in Best Lawyers in America every year since 2013, and was Lawyer of the Year in 2015, 2018, 2020, and 2022.

Murphy is very active within the local community, sitting on boards of directors for several area organizations, such as the Human Service Forum and Community Legal Aid. He also is a member of the World Affairs Council.

Angela Parker Joins Flying Cloud Institute

By BusinessWest Staff August 25, 2022

Daily News

GREAT BARRINGTON — Flying Cloud Institute (FCI) has hired Angela Parker as a science and art educator. In this role, she will lead the summer program, vacation camps, classroom residencies, and family STEAM challenge events, and work with the FCI team to inspire the next generation of artists and engineers.

She brings multifaceted K-12 educational experiences to the organization as it continues to partner with local school districts to bring meaningful experiences to students.

“I believe that young people benefit from exploring the world through hands-on, interdisciplinary learning that sparks their curiosity,” Parker said. “I am inspired by Flying Cloud Institute’s commitment to STEAM programming that gives all students the opportunity to imagine themselves as scientists, innovators, and artists, and I want to use my program management and teaching skills to support this vital work.”

Parker’s past experience includes initiating a multi-site STEAM museum program for the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in collaboration with the Connecticut Science Center. She also launched a tour titled “STEAM: Sketch Like a Scientist!” that drew connections between the skills used by artists and scientists.

While at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond, Va., she worked with teaching artists to plan school tours that incorporated studio art activities, ranging from bookmaking to ceramics. As a classroom teacher at St. Ignatius Loyola Academy, she created interdisciplinary learning experiences for K-12 students, and at Capital and Asnuntuck community colleges, she trained and supported adult students.

State Rep. Joseph Wagner Earns Workforce-development Lifetime Achievement Award

By BusinessWest Staff August 25, 2022

Daily News

BOSTON — State Rep. Joseph Wagner has been recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the statewide Workforce Solutions Group (WSG), the first-ever recognition by the group.

Wagner will be awarded this distinction at the 13th annual Jobs & Workforce Summit, hosted by WSG, on Tuesday, Oct. 25 at the Devens Conference Center in Devens. Learn more about the summit at www.workforcesolutionsgrp.org/summit22.

In a letter announcing the honor and signed by 10 statewide leaders in workforce development, the group cited Wagner’s central role in supporting and advancing the statewide workforce-development infrastructure.

“From the creation of the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund and its initial funding to saving that funding during the Great Recession, to growing that funding to unprecedented levels in our post-pandemic times when it is needed more than ever, the WSG is keenly aware of how instrumental you have been as a leader on these issues,” the letter stated.

“Key programs such as Learn to Earn, School-to-Career, STEM, ESL/ESOL/ELL, YouthWorks, AVTE, and key agencies such as the one-stop career centers and now MassHire system are all in positions of strength because you prioritized their funding budget cycle after budget cycle, and economic-development bill after economic-development bill,” it continued. “This focus made a huge difference in the trajectory of workforce-development programs and funding, the impacts of which will be experienced for generations. As chair, you helped ensure that workforce development went hand in hand with economic development and helped to establish, fund, and then increase funding for critical workforce.”

Headquartered in Boston, the Workforce Solutions Group is a statewide advocacy coalition that plays a role in setting the state’s agenda for skills training and workforce development.

Freedom Credit Union Announces Free Fall Community Shred Days

By BusinessWest Staff August 25, 2022

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Freedom Credit Union is again offering the opportunity for Western Mass. residents to securely purge unwanted paperwork. In cooperation with PROSHRED Springfield, Freedom is offering free Community Shred Days on two Saturdays, Sept. 10 and Oct. 15, at its Ludlow, Chicopee, Northampton, and Greenfield branches.

On Sept. 10, shredding will take place from 9 to 10 a.m. at 645 Center St., Ludlow, and from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at 1976 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. On Oct. 15, shredding will take place from 9 to 10 a.m. at 226 King St., Northampton, and from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at 74 Main St., Greenfield.

The public is invited to bring old bills, bank statements, tax returns, and other sensitive documents for quick, secure on-site shredding. Credit union members and non-members alike may bring up to five file boxes or paper bags per vehicle to the events. There is no charge for this service.

