Home 2022 November (Page 4)

Month: November 2022

bankESB Announces Four Promotions

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Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — bankESB announced four recent promotions: Shelley Bongiovanni to underwriting officer, Devon Bunger to closing and post-closing officer, Bryan Fleury to secondary and system support officer, and Madison Kinney to assistant branch manager in the Amherst office. Bongiovanni, Bunger, and Fleury’s promotions coincide with the launch of Hometown Mortgage, the newly formed residential-lending division of bankESB.

Bongiovanni joined bankESB in 2013 as loan specialist/underwriter and was promoted to senior loan specialist and underwriter in 2020. She is responsible for underwriting and approving loans, mentoring and training new underwriters, and monitoring construction loans through the disbursement phase at Hometown Mortgage. She has 26 years of experience in the banking industry, and prior to bankESB, she was employed by Park West Bank and Trust and CitiFinancial. She holds an associate degree in business administration from Holyoke Community College.

Bunger joined bankESB in 2018 as disclosure desk specialist/closer. As closing and post-closing officer, she is responsible for managing the daily operations of the residential lending closing and post-closing/funding department at Hometown Mortgage. Before joining bankESB, she was employed by Dwyer & Sanderson as a real-estate paralegal, at Florence Bank as a loan closer, and at Greenfield Savings Bank as a post-closing quality-control specialist. She holds a bachelor’s degree in legal studies from Elms College and a lending diploma from the Center for Financial Training and is currently working toward a supervisor diploma and real-estate lending diploma, both from the Center for Financial Training. She is also a member of the Northampton St. Patrick’s Assoc.

Fleury joined bankESB in 2013 as loan processor and was promoted to mortgage systems administrator and then secondary/post-closing manager. In his new role as secondary and system support officer, he is responsible for supporting the secondary market and all lending software at Hometown Mortgage. Fleury holds an associate degree in business administration from Holyoke Community College and is the president of the International Assoc. of Approved Basketball Officials Board 28.

Kinney joined bankESB in 2017 as a teller and most recently held the title of teller supervisor. In her role as assistant branch manager, she is responsible for assisting with overall branch management of bankESB’s Amherst office, as well as applications for consumer and home-equity loans, as well as the employee-hiring process. She holds a certificate in human resources from the Center for Financial Training.

Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services Board Elects Rose Colon as Vice President

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The board of directors of Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services has elected attorney Rose Colon as vice president.

“We are thrilled to have Rose move into the role of vice president. With her legal background and many years of service in the Springfield area, she will continue to support our mission in being keepers of the dream,” board President Aieshya Jackson said.

Colon practices in the Probate & Family courts of Western Mass. for the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Prior to that role, she was the first Latina assistant district attorney in Berkshire County. She is also an adjunct professor at Bay Path University in its Legal Studies & Criminal Justice Department.

Colon earned a bachelor’s degree in legal studies from Bay Path University in Longmeadow and her juris doctorate from Western New England University School of Law.

Holiday Arts Market Slated for Nov. 12 at the Mill District in North Amherst

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Daily News

AMHERST — Locally made gifts by more than 40 artists and makers will be the main attraction at the second annual Holiday Arts Market, to be held at the Mill District General Store and Local Art Gallery on Saturday, Nov. 12 from noon to 4 p.m. in North Amherst.

“This will be fun for everyone, with even more exhibitors than last year. We’ve got a really diverse group of area artisans attending, showing locally crafted items including jewelry, pottery, candles, and cards,” Mill District Director of Placemaking Hannah Rechtschaffen said. “They’ll be presenting outdoors under tents, and our retail stores will be welcoming customers inside as well.”

Shoppers will be able to enjoy their choice of cold-combating drinks at a complimentary hot-beverage bar, where mulled cider, coffee, teas, and hot chocolate will be offered. In addition, Provisions Mill District will be offering a spectrum of wine, beer, and specialty food tastings at its 11th annual Holiday Open House, running concurrently.

“We love showcasing our favorite producers,” said Kelley Jewel, director of Business Development for Provisions. “It’ll be a real tasting extravaganza, and holding it alongside the Holiday Arts Market this year is going to be a hoot.” Jewell added that the planned tastings will include wines from well off the beaten path, including the country of Georgia, plus handmade raw-milk cheeses from Parish Hill Creamery in Vermont. The cheesemaker’s representatives will attend in person to talk about their products.

“The Holiday Arts Market always brings in new visitors who might be stopping into the Mill District for the first time,” said Andrea Marion, owner of clothing store the Closet, which specializes in new-to-you fashion. “Once a customer experiences the District, we tend to see them coming back time and again.”

A repeat of 2021’s popular interactive art-supply swap will be another focal point. All attendees are encouraged to bring in their unused art supplies, including paints, brushes, pencils, markers, and more for the open exchange table. In turn, they may take home any items that meet their creative needs.

“Winter is coming, and with it, more indoor time to try out some new-to-you art supplies,” said Shannon Borrell, store conductor for the Mill District General Store and Local Art Gallery.

