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Year: 2022

Brew at The Zoo returns to Forest Park Zoo on Aug. 6

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SPRINGFIELD — After a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19, The Zoo in Forest Park is bringing back its popular Brew at The Zoo, presented by PDC Inc., on Aug. 6 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The 21+ event features beer samples from local craft breweries, a home brew competition, food trucks, live music, games, a raffle, and animal interactions.

“We haven’t been able to host Brew at the Zoo since 2019, and we’ve really missed it,” said Sarah Tsitso, executive director at The Zoo in Forest Park. “This event brings together our incredible craft beer community, who all come out to support the 225 animals that call our zoo their home.”

Attendees can choose from four ticket types: VIP, VIP Designated Driver, General Admission and Designated Driver. Attendees with a VIP ticket will enjoy an extra hour of sampling beginning at 12 p.m., the opportunity to participate in up-close animal encounters, and grain to feed the animals. All attendees must be 21+.

The current list of breweries attending the event include Loophole Brewing, One Way Brewing, Vanished Valley Brewing Co., Broad Brook Brewing Company, Connecticut Valley Brewing Company, Berkshire Brewing Company, Rustic Brewing Company, Iron Duke Brewing, Two Weeks Notice Brewing Company, Brew Practitioners and New City Brewery, in addition to nine home brewers.

The Zoo will be closed to the public on Aug. 6. Advanced tickets are required to attend this event and IDs will be checked at the door. Tickets are limited and on sale now at www.forestparkzoo.org/brew.

For more information, contact Gabry Tyson at (413) 733-2251 ext. 5 or [email protected].

Jazz and Blues Concert Slated at Springfield Armory NHS for July 16 

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Creative Economy Daily News Events Sports & Leisure Tourism & Hospitality Work/Life Balance

SPRINGFIELD — The historic grounds of Springfield Armory National Historic Site is once again the stage this summer for live music.
On July 16 at 6 p.m., the Bad News Jazz and Blues Orchestra, led by Jeff Gavioli,  will perform. The Bad News Jazz and Blues Orchestra is a 19-piece orchestra that has been performing since 2012, playing swing music from the 1930s and 1940s.

Diana Szynal Takes the Helm at the Springfield Regional Chamber

By
Diana Szynal
Cover Story

A New Challenge

Diana Szynal

Diana Szynal

Diana Szynal recently made a successful transition from public service — she was a selectman in Hatfield and then a legislative aide — to running the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce. Now, she’s making another transition, to leadership of the Springfield Regional Chamber. While Greater Springfield is a much larger area, she said the challenges facing businesses, and the basic mission of the chamber, are the same as they are in Franklin County, and she’s ready to put her experience to work in her new setting.

Diana Szynal says that within minutes of the announcement that she had been named the new president of the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce going out last spring, her phone started ringing and pinging.

There were calls and texts from area business leaders, government officials, and directors of area economic development agencies wanting to meet and talk.

“The calls started coming, and I’m still getting them,” said Szynal (pronounced Zy-nal), adding that her appointment book is quickly filling up for the next several weeks.

Those appointments are part of what she describes as a broad learning process as she takes the reins at the Springfield chamber, succeeding Nancy Creed, who has stepped down officially after several years at the helm, but is assisting in the transition.

Indeed, while Szynal, who most recently served as director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and before that served as a legislative aide to the late state Rep. Peter Kocot, is certainly familiar with Springfield and Hampden County in general, she admits that there will be a ‘getting acquainted’ period awaiting her as she assumes the leadership position at the Springfield Regional Chamber.

“I know that I don’t know everything about Springfield,” Szynal, who started her new job July 5, told BusinessWest. “But I do know that I’ve had dozens of local businesses and community leaders offer to help me with that; Springfield is the economic engine of Western Massachusetts, and we need to make sure that we’re at the forefront, always at the cutting edge, of what’s happening, business-wise and legislatively.”

“The pandemic really did shine a spotlight on how critical it is to be part of that larger group and have that support and have that information that was so important.”

While scheduling meetings with those who are now calling and texting her, Szynal is also putting together a to-do list, one that includes a return of the chamber’s popular Super 60 program this fall — nominations are currently being accepted for that honor — as well as a resumption of the chamber’s ambassadors program (put on the shelf due to COVID), and, further down the line, planning of the first in-person Outlook lunch since the start of the pandemic in March of 2020.