Holyoke Community College President Christina Royal to Retire in 2023

By BusinessWest Staff August 24, 2022

Daily News

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) President Christina Royal will retire from the college after the 2022-23 academic year, she announced today. Her last day will be July 14, 2023.

“It has been one of the greatest honors and privileges of my life to serve as the fourth president of this great institution,” she said in a message to the HCC community, “and now is the time to prepare for the next chapter of my life.”

Royal, 50, said she is not leaving HCC for another job and has no specific plans.

“One of the greatest responsibilities of any leader is to know when and why to lead an institution and also when and why it is time to leave it,” she said. “I have spent a considerable amount of time reflecting about this life change, and my ‘why’ is simple and straightforward: I am seeking expansion and personal growth in the form of new learnings and experiences and an opportunity to pause and enjoy the present moments.”

Royal started at HCC in January 2017. She is the fourth president in the 75-year history of HCC and not only the first woman to hold the position, but the first openly gay and first bi-racial person to serve HCC as president.

“President Royal’s understanding of higher education and the management of higher education has been invaluable to the board and to me personally,” said Robert Gilbert, chair of the HCC board of trustees. “She has always known what needed to be done to take HCC to the next level, and she involved everyone in the process of moving the college forward.”

Presidential search plans will begin immediately, he added.

“President Royal has laid a strong foundation with her cabinet that will, I have no doubt, successfully carry out the daily activities of the college over this year and beyond. The work to advance HCC’s mission, vision, and strategic priorities will indeed continue. Without question, higher education as a sector is in for a lot of change as we look to the future, but Dr. Royal has prepared our institution well and has set HCC up for success far beyond her tenure.”

Before coming to HCC, Royal served as provost and vice president of Academic Affairs at Inver Hills Community College in Inver Grove Heights, Minn. Prior to that, she was associate vice president for E-learning and Innovation at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland and director of technology-assisted learning for the School of Graduate and Continuing Education at Marist College. She holds a PhD in education from Capella University and a master’s degree in educational psychology and a bachelor’s degree in math from Marist.

In her announcement, Royal cited some of the milestones of her tenure: working collaboratively to develop HCC’s first strategic plan, advancing equity across the institution, and investing in programs to support students’ basic needs, such as creating the President’s Student Emergency Fund (to provide grants to student facing immediate financial needs), opening Homestead Market (the first campus store in Massachusetts to accept SNAP benefits), partnering with Holyoke Housing Authority (to help students find affordable housing), and launching the Itsy Bitsy Child Watch Program (to provide HCC student-parents access to free, short-term care for their children).

Other highlights include opening the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute on Race Street; reopening the HCC Campus Center after a two-year, $43.5 million renovation; establishing El Centro, a bilingual center dedicated to the needs of Latinx students; weathering a global pandemic; and celebrating HCC’s 75th anniversary as the oldest two-year college in Massachusetts.

“Change, in its many forms, can feel difficult,” she said. “Yet, in times of change — from our founding and in recent years — HCC has been a beacon of light, hope, and opportunity for this community. This is what matters, and it is what I am certain will continue for years to come.”

Registration Underway for Cryptocurrency Workshop on Sept. 20

By BusinessWest Staff August 24, 2022

Daily News

PITTSFIELD — If the recent gyrations of cryptocurrency have you perplexed, then get a balanced take of the current landscape at the Dulye Leadership Experience (DLE) ownership workshop, “Demystifying Cryptocurrency,” on Tuesday, Sept. 20.

Registration is underway for a one-hour, virtual conversation with nationally recognized experts Paul Farella and Alexandra Renders of Berkshire-based Willow Investments. The program begins at 5 p.m. Click here to reserve your virtual seat.

Farella and Renders will answer questions and offer insights on where they see digital currency heading. Attendees will grow what you know about what blockchains are and how they work, the impact this technology can have on business and society, and the opportunity and risks inherent in this space.

Willow Investment is a certified B-Corp and designated Woman Based Enterprise investment firm, one of the few woman-run firms with this distinction. Renders’s experience spans 36 years in the financial industry. She founded Willow in 2009 and serves as CEO of the Pittsfield firm. Previously, she served as first vice president of Investments and a senior leader at Berkshire Bank. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Connecticut.