A rain date has been set for the next day, Sunday, Nov. 13, also from noon to 4 p.m.

MiraVista Behavioral Health Center to Host Virtual Job Fair on Nov. 7

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Daily News

HOLYOKE — MiraVista Behavioral Health Center will hold a virtual hiring event on Monday, Nov. 7 for registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs), full- and part-time as well as per diem, who are interested in contributing their talent and expertise to supporting individuals with a mental-health and/or substance-use diagnosis.

Competitive compensation based on education and years of experience is being offered, as well as a comprehensive benefits package and a variety of hiring bonuses up to $15,000. Details to reserve an interview time can be found on a number of social-media platforms, including Facebook and LinkedIn, as well as MiraVista Behavioral Health Center’s website, www.miravistabhc.care.

According to Alicia Morel, MiraVista’s Talent Acquisition specialist, “candidates continue to appreciate organizations that work hard to improve the recruiting process and deliver a convenient, well-informed experience they expect. Virtual events are an easy way to reach that goal as they eliminate the obstacle of geography. Candidates can join from anywhere and everywhere they are with a click of a button. It is all about making the process easier for those who are interviewing MiraVista as much as we are interviewing them. It’s a convenient platform for candidates. We know how busy our lives can be. Meeting candidates where they are is an incredibly important element of our recruitment efforts.”

MiraVista’s 101-bed facility, which offers inpatient psychiatric and substance-use treatment for adults and adolescents, as well as outpatient recovery services for adults, opened in April 2021 and currently has a workforce of more than 340 employees.

“Nurses in behavioral health work at making patients feel good about receiving care for their mental illness and normalize what they are going through in receiving such care,” said Erica Trudell, MiraVista’s director of Nursing for Inpatient Behavioral Health Services and Education. “It is no different from inpatient care for any other serious medical condition that will not improve on its own, and it is routinely multi-faceted care involving education about lifestyle, medication, and therapy.”

Successful candidates sought for direct care to patients and also support to families, as part of a multi-disciplinary treatment team, will have among their qualifications: a valid RN or LPN license in Massachusetts; a valid CPR certification; and knowledge of behavioral-health and substance-use treatment modalities.

Interviews with on-the-spot offer details will take place from 8 to 10 a.m. for the Adult Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the Adolescent Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, and 2 to 4 p.m. for Acute Treatment Services/Clinical Stabilization Services (detox experiences preferred).

State Awards Nearly $1.5M for Cyber Range and Security Operation Center at Union Station

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, celebrated the recent announcement by the Baker-Polito administration and the MassCyberCenter at the MassTech Collaborative regarding a new initiative to promote the development of a diverse cybersecurity workforce and improve local cyber resiliency in the Commonwealth that will bring $1,462,995 to Springfield.

This funding will allow Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) to establish a security operation center, or SOC, at Springfield Union Station that will provide threat monitoring and other cybersecurity services for Commonwealth municipalities and small business/nonprofit customers. The funds will also establish a cyber range, a new testing lab to mirror real-world IT environments to provide hands-on training opportunities available to local companies, universities, and other cyber-focused organizations.

Neal was joined on Monday at Springfield Union Station by Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, Springfield Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Amanda Pham, STCC President John Cook, CyberTrust Massachusetts CEO Pete Sherlock, MassCyberCenter Director Stephanie Helm, and local leaders to celebrate the award.

“Springfield Union Station is a world-class transportation hub that will now be home to a world-class cybersecurity-training and security-management center,” Neal said. “The Baker-Polito administration has worked hand in hand with the city of Springfield, the STCC team, and my office to make this a reality.”

Sarno added that “this $1.5 million investment to STCC for this transformative and dynamic Cybersecurity Center of Excellence at our historic Union Station will support the state’s workforce-development objectives around cybersecurity with promoting diversity and supporting that good four-letter word, jobs.”

The facility will be overseen by a steering committee of public, private, and academic stakeholders, which will include the Springfield Redevelopment Authority (SRA), which owns Union Station.

“Union Station is uniquely positioned to accommodate the Cyber Center as it serves as the region’s intermodal transportation center at the crossroads of New England providing rail and bus service to our area’s diverse population,” Phan said. “We thank the Baker-Polito administration and MassCyberCenter for the award and designation as a Cybersecurity Center of Excellence and congratulate STCC on this milestone. These funds, coupled with the city of Springfield’s commitment of $500,000, will allow for the advancement of design and construction of this transformative center.”

STCC is the lead entity developing both a cyber range and SOC within the Union Station complex, serving Western Mass. and beyond. STCC will staff and operate the facility in partnership with a consortia of area higher-education institutions (Bay Path University, UMass Amherst, Western New England University, Elms College, and Springfield College), each of which bring a range of undergraduate certificate and degree programs in IT/security, cybersecurity, computer science and programming, digital forensics, and criminal justice. Another facility will be based at Bridgewater State University.