Also on the list is creation of a new strategic plan — the last one was undertaken before the pandemic — and continuing and building upon Creed’s strong track record for not only keeping members well-informed, but making sure their voices are heard on Beacon Hill and Capitol Hill.

“Nancy was, and still is a great voice for this region,” said Szynal. “We need to continue to make sure that our voice is heard, and the way you do that is by engaging the legislators and forming good relationships with stage agencies. The legislative piece is really important, and that’s where the Springfield Regional Chamber has a leg up, because it spends so much time making sure that it has put together a solid legislative agenda that supports what businesses need and makes sure that the voice at this end of the state is heard.”

Overall, Szynal takes the reins at an intriguing time for this chamber, and chambers in general.

Indeed, she said that the pandemic provided an opportunity for chambers to show their true value to members — and potential members — when it comes to not only providing needed information (although there was plenty of that) but for being a true resource for, and advocate for, the business community.

“I think there was a real affirmation of the value of chamber membership, particularly during the pandemic,” she said. “In Franklin County, when we went into the shut-down and my phone was ringing, it was non-members who were reaching out. Members of chambers were getting a lot of information during that tumultuous time on matters such as the Payroll Protection Program, who qualified, and how the loans were processed.”

This ability to step up and elevate their game, if you will, resulted in chambers being able to retain members and actually add new ones at a time of real challenge for businesses of all sizes and in every business sector, she went on, adding that both the Franklin County chamber and the Springfield Regional chamber have posted solid numbers the past few years, better than those from before the pandemic.

Moving forward, she said she plans to build off this momentum — and that’s what she prefers to call it — while also strengthening existing relationships with both other chambers and other economic-development-related agencies.

For this issue, BusinessWest talked with Szynal about her new appointment, the state of the Springfield Regional chamber, and the prospects for all chambers in the post-pandemic world.

 

Getting Down to Business

Recalling her shift from public service — she was a selectman in Hatfield and then in county government before joining Kocot as an aide — to running a chamber of commerce, Szynal said it was a relatively smooth, almost seamless transition. That’s because the work is similar in many respects, she noted, adding that in both arenas, there are large amounts of listening and advocacy involved.

Elaborating, she said that in her municipal roles, she got to work with many area economic-development-related agencies, such as the regional employment boards (now MassHire agencies), the Economic Development Council of Western Mass., and others. She was able to take those relationships, as well as her understanding of the state Legislature and relationships she forged there, to her work with the Franklin County chamber.

“It was while I was working for representative Kocot that I really cut my teeth on learning about workforce development, economic development, the importance of community organizations and nonprofits, and the importance of public-private partnerships,” she explained. “And how all of that fits into economic development.

region’s voice

Diana Szynal says one of her priorities moving forward is making sure this region’s voice is heard on Beacon Hill and Capitol Hill.

“I was also able to develop at that time really important relationships with key stakeholders throughout the region,” she went on. “So when Rep. Kocot passed away, I went to the Franklin County chamber, and all of those relationships and learning experiences were invaluable in helping me execute the mission there.”

Szynal is expecting a similarly smooth transition as she moves from the Franklin County chamber to the one in Springfield, because, while the two regions are certainly different when it comes to population, the chambers are of similar size, membership-wise. Meanwhile, most all of the issues and challenges within the business communities are the same, and so is the basic mission of the organizations — to serve members and advocate on their behalf.

“The main focus of a chamber is communication, relationships, and business support,” said Szynal. “Each chamber is a little different, but most focus on the same things. Through events we facilitate networking and collaboration among members, and we give businesses some visibility through our membership directory, our website, member spotlights, all of those things. The business-to-business relationships, business-to-community relationships, those are things that most chambers focus on, although each chamber adds their own flavor.”

In Springfield, the size and makeup of the chamber reflects the diversity of the city and its recent upward trajectory, said Szynal, noting that, despite the pandemic and its impact on every sector of the economy, Springfield is in a growth mode and seeing vitality in most aspects of its economy.