As the managing director at Willow Investments, Farella leads the firm’s cryptocurrency and digital assets division through Willow Crypto. He holds an MBA with a focus on sustainability from Antioch University New England. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and finance from the Barney School of Business at the University of Hartford.

Since 2008, the Berkshire-based Dulye Leadership Experience has invested in the professional development of thousands of rising leaders worldwide. Critical skills and connections for career success are grown through year-round training, subsidized by DLE founder and entrepreneur Linda Dulye. DLE’s diverse, global network of ambitious professionals learn from and inspire each other to find their passions and maximize their impact in their respective communities.

Shakespeare & Company Announces Fall Slate of Workshops and Intensives

By BusinessWest Staff August 24, 2022

Daily News

LENOX — Following two years of reduced programming, Shakespeare & Company’s Center for Actor Training announced a full schedule of workshops and intensives for the fall of 2022, including both in-person and online offerings.

Beginning Friday, Sept. 2, the Center for Actor Training will offer several different workshops and intensives throughout the autumn months, designed for theater professionals from around the world. In-person sessions will be held at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox and at various locations in New York City, Raleigh, N.C., and San Jose, Calif. A selection of online workshops is also planned.

Director of Training Sheila Bandyopadhyay said the Center for Actor Training is currently poised to enter “an exciting and innovative era,” building on its suite of time-tested programming, while expanding access to a greater number of theater professionals.

“As artists look at the offerings this fall, they will notice several specialized workshops that center on identity, ancestry, and empowerment,” she explained. “And while I am acutely aware of the challenges the last few years have presented to all of us, and specifically our community of actors, I see this as an opportunity to refocus, deepen, and create.”

The Center for Actor Training’s fall 2022 in-person workshops include “Women of Will: Following the Feminine in Shakespeare’s Plays,” Sept. 2-4 in Lenox; “Voice & Movement: Language in Action on the Stage,” Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 in Lenox; and “Clowning for Actors,” Nov. 11-13 in New York City.

Fall 2022 online workshops will be held via Zoom, and include “Shaking Free Our Inner Ancestral Tree: Working with Shakespeare’s Text,” Sept. 12 and 19; “Linklater Voice and the Power of Imagery,” Oct. 3, 10, 17, and 24; and “Movement: Presence, Power and Freedom,” November 2, 9, 16, and 30.

Fall 2022 weekend intensives will be held in San Jose, Raleigh, Lenox, and New York City. Designed to meet the needs of professional actors and theater students who seek an introduction to Shakespeare & Company’s training methods, as well as alumni who wish to refresh and reconnect with the work, the weekend intensive program integrates voice, movement, and monologue work. The 2022 sessions take place Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 in San Jose, Oct. 21-23 in Lenox, Nov. 11-13 in Raleigh, and Dec. 2-4 in New York City.

For more information about Shakespeare & Company’s Center for Actor Training and its upcoming sessions, visit www.shakespeare.org/actor-training or call (413) 637-1199, ext. 114.

Rotary Fair Returns to Amherst Common This Weekend

By BusinessWest Staff August 24, 2022

Daily News

AMHERST — Amherst Rotary Club announced it will host the annual Amherst Rotary Town Fair on the Amherst Town Common from Aug. 26 to Aug. 28. The hours are Friday, 3-10 p.m.; Saturday, 1-10 p.m.; and Sunday, 1-6 p.m. There will be carnival rides for thrill seekers of all ages coupled with many other carnival activities.

Assorted carnival foods will be available for purchase. The Amherst Rotary Club will have a tent set up for everyone to get out of the sun and dine. It will also offer assorted beverages (water, soda, and Gatorade) for sale. Attendees can stop by the Rotary tent to learn more about Rotary and the impact it makes locally and internationally.

The Amherst Rotary Town Fair is a major fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Amherst, which meets the first and third Thursday of each month at noon at 30Boltwood in Amherst. Proceeds from the fair go to funding scholarships, assisting many local nonprofits in the community through grants both large and small, and a variety of other good works the Amherst Rotary Club has been known for since 1926.

Greenfield Savings Bank Announces Six Appointments, Promotions

By BusinessWest Staff August 23, 2022

Daily News

GREENFIELD — Greenfield Savings Bank (GSB) recently announced six employee appointments and promotions.