The grant to STCC will cover renovation and construction of the Union Station space, which is estimated to open during the first half of 2024, based on the initial timeline provided. The proposed facility will include a classroom and a conference room for up to 60 people, able to accommodate cyber-related events and to serve as a space for collaboration, in addition to separate classroom space, workstations for use by academic partners, offices for facility staff, a tech-support area, a kitchen, and storage.

As part of a site-based service arrangement, STCC will provide administrative oversight for the facility, including all HR for employees and hiring of key personnel, plus the establishment of electronic-systems management.

“This first-of-its-kind collaboration among business, higher ed, and government through CyberTrust Massachusetts could transform our cyber education and training, growing our workforce and creating new opportunities statewide, while helping to make our communities more cyber resilient,” Sherlock said.

Cook said the award will be “transformative for our region and higher education. As one of the most pervasive liabilities for our businesses and communities, these funds ensure a regional center that will be a nexus for the cyber workforce with hands-on learning, in addition to establishing a resource for protecting our community partners against cybersecurity threats.”

Helm sees these initial investments as critical for building out a plan for a “cyber-resilient Massachusetts,” adding that “the key word is ‘resilient,’ as no organization is successful 100% of the time when it comes to defending against cyber attacks. With the new monitoring capabilities, organizations can increase awareness, detect intrusions faster, and respond more quickly to an incident.”

HCC Again Named One of State’s Top Women-led Businesses

By
Daily News

HOLYOKE — For the second year in a row, Holyoke Community College (HCC) has been named one of the top women-led businesses in Massachusetts by Boston Globe Magazine and the Women’s Edge, formerly the Commonwealth Institute, a nonprofit that supports top female executives.

“They run healthcare companies, universities and colleges, financial institutions, nonprofits, construction firms and more — they’re the women power players of the Bay State,” says the introduction to the 22nd annual Top 100 list. “Responsible for thousands of employees and billions in revenue, the women featured here drive the Massachusetts economy. Taken together, the 100 companies on this list represent a total revenue and operating budget of $75.9 billion.”

PeoplesBank Supports Gray House Restoration After Break-in

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Representatives from PeoplesBank visited the Gray House to present the agency with a donation to cover the cost of replacement doors and frames that were damaged last May during a robbery.

“We couldn’t be more thankful for the generous support of PeoplesBank,” Gray House Executive Director Kristen McClintock said. “The break-in we experienced in May was devastating. Not only did our agency lose critical supplies — such as food, infant formula, and diapers — that we distribute to our neighbors in need at no cost, but we were left with substantial property damage. After learning of the unexpected expense to replace the damaged doors and frames, PeoplesBank immediately stepped up and offered to cover the associated costs.”

PeoplesBank has supported 331 different nonprofits and charitable organizations and donated $10,736,943 in the past decade. Furthermore, its employees collectively volunteer an average of 10,000 hours per year, illustrating the bank’s commitment to service within the community.

While the robbery was distressing, McClintock chooses to focus on the outpouring of love and support received from clients, volunteers, and community partners like PeoplesBank. “I take great comfort in knowing that we live in a community that truly cares — where neighbors help neighbors, and where ‘corporate responsibility’ is more than just a catchphrase, but rather a genuine way of doing business.”

Lawmakers Urge DPU Action on Winter Energy-rate Increases

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Daily News

BOSTON — Last week, state Sen. John Velis joined a bipartisan group of 30 Massachusetts state senators and 76 state representatives on a letter to the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) expressing concern about the energy-rate increases slated to impact residents this winter. The letter to DPU Chair Matthew Nelson urges DPU to protect residents of the Commonwealth from these rate increases.

“The number-one issue I hear from constituents is that costs are too high, and these expected energy-rate increases are only going to make matters worse,” Velis said. “Folks should not have to decide between keeping their house warm and putting food on their table, and we’re urging the DPU to do everything in their power to prevent those enormous energy rate hikes from the utility companies. Simply put, we need to do more to help residents this winter, and I am committed to doing whatever I can to make that assistance happen.”

The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources predicts that the coming winter will be colder than last year’s, while the cost of heating may increase by up to 54.6% for electric customers and 28.6% for natural gas. Utility providers largely blame global factors such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, supply-chain disruptions, and inflation. Legislators believe the DPU can do more to tamp down these rate increases and their effects on consumers.

“The people of the Commonwealth have yet to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic,” state Rep. Orlando Ramos said. “Eversource’s proposed rate increase would disproportionally impact the most vulnerable. Meanwhile, Eversource reported profits of more than $1.2 billion for 2021. That is an increase of about $15.3 million (1.3%) from the record profits the company reported in 2020, and an increase of $311.4 million (34.3%) from the profits it reported in 2019.”

In their letter to the DPU, signatories note that “proposed rate increases of this magnitude — during the winter season — would disproportionally impact the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable. Moreover, protecting our residents from the cold is not just an affordability and equity concern; it is also a public-safety issue. As the oversight agency tasked with prioritizing safety, affordability, and equity with regard to energy rates, we ask that DPU do just that and protect Massachusetts residents from these drastic rate increases this winter season.”