“Springfield has so much going for it — there’s been so much revitalization in the area,” she said. “The sectors of healthcare and education, tourism and hospitality, manufacturing … all of those things are so vital and so critical here. I’m really looking forward to diving in and learning all that I don’t know and putting some fresh eyes on the chamber and the region.”

As noted earlier, she arrives at an intriguing time for this chamber, and all chambers. While most have become smaller staff-wise — several, including the Springfield Regional Chamber, are essentially one-person operations — there is a new vibrancy for many due to the relevancy gained during the pandemic.

“There is a lot of opportunity here. I have a lot on my to-do list, but I can’t wait to dive in.”

“The pandemic really did shine a spotlight on how critical it is to be part of that larger group and have that support and have that information that was so important,” Szynal told BusinessWest, adding that the challenge, and opportunity, moving forward is to hammer home the importance of chambers during what could be called more-normal, but still quite challenging times.

Indeed, Szynal said businesses large and small are still being impacted by a number of issues, many of them COVID after-effects including supply-chain issues, soaring prices, the early signs of recession, and, especially, a workforce crisis that doesn’t seem to be getting any better.

“Look at the challenges businesses are facing today that they didn’t have to before — supply chain issues, fuel prices are going to be crushing to some businesses, workforce issues, childcare, and more,” she said, adding that in such times, being part of an organization like the chamber, which can make its voice heard in Boston and Washington can be beneficial to businesses of all sizes.

Speaking of more normal, Szynal said the chamber will be turning back the clock to 2019 with regard to its events and many of its programs. On the events side of the ledger, the agency has started to stage in-person gatherings again — the annual meeting at the Springfield Sheraton drew more than 250 guests — and one of its largest annual get-togethers is back on the docket for the fall.

This is the program known as Super 60, a compilation of the region’s most successful companies based on performance in two categories — Total Revenue and Revenue Growth. One of the chamber’s most important revenue generators, Super 60 was put on ice in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic, and Szynal believes the lengthy pause will generate some interest in the popular program, slated for Oct. 28 at the MassMutual Center.

The same could be said for the chamber’s annual Outlook lunch, the region’s largest gathering of area business leaders. It has been staged remotely the past two years, and Szynal is looking forward to that tradition, and many other annual gatherings, returning to an in-person format.

“Outlook, the Beacon Hill and Washington summits, the Government Reception, the Mayors Forum … it’s so important to get back to doing those again because they provide information and offer opportunities for businesses to be together,” she explained. “I’m looking forward to being back full steam.”

While planning those events, she has many other items on her to-do list, starting with those meetings with area civic, business, and economic development leaders.

And there will also be work to create a new strategic plan for the institution.

“The last one was done three years ago, so it would be time to do another one anyway,” she noted. “But with everything that’s happened in the last two and a half years, it’s a really good time to evaluate the mission of the chamber and how we’re meeting that mission.”

 

The Bottom Line

From a personal perspective, Szynal said she chooses to look at the next stop on her career path as an opportunity and not necessarily as a challenge.

It will be an opportunity to continue the kind of work she has been doing for the past several years in several different capacities.

“I really love connecting with people, learning about their business, and learning about their business needs,” she explained. “I love that aspect of any job, that’s why I loved working with Peter Kocot, because I did so much constituent work; this is what I’m looking forward to.
“There is a lot of opportunity here,” she went on. “I have a lot on my to-do list, but I can’t wait to dive in.”

 

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

For 40 Years, the Ekus Group Has Been Supporting and Connecting Culinary Professionals

By
The staff at the Ekus Group
Special Coverage Women in Businesss

The Right Ingredients

The staff at the Ekus Group

The staff at the Ekus Group in the reference library that Lisa Ekus has built over the past 40 years.

The Hatfield-based Ekus Group describes itself as a ‘full-service culinary agency.’ This is a unique niche obviously, one that has been successfully cultivated over the past 40 years, during which time the name Ekus, like the names of many of the authors the company represents, has become known across the country and around the world. Summing up the broad range of services, partners Lisa and Sally Ekus (mother and daughter) say they “bring chefs out from behind the stove.”

If one wanted to gain a full appreciation for how the company started by Lisa Ekus back in 1982 has grown, evolved, and emerged over the past 40 years, maybe the place to start is in what she calls her reference library.