Jocelyn Alvord was promoted to manager at the Shelburne Falls branch office. She will be responsible for overseeing the operations of the branch. She has been with GSB since 2015, starting as a teller and then quickly moving up to super banker in the new GSB office in Hadley. She was promoted to assistant manager in the Hadley branch before moving back to Shelburne Falls, where she has been serving as assistant branch manager.

Alvord actively participates in civic and charitable events such as Moonlight Magic and the Bridge of Flowers Road Races in Shelburne Falls and Monte’s March for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. She has volunteered at the Shelburne Falls Visitor Center and helped coordinate the Giving Tree Program with the Mary Lyons Foundation to provide holiday gifts to local educators.

She is a graduate of Leadership Pioneer Valley (LEAP), an intensive program where she learned how to provide community engagement and support for emerging leaders in the Pioneer Valley. She worked in the LEAP program with a team of young professionals to bring attention and additional sales to BIPOC- and women-owned local businesses. In addition, she attended CFT Manager Boot Camp and completed CFT classes (focusing on the principles of banking, consumer lending, human relations, and customer excellence). She holds the Massachusetts Bankers Assoc. branch-management certification.

Sherie Lewis has been named vice president and Operations officer. In her new role, she oversees the Deposit and Loan Operations teams including deposit processing, operations administration and quality control, digital, and loan operations. She is leading a variety of projects to enhance the bank’s use of technology, improve automation, and increase efficiency. In addition, she works closely with other departments of the bank to ensure seamless operation and regulatory compliance. She joined GSB with more than 20 years of banking experience.

A 2018 graduate of New England School for Financial Studies, Lewis is now currently enrolled at the American Bankers Assoc. Stonier Graduate School of Banking, which provides graduates with both a Stonier diploma and a Wharton leadership certificate.

Lisa McKenna has been promoted to assistant vice president and Conway branch manager. She has worked at GSB for more than 30 years, starting as a teller in 1988 at the main office in Greenfield. She then worked in GSB’s Customer Service department and was previously manager of Greenfield and South Deerfield. She was most recently assistant vice president and the branch manager for South Deerfield and Conway before shifting exclusively to Conway’s branch manager.

McKenna is very active in the local community, volunteering for the Franklin County chapter of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, the Greenfield Kiwanis Club, and the South Deerfield Women’s Club. After graduating from Greenfield High School, she joined the U.S. Marine Corps, serving two years of active duty followed by six additional years in the Marine Corps Reserve.

Josh Mozeleski has been named investment officer and Infinex investment executive. In his role as Infinex investment executive, he will be able to offer access to insurance and investment products through Infinex Investments. He joins GSB as a securities registered investment executive with more than nine years in the banking industry. He obtained a Massachusetts individual producer license as well as both the FINRA Series 6 and Series 63 registrations, plus a Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry license. He is also a Massachusetts notary public.

Mozeleski earned his bachelor’s degree from American International College and an associate degree from Springfield Technical Community College. An active volunteer in the community, he has previously helped organize a food drive at Open Pantry Community Services in Springfield. Most recently, he helped run his local Toys for Tots program.

Vyeluv “Mpress” Nembhard joined Greenfield Savings Bank (GSB) in May as a CRA analyst and Community Outreach officer. She assists the vice president of Compliance/CRA officer in creating and updating financial aid outreach presentations to a wide range of community partners, businesses, schools, and customers, focusing on low- to moderate-income applicants and minority/women-owned businesses.

Nembhard is active in the local community, including being a commissioner of Greenfield’s Human Rights Commission, a member of the Greenfield Cultural Council, and CEO of her nonprofit, UACSAM. She also produces the “Moving Mountains Media” program on Greenfield Community Television. She most recently organized Greenfield’s first annual Juneteenth cultural and youth event celebration. She is taking business courses at Greenfield Community College with a goal of obtaining her bachelor’s degree in business/entrepreneurship at UMass Amherst.

Finally, Kimberly Zabek has been promoted to Greenfield Savings Bank’s South Deerfield branch manager and officer. In that role, she oversees the branch’s daily responsibilities, focusing on local business development. She continues to help build relationships with bank customers and assist with their day-to-day banking. She has been in banking for more than 25 years and with Greenfield Savings Bank for more than 10 years, most recently serving as the assistant branch manager in Hadley.

In addition to her managerial role, Zabek has been featured in many of the bank’s advertisements, including voicing certain radio spots, in GSB Teller Connect/ATMs and e-statement promotional videos, and on the Teller Connect/ATM welcome screens. Recently, she voiced animated videos for a GSB career fair. She also represents the bank at community events around the Pioneer Valley, such as the Northampton and Greenfield Pride events, the Hot Chocolate Run in Northampton, and Moonlight Magic in Shelburne Falls.

Springfield Symphony Orchestra Announces Symphony Chorus Auditions

By BusinessWest Staff August 23, 2022

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Symphony Chorus will hold auditions for new members on three September dates at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Holyoke. The chorus collaborates and performs with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra each concert season. This season, the chorus will perform a Holiday Pops performance with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) in Symphony Hall on Saturday, Dec. 3, along with a recital at St. Peter’s Church in May 2023.

The chorus auditions with Director Nikki Stoia will be held on the following three dates at St. Peter’s, 34 Jarvis Ave., Holyoke: Tuesday, Sept. 6, 7-9 p.m.; Tuesday, Sept. 13, 7-9 p.m.; and Tuesday, Sept. 20, 8:15-9:30 p.m.

Interested singers are asked to email their name, phone number, and email address to chorus President Claire Folini at [email protected]. In addition to the Holiday Pops concert on Dec. 3, the recital at St. Peter’s Church will take place on Saturday, May 20, 2023. Those auditioning will be asked to make sure the concert and rehearsal schedule will work for them.

Those auditioning are asked to bring a short piece to perform, preferably in Latin, Spanish, Italian, German, French, or Hebrew. English solo pieces are permitted, but pieces in the suggested foreign languages are preferred. They are also asked to bring a legible piano part for Stoia, who will provide accompaniment.

The Springfield Symphony Chorus is an unpaid professional group of singers from throughout the Greater Connecticut River Valley. The chorus performs at Springfield Symphony Hall with the SSO and also performs concerts on its own with its accompanist, chamber orchestras, and other artists. Auditions for the Springfield Symphony Chorus are typically held in September and January.

Molly Gray to Step Down as President of Baystate Health Eastern Region on Oct. 9

By BusinessWest Staff August 23, 2022

Daily News

PALMER — Molly Gray, president and chief administrative officer of the Baystate Health Eastern Region, has announced her retirement, effective Oct. 9.

“Throughout her 30-plus years with Baystate Health, Gray has been a highly regarded and respected member of the senior leadership team. She has shown unwavering commitment to our mission of improving the health of the people in our communities every day with quality and compassion. Her contributions have made an incredible difference for our work team and our community,” said Marion McGowan, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Baystate Health.

Gray has served Baystate Health and the community for 34 years. She has held seven roles with progressive responsibility, culminating in her role as president and chief administrative officer for the Baystate Health Eastern Region, including Baystate Wing Hospital and Baystate Mary Lane Outpatient Center.

She joined Baystate Health in 1988 as a professional nurse and transitioned to a managerial role as a level IV nurse manager, a unit manager, and then Women and Infants’ manager. An advocate for children’s health issues, Gray assumed the role of director of Women’s Services and Baystate Children’s Hospital in 2003. In 2013, she was promoted to vice president of Baystate Health Children’s Hospital, Women’s Services, Behavioral Health, Observation and Emergency Services. In 2016, she assumed the role of vice president and chief Nursing officer for the Baystate Health Eastern Region and was promoted in 2019 to her current role.

Under her leadership, the team at Baystate Wing has been recognized for numerous achievements, including national recognition by the Lown Institute Hospitals Index for being one of the most socially responsible hospitals in America. Recently, Baystate Wing was also nominated for the National Kenneth B. Schwartz Compassionate Caregivers of the Year award.

Aiming to strengthen and grow essential key health care services in the Eastern Region, Gray and her team worked to consolidate and relocate services. As a result, Baystate Health Wing Hospital, complete with Baystate Health and Wellness Center Palmer, has positioned itself as a centerpiece of healthcare in the Eastern Region.