It has become the centerpiece — although there are several of those — of the 250-year-old renovated farmhouse in Hatfield she calls home. She started with a small collection gathered in high school and college, and has grown it to 7,000 volumes, with more added seemingly every week; there’s a pile of books outside her office for reading and possible addition to the collection.

There are works of fiction placed in one small section, but the rest — much like Ekus’s career, and that of her daughter, Sally Ekus, now a partner in this venture — are devoted to food and cooking. The volumes are carefully cataloged and arranged by various subjects, meaning everything from food types to geographic regions, authors to individual countries; she recently added two volumes on Polish cuisine.

“There were agencies that did book PR. But we really honed in on chefs, cookbooks, food companies, and understanding the evolution and growth of what was happening on a very vast global stage.”

The library, like her work to create what have come to be known as ‘culinary celebrities,’ is a passion.

“It’s all organized physically, it goes around the globe by country, and then it goes through our country by region,” she told BusinessWest. “And there’s specialty, single subjects — soup, health and diet, wine … you name it. I’ve read maybe 75% of them and I’ve touched them all in some way.”

When asked what makes a book worthy of placement in the library, Sally answered for her mother. “It has to be … unique.”

That’s a word that could, and should, also be applied to this business, formerly known as the Lisa Ekus Group, but changed recently to reflect Sally’s more prominent role. Indeed, there are few companies like this anywhere, and probably only one in a rural setting like Hatfield. And while the library does a good job of conveying its growth and presence, it doesn’t … well, tell the full story — pun very much intended.

To fully understand, we need to visit other rooms of the house, which is adjacent to the company’s offices and plays a huge role in day-to-day activity.

Like the dining room and its massive table. Here, Lisa Ekus has hosted literally thousands of people for dinner over the years, including culinary celebrities such as Julia Child, Emeril Lagasse, and countless others.

Sally Ekus, left, with her mother and business partner, Lisa Ekus.

Sally Ekus, left, with her mother and business partner, Lisa Ekus.

Or the nearby kitchen, which doubles as a TV studio where many of these same chefs have mastered the fine art of cooking for a television audience, a business niche that the Ekus Group has cultivated over the years.

Or the large side porch that Ekus added on the property several years ago. Here, she does more entertaining with those who have become celebrities and those who want to gain that status.

Or the Airbnb that she recently opened with the appropriate name Cooks Chateau. As the pandemic has eased and leisure and business travel have returned, she has booked the space for the next several months, and projects that it will eventually become a solid profit center.

Together, these spaces in the Ekus home speak to a hugely successful business, one that continues to add new lines to its recipe for success, such as a virtual “How to Write a Cookbook” course that Sally considers a logical extension of what the company has done for the past four decades (more on it later).

Looking ahead, Sally said the company will continue to evolve and grow, but likely remain a boutique, as in “small” agency that can provide personalized service to its many kinds of clients.

“It’s not ‘here’s a book — let’s sell it. We want to identify the unique selling points and where in the marketplace this might fit; how can we help an author and a publisher articulate what the primary focus and goal of this particular book is. That’s what we do.”

“We have a desire to grow intentionally in a way that continues to support the work that our current team loves to do and also potentially bringing in a handful of new talent to grow things like our agent-representation program and our talent representation, and also continue to buildout our workshops and culinary expertise,” she said.

For this issue and its focus on women in business, we talked with Lisa and Sally Ekus about the first 40 years at this unique business and what may come next. Putting it in perspective, Lisa stated the obvious:

“We have so much fun with what we do; it’s one of the best industries to be in.”

 

Course of Action

For Sally Ekus, the phrase ‘growing up in the business,’ has perhaps more meaning than it does for most second-generation business owners and managers.

Indeed, since the Ekus home was — and is — also the office, but also the place where countless celebrities and celebrities in waiting came to meet with Lisa Ekus, cook, dine, and chat after meals with her, and Sally was part of all that; she literally grew up in the business — and around people like Julia Child.

And while she fondly remembers what she calls “the good old days,” she came of age, and became part of the business, as the scene was changing, with developments such as blog-to-book deals, online recipes, the rise of self-publishing, and much more.

From left, Lisa Ekus, Julia Child, and Irena Chalmers

From left, Lisa Ekus, Julia Child, and Irena Chalmers, a noted author and food commentator at one of many gatherings in the backyard of the company’s home in Hatfield.