Whip City Animal Sanctuary to Host Annual Back-to-school Celebration

By BusinessWest Staff August 23, 2022

Daily News

WESTFIELD — Whip City Animal Sanctuary will host its annual Back to School Celebration on Saturday, Aug. 27 from 10 a.m. to noon. The sanctuary is located at 232 Montgomery Road, Westfield, and entry is free for animal lovers, while donations are always appreciated.

In addition to spending time with the animals, kids can enjoy water-balloon activities and a “Big Trucks or Bust” exhibit featuring heavy equipment and many of the area’s first-responder vehicles. There will be snacks available for purchase, and the event will feature raffle prizes as well as a guest appearance by Boomer from the Springfield Thunderbirds.

“We are very excited to offer this event again this year,” said Robin Plourde, president and founder of the sanctuary. “We ask a lot of our community in support of our mission, and they really show up for us, so we feel it’s vital to give back to our community as much as possible. We love hosting free events for the area’s children. We want them to learn about the animals, become passionate, and look forward to them becoming volunteers someday.”

Northampton Chalk Art Festival Returns on Sept. 10

By BusinessWest Staff August 22, 2022

Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Each year, on the second Friday in September, downtown Northampton’s sidewalks are transformed into a colorful canvas of chalk art masterpieces, with area artists drawing inspiration from nature, comic books, culture, abstract ideas, and even COVID.

Drawing takes place from approximately 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 10. The public is encouraged to watch chalk art pieces develop and to view completed works in the evening, while enjoying Northampton’s monthly gallery walk, Arts Night Out, from 5 to 8 p.m. Cash prizes of $300, $200, and $100 will be awarded by a panel of judges to the top three creations. Presentations will be made by Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra on the steps of City Hall at 5 p.m.

Individual chalk artists for 2022 feature former prize winners and seasoned competitors, as well as talented new artists, including Robert Markey, Dave Rothstein, Melissa Stratton-Pandina, Aldo Pizzi, Kimberly Guthrie, Marc Austin, Rob Kimmel, and more. The 2022 Chalk Art Festival features more artists and more venues than ever before, with more than 25 individual artists participating.

Chalk-art sites are situated throughout downtown Northampton and include Forbes Library, Pulaski Park, Click Workspace, the Roost, Northampton Brewery, A2Z Science & Learning Store, and others. Maps of the chalk-art locations, along with their assigned artists, will be available at www.northamptondna.com and northampton.live, and printed copies will be distributed by a variety of downtown venues.

The Northampton Chalk Art Festival is produced by the Downtown Northampton Assoc. (DNA) and co-presented by the DNA and Chartpak in cooperation with the City of Northampton. It is sponsored by Whalen Insurance and Thornes Marketplace.

Massachusetts Unemployment Drops Slightly in July

By BusinessWest Staff August 22, 2022

Daily News

BOSTON — The state’s July total unemployment rate dropped by two-tenths of a percentage point to 3.5% over the month, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) preliminary job estimates indicate Massachusetts gained 13,500 jobs in July. This follows the previous month’s revised gain of 5,800 jobs. The largest over-the-month private-sector job gains were in professional and business services, education and health services, and other services. Employment now stands at 3,680,100. Since the employment trough in April 2020, Massachusetts gained 629,100 jobs.

From July 2021 to July 2022, BLS estimates Massachusetts gained 134,500 jobs. The largest over-the-year gains occurred in professional, scientific, and business services; leisure and hospitality; and education and health services.

The July unemployment rate of 3.5% was the same as the national rate reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The labor force decreased by an estimated 7,500 from 3,773,100 in June, as 800 more residents were employed, and 8,300 fewer residents were unemployed over the month. Over the year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was down by 2.2%.

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 down two-tenths of a percentage point at 65.8%. Compared to July 2021, the labor-force participation rate was up 0.2%.

Asnuntuck to Celebrate 50th Anniversary with Event at Broad Brook Brewery on Oct. 18

By BusinessWest Staff August 22, 2022

Daily News

ENFIELD, Conn. — Asnuntuck Community College’s 50th-anniversary celebration will be taking flight on Tuesday, Oct. 18 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Broad Brook Brewery at 915 South St. in Suffield.

The Fifty and Flights event ticket of $50 will provide guests with a tasting flight of beer, bar bites, and live music, and include donations to the scholarship fund. Sam Chevalier and Acoustic Thunder will perform live music for the event.

The evening will also include a drawing featuring gift baskets, specialty items, and gift cards. Proceeds from the event will benefit student scholarships and mini-grants for the college.

Sponsorship and donation opportunities are available. Individuals and businesses are being asked to consider donating a prize for the drawing or making a financial commitment with a sponsorship, which includes tickets to the event and providing textbook vouchers or a scholarship to an Asnuntuck student.

To learn more about the event and giving opportunities, contact Keith Madore, executive director of the Asnuntuck Foundation, at (860) 253-3041 or [email protected].

bankESB to Host Two Free Shred Days

By BusinessWest Staff August 22, 2022

Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — bankESB invites customers and members of the community to two free Shred Days at local offices. No appointment is necessary. Events will be held on Saturday, Sept. 24 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the 253 Triangle St. office in Amherst, and on Saturday, Oct. 29 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the 241 Northampton St. office in Easthampton.

Local residents can reduce their risk of identity theft by bringing old mail, receipts, statements or bills, canceled checks, pay stubs, medical records, or any other unwanted paper documents containing personal or confidential information and shredding them safely and securely for free. Valley Green Shredding, a professional document-destruction company, will be on site in the bank’s parking lot and can accept up to two boxes of documents per person.

BusinessTalk with Ray Berry, founder of White Lion Brewery

By BusinessWest Staff August 22, 2022

Business Talk Podcast Special Coverage

We are excited to announce that BusinessWest 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 126: August 22, 2022

George Interviews Ray Berry, founder of White Lion Brewery

BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien has a lively discussion with Ray Berry, founder of White Lion Brewery. The two talk about everything from the state of the craft brewing industry in Massachusetts to Berry’s plans to partner with former UMass and NBA star Marcus Camby on a new and exciting White Lion in downtown Amherst. It’s all must listening, so join us for BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

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Eight Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin Attorneys Honored by Best Lawyers

By BusinessWest Staff August 19, 2022

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Local law firm Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin announced that eight of its attorneys were listed in Best Lawyers in America 2023.

• Steven Schwartz was named a Lawyer of the Year in the field of business organizations. He was also selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America in the fields of bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights/insolvency and reorganization law, business organizations (including LLCs and partnerships), closely held companies and family business law, and corporate law.

• Michele Feinstein was named a Lawyer of the Year in the field of trusts and estates and was also selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America in the fields of litigation: trusts and estates, elder law, and trusts and estates.

• Mark Esposito was named One to Watch by Best Lawyers in the field of litigation: labor and employment.

The other attorneys selected by their peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America 2023 are:

• Gary Fentin, who was recognized in the fields of banking and finance law and commercial transactions/uniform commercial code (UCC) law;

• Carol Cioe Klyman, selected in the fields of elder law and trusts and estates;

• Managing Partner Timothy Mulhern, recognized in the fields of corporate law and tax law;

• James Sheils, recognized in the field of commercial transactions/UCC law; and

• Steven Weiss, selected in the fields of bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights/insolvency and reorganization law.

AIC Announces Arlen Carballo as Trustee, E. David Wilson as Trustee Emeritus

By BusinessWest Staff August 19, 2022

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) announced Arlen Carballo as a new member of the board of trustees and long-time board member E. David Wilson as trustee emeritus.

Carballo is the executive director of Finance for MGM Springfield, overseeing all aspects of finance operations for both gaming and non-gaming areas. She has been part of the MGM Springfield team since the property opened in 2018, serving as the resort’s first director of Financial Planning.

Prior to MGM Springfield, Carballo was part of the opening team for MGM National Harbor in Maryland. She is a graduate of the MGM Resorts Management Associate Program and has held leadership roles across both finance and operations at MGM’s Bellagio and Mandalay Bay properties in Las Vegas. She holds a bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management from Northern Arizona University and is a graduate of the HACR 2022 Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers program.

Wilson joined the AIC board of trustees in 1991, while serving as president of Milton Bradley. A graduate of the Harvard Advanced Management Program, he was vice president of Parker Brothers before joining Milton Bradley as manager in the game division in 1980. He was later promoted to senior vice president of Sales by Hasbro Industries, the parent company, before being named president, a title he held until his retirement in 2005.