Today, the company still celebrates the old while embracing the new, and Sally and Lisa are planning the next courses, if you will, for this venture, while continuing to provide the services that have made this company so successful over the past four decades. Summing them up, Lisa said she, Sally, and the assembled team “bring people out from behind the stove.”

By that, she means that the company helps those with culinary skills cultivate a brand while also helping them develop expertise in other areas required to become a true culinary celebrity — everything from writing a cookbook and getting it published, to learning how to cook for a television audience, to effective self-promotion.

While there have been cookbooks for perhaps a century now, there wasn’t, until recently, a focus on the chefs, the authors of these cookbooks, said Sally, noting that the Ekus Group devotes its energies to putting them front and center, and making them, as much as their recipes, the stars of the show.

It’s a package of services that, together, make the company unique and has enabled it to assemble a client list that is a veritable who’s who in the culinary world, with luminaries such as Haile Thomas, Toni Tipton-Martin, Davis Olson, and many others.

Turning back the clock 40 years, Lisa Ekus said she started her company to fill a need for a business that focused on book PR. She moved to the valley from New York City and brought with her an extensive portfolio of connections and experience.

“I developed the business because of, and through, my connections in New York publishing,” she explained. “So, I had a great base upon which to draw clients and get recommendations.”

In essence, she was doing remote work before anyone knew what remote work was, she went on, adding that she loved the lifestyle in Western Mass. and was committed to building a business here and traveling back to Gotham — or anywhere else she needed to go — when needed.

Over the next several years, the company would develop a culinary niche and become, in her estimation, the first and only culinary PR book agency in the country.

“There were agencies that did book PR,” she went on. “But we really honed in on chefs, cookbooks, food companies, and understanding the evolution and growth of what was happening on a very vast global stage. Our niche was putting it forward in book form.

“We worked to put our authors and their expertise out there through the covers of their books,” she went on. “No one had really focused on the personalities, the experts within the categories they wrote about — like Rose Levy Beranbaum and desserts; she wrote The Cake Bible, or Lynn Rosseto Kasper, who founded and was the host of Splendid Table for decades; she was an expert on the Emelia-Romagna section of Italy.

“Books were just put out there,” she continued. “And we really brought the expertise forward on a national level. And I really love personally to understand where someone comes from and what they write about. It’s not simply another book about cookies or Italy or wherever; it’s understanding and taking a deep dive into food.”

 

Stirring Things Up

While the Ekus Group remains grounded in the principles and services on which it was founded, it has certainly evolved over the years and changed as the times have.

The biggest change has simply been the emergence of food and cooking, said Lisa, noting that, 40 years ago, there were very few celebrity chefs, no television networks devoted to the subject, exponentially fewer cookbooks being written annually, few who knew what veganism was, and far fewer people who would say they are really into the culinary arts.

Starting in the early 90s, things started to change, she recalled, and today the landscape is much different.

“We’re willing to, and want to, explore food origins,” Lisa explained. “We want to say, ‘I’m going to cook an entire Korean meal this weekend, and I’m going to buy authentic ingredients and I’m going to make it from scratch. People have taken up cooking and food as a major hobby, and it’s a huge sector economically in the country.”

Elaborating, she said the food business has transformed itself into the food businesses — hundreds of different types, from importers to retailers to specialty food purveyors.

The Ekus Group has positioned itself to thrive in this environment, said the two partners, through the cookbook, but also a hard focus on serving those who want to be players in this movement, if it can still be called that, be they book writers, bloggers, podcast hosts, or simply those who want to take their culinary skills to another plane.

Ekus’s home

Top, the kitchen in Lisa Ekus’s home doubles as a studio for training chefs om how to cook before a TV audience. Above, one of the rooms in the Cooks Chateau.

Elaborating, Sally said the company is working with several hundred clients a year and perhaps a few dozen at any given time on specific book projects. Overall, the work involves building their brand, she said, and taking them beyond their first book, although they certainly help many get started.

“Oftentimes, it’s not just one book or the first book, although we love that it starts there,” she explained. “It’s the second, the third, fourth, fifth, and beyond; we help them build their brand through their publishing career.”