In June 2021, following 30 years of service to the institution, Wilson retired from the AIC board of trustees.

“Beyond the generosity of their philanthropy,” AIC President Hubert Benitez said, “the commitment, dedication, and service to the institution of our trustees are immeasurably important as we look toward a future that allows AIC to be a college of choice for students seeking a sense of belonging, innovative education, and profound student experiences.”

Western Mass. EDC, Springfield WORKS Announce Phase Two of Community Empowerment and Reinvestment Grant

By BusinessWest Staff August 19, 2022

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield WORKS, a community-wide initiative with the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council (EDC) announced in May they had received a $400,000 Community Empowerment and Reinvestment Grant that will help facilitate systemic socioeconomic changes in the city of Springfield. The goal is to mitigate the negative impacts of incarceration.

Part of the process of implementing the program was administering surveys, collecting that data, and determining how the seven subgrantees will become better situated to aid in the necessary changes. The results from those surveys are in. “As we continue to examine the data collected, we want you to know that the information gathered from local community members is truly staggering,” Springfield WORKS announced. “It shows the work that needs to be done, and more importantly, it emphasizes the need to help the families of those who are justice-involved.”

The seven subgrantees include Children’s Study Home, Home City Development, HCS Head Start, Springfield School Volunteers, Square One, MassHire Springfield Career Center, and Holyoke Community College.

As the data is analyzed, more information will be provided in the weeks to come on the key takeaways and learnings. The purpose of this effort is to hear directly from the community about barriers and obstacles that are experienced due to the negative impacts of incarceration and identify effective, sustainable, and long-term solutions to support neighbors who are most at risk.

Close to three-quarters of Springfield residents identify as Black/African American, Latino/Hispanic, and other people of color. Communities of color are disproportionately affected by incarceration due to systemic inequalities rooted in policies and practices that affect the likelihood of being arrested, convicted, and incarcerated. The majority of racially diverse residents live in communities with historic patterns of segregation and disinvestment in Springfield, which have effectively blocked opportunities for many residents.

“Over half of the survey respondents were previously jailed or incarcerated, and more than 90% had at least one family member justice-involved,” said Anne Kandilis, director of Springfield WORKS. “They reported myriad financial, employment, housing, and mental-health challenges suffered. Our goal is to work together with families, connecting resources to support economic and family well-being.”

When someone is incarcerated, their family suffers, and they lose out on basic needs others take for granted. That’s where Springfield WORKS and the Western Massachusetts EDC, along with the seven subgrantees, will come together.

After the data is analyzed, Springfield WORKS will lead the design of an action plan in collaboration with the subgrantees and other partners to begin impacting real change to promote a holistic approach to working with families. The focus will be on increasing cross-sector collaboration to break down barriers to program engagement, financial stability, and quality jobs. Springfield has a long history of innovation, and solving old problems in new ways is critical to helping Western Mass. adapt to new circumstances and become economically resilient.

ArchitectureEL Inc. Welcomes Rose Geist to Team

By BusinessWest Staff August 19, 2022

Daily News

EAST LONGMEADOW — ArchitectureEL Inc. (AEL) recently welcomed Rose Geist to its team as a project designer.

AEL provides professional design services on a wide range of projects, from renovating existing buildings to designing new ones. The firm has significant experience in accessibility, historic preservation, educational, and commercial design, as well as extensive experience in both private and multi-family residential development. Having been with the firm for a few months, Geist has already proved herself as a valuable asset to the team. She has taken on a variety of responsibilities since she started at AEL and is constantly communicating and collaborating with project managers, clients, and co-workers.

“Joining ArchitectureEL has allowed me the opportunity to utilize and grow my skill set while getting to know the local community. I’m very grateful to be a part of the team,” Geist said.

Owner and Principal Architect Kevin Rothschild-Shea added that “we are pleased to have Rose as a new member of the team. Our work locally and across the state continues to grow, and having Rose as part of our team will help us meet the needs of our clients and provide the high-quality design services AEL is known for.”

Editorial

Editorial

Episode 127: August 29, 2022

George Interviews Jeff Daley, president and CEO of Westmass Area Development Corp.

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Episode 126: August 22, 2022

George Interviews Ray Berry, founder of White Lion Brewery

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