Lisa agreed, and said the company helps those at various stages of the book-writing process, from developing a concept, to finding a publisher, to shooting a photo for the cover.

The broad goal is to ‘position’ the book, she went on, adding the Ekus Group specializes in this value-added service.

“It’s not ‘here’s a book — let’s sell it,’” she told BusinessWest. “We want to identify the unique selling points and where in the marketplace this might fit; how can we help an author and a publisher articulate what the primary focus and goal of this particular book is. That’s what we do.”

Moving forward, the company is always looking for different ways to share its expertise in this large and growing market, she went on, adding that this mindset has led to new and different initiatives, such as the online How to Write a Cookbook course.

There are many such courses on the Internet, said Sally, but few if any that bring the Ekus Group’s level of expertise and understanding of what makes a book successful at a time when shelves are crammed with new titles, and more are written every week.

“I realized that we were getting the same questions about publishing, and cookbook publishing in particular, over and over again, whether they’re from our clients, the consults that we do, or just general curiosity in this industry,” she explained. “So a few years ago, I thought ‘how can we extend a core value of ours, which is to be a resource in this industry?’ And I put together this course, which is an extension of our expertise.”

Elaborating, she said it helps answer questions about self-publishing versus traditional publishing, how to stand out, the role of agents, and much more.

Thus far, the course, which features more than 20 “exclusive, insider tips” from Sally Ekus, has drawn considerable interest, said the partners, adding that it complements other services, such as training in culinary media, which ranges from cooking on TV or before a live audience, to conducting a radio interview. Cooking is one skill, said Sally, but media appearances are another … kettle of fish.

“There are a lot of people who say ‘I’m a food expert,’ or ‘I want to be famous and cook and talk on television,’” she said. “But there’s a very specific skill and personality that needs to be cultivated and trained, so we developed this program, which is the first of its type in this space.”

Over the past 40 years or so, hundreds, including celebrities like Lagasse, known for his mastery of Creole and Cajun cuisine, have had such training in that kitchen in the Ekus home.

As noted, countless cooking celebrities have come to Hatfield over the years, and now more are making the trek with the new Airbnb, which, as its name indicates, has a culinary focus.

“People can visit us, whether they’re a client or not, and be inspired, write, cook, visit the library, and more,” said Sally, adding that as more people become more comfortable with travelling, she expects that the space will become popular with those looking for a quiet spot to create — whether it’s with a laptap or on a stove.

 

Food for Thought

Summing up 40 years in business and the mindset that drives the Ekus Group, Lisa said, “some people eat to live; we live to eat and to celebrate the writers, the authors, the cooks who are doing it so brilliantly.”

And by celebrating them, it is helping them navigate the path to becoming celebrities — on one level or another.

This business is, like those books on the reference library shelves, unique. And as the business marks 40 years, those rooms in the Ekus home show just how far it has come and where it can still go.

 

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

Budzee Breaks New Ground by Bringing Cannabis to Your Door

By
partners in Budzee.
Cannabis Special Coverage

Delivering on Business Promise

partners in Budzee.

From left, Kevin Perrier, Volkan Polatol, and Erza Parzybok, partners in Budzee.

Volkan Polatol didn’t actually speak the words, but he strongly implied them: ‘If this was easy, then everyone would do it. Or at least try.’

The ‘it,’ in this case, is delivery of cannabis products — Amazon-style. Polatol, teaming with Kevin Perrier and Ezra Parzybok in a venture called Budzee, has created such a service, believed to be one of the very few in this region, and the country, for that matter.

As the partners talked about their business, they addressed that logical question about why they are the first and why there are not more ventures addressing what appears to be a logical need within the marketplace.

And the simple answer is that this isn’t as easy as it looks. And it doesn’t even look easy.

Indeed, there are complex licensing issues to overcome, software programs to develop, logistics, myriad expenses — from buying dedicated, unmarked vehicles to outfitting them with special equipment, to staffing each vehicle with two people (one of many requirements to be followed). And now, gas costs more than $5 a gallon.

“All of this is incredibly expensive, and it’s very difficult; we had to create the model,” said Polatol, who summed it all up by saying that a roadmap had to be in place for such a unique venture.

Parzybok agreed, and elaborated — on the many challenges facing this venture and all businesses in the cannabis sector.

“There’s a strain put on these businesses when the state invents all these rules that make it difficult to run a smooth, profitable business,” he explained. “The rules for cannabis are more strict than for pharmacies that sell opioids; they’re more strict than those for the delivery trucks that deliver alcohol. All that costs money.”

The partners who created Budzee, all veterans of this industry in one capacity or another, have chosen to take on all these challenges — they opened their doors this past spring. And that’s because, despite all these hurdles and expenses, they see real need for what they’re doing. They also see a path to profitability — not right away, but certainly some day, and perhaps soon as word of their venture grows and more people decide that it’s easier to have cannabis products delivered to their door than it is to travel to an area dispensary.

“There are people who can’t drive to a dispensary,” said Polatol. “Meanwhile, even though cannabis is legal in this state, there is still a stigma out there; some people don’t want to be seen in dispensaries. There’s still a great many people who want to be home, and they like the convenience of things being delivered to them.”

“There’s a strain put on these businesses when the state invents all these rules that make it difficult to run a smooth, profitable business. The rules for cannabis are more strict than for pharmacies that sell opioids; they’re more strict than those for the delivery trucks that deliver alcohol. All that costs money.”

And that brings the partners, who have invested more than $1.2 million to move Budzee off the drawing board, to the major challenge that remains for them — educating the public about this service and the convenience it brings.

“There’s considerable work to do to educate the public about this,” said Polatol, adding these efforts are ongoing. “Once we get established, people will understand; there are so many non-cannabis models out there — from Domino’s Pizza to Amazon. Once they understand it, it clicks. To get it out there, though, will require marketing, marketing, and more marketing.”

Parzybok agreed, and said that in time, consumers will come to understand, appreciate, and embrace the convenience just as they have in many other industries where home delivery has become an important part of the business model.

“It’s a new industry, so you assume that most licensed categories are going to be profitable,” he said. “You can look at the numbers for retail establishments or see the lines coming out the door when retail was opening, so you just assume that people will also embrace delivery. But when Amazon first came out, people were like ‘why should I buy something on the Internet when I can just go get it at the grocery store?’ But now they realize that they never have to bring it in from their car again.”

ideally situated off I-91

Budzee’s location in Easthampton is ideally situated off I-91

Getting the word out, and creating a comfort level with home delivery of cannabis products is essential, because with this model — where Budzee is charging the same price for products as one would pay if they went to a dispensary (there is a $100 minimum) — relies on volume. And creating it will be the primary assignment moving forward.

“It’s all about scaling up,” said Polatol, adding the goal is to eventually serve the entire state and build a large portfolio of new and repeat clients.

For this issue and its focus on the region’s emerging cannabis industry, BusinessWest talked with the partners at Budzee about the venture, what it took to get it off the ground, and how they anticipate that it will continue to gain altitude in the months and years to come.

 

Creating a Buzz

As they offered BusinessWest a quick tour of their facilities — dominated by signs that read ‘authorized personnel only’ or ‘Do Not Enter — Limited Access Area’ — on just about every door — the partners stopped in the large vault area where the various cannabis products are stored and then gathered for delivery.

There are literally hundreds of different products on the shelves — a selection larger than what is to be found at most dispensaries, said Polatol — with names ranging from Rootbeer Float to Blue Sunshine; Purple Pineapple Express to Sundae Driver.

Putting such a portfolio of products together has actually been one of the easier aspects of this enterprise, they noted, adding quickly that just about everything else — from the software to the business model; from the licensing to the logistics — is difficult and, in many ways, pioneering.

Turning back the clock roughly two years, Polatol said the three partners came together behind the idea that the region needed a service that would ‘bring cannabis to your house like a pizza,” as he put it, and conviction that this team had the expertise, determination, and patience (a key ingredient to be sure) to make this happen.

There were some courier-like businesses working on a DoorDash model, said Polatol, but the concept they had, for a warehouse, Amazon-like model, was totally unique for this region, and the country, as far as they knew.

The vault at Budzee

The vault at Budzee holds a wide variety of products for delivery to customers.

The partners already knew each other well. Polatol and Perrier are the owners of the dispensaries Dreamer Cannabis in Southampton, and Honey in Northampton, and Parzybok served as a licensing consultant on those ventures. United in their vision for this new kind of business, what they put together a checklist of everything that was needed, and then a roadmap for taking the concept from the drawing board to the marketplace.

The first item on the list was a license, which was somewhat problematic, because the state was, and still is, awarding cannabis-delivery licenses exclusively to those who qualify for the state’s social equity program — meaning they were previously harmed by the nation’s war on drugs.

Enter Parzybok, who was arrested in 2015 after federal agents raided his home in Northampton and eventually seized dozens of marijuana plants; he received probation for the offenses.

The license-application process was lengthy and complex, mostly because of the new ground being broken, but also because the Cannabis Control Commission has historically been methodical when issuing licenses, said Perrier, adding that this bridge would eventually be crossed.

The partners also needed a location, and realized that they actually had one in property that Perrier owned in Easthampton that was ideally situated less than a minute from an exit onto I-91, positioning the company to deliver to the four counties of Western Mass. and beyond.

They also needed software for taking orders, vehicles, specialized equipment, drivers (a challenge when all companies are looking for help), and a system for safely getting products into those vehicles and then into the hands of customers.

All those hurdles were cleared early this year, and the company commenced deliveries in early April.

Most of these have been in and around Springfield, but there have been some farther east; the territory attached to the license is essentially everything west of Worcester. And the two-person teams (one drives, the other brings the items to the door) are delivering the full spectrum of products, from flowers to edibles to accessories.

Deliveries come on three levels: ‘express’ (within two hours, but usually less than that); ‘same day,’ where the customer picks a time slot, and ‘scheduled,’ where the customer picks the day and time.

Thus far, business has been good, but the venture is still very much in the ramping-up phase as awareness of the service builds, the public becomes more comfortable with the notion of having cannabis delivered to their doorstep, and it understands (at least with this company) that delivery is not more expensive than going to the dispensary.

And there are obstacles to building this awareness, they said, adding that state and federal laws limit where and how such a venture can advertise its products and services. For example, cannabis companies can only advertise on vehicles that can prove that 85% of their audience is 21 or older, said Perrier. Meanwhile, because cannabis is still illegal federally, such platforms as Google, Instagram, and Facebook “won’t take our money,” he noted, adding that television stations will not take it, either. They can’t even advertise on the vehicles delivering the products — those must be unmarked for, presumably, security reasons; this is a cash-only business.

“You’re really handicapped in how you can advertise,” said Polatol, adding that the company is using some billboards and a digital campaign to draw people to the Budzee website. But that’s just half the battle. Once there, consumers need to become comfortable with the products and procedures, and place orders.

Despite these challenges, the partners believe they have the right concept at the right time, and as awareness and comfortability grow, they will achieve the volume they need to be profitable.

“Once Budzee becomes known as a household delivery option for cannabis, things will snowball and we’ll get bigger numbers,” said Polatol. “And we’re seeing that right now; the numbers are going up every week, and we’re getting a lot of regulars.

“There are some people who can’t leave their house for health reasons, and they’re ordering from us three times a week,” he went on. “They love it, and it’s rewarding for us; it’s a model that’s working.”

At present, the company is making maybe 20 to 30 deliveries a day on average, he said, with the goal being to take that number past 100. Other goals are to go statewide (more licenses will be needed for that) and then perhaps to other states, he told BusinessWest.

 

Budding Proposition

None of that will be easy, of course. But as these partners have shown, they are willing to assume challenges and clear some high hurdles to get where they want to be.

And right now, they are where they want to be — the first to be out the door (and to your door) with delivery of cannabis products.

They know that it will take some time to scale up, as Polatol noted, and reach the volume level they need to be successful, but they believe they have a model that works and a foundation to build on.

 

 

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

Navigating Uncertain Financial Markets

By Contributor
Special Coverage Wealth Management

It’s a Time to Stay Focused and Think Strategically

By Barbara Trombley, CPA

If you have a retirement account, as many of us do, it is hard not to follow what is going on in the financial markets today. We are officially in a bear market, defined by a drop of 20% or more in a broad market index.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average crossed into bear market territory on June 13 of this year. Unfortunately, bear markets may plummet even deeper than the 20% threshold and may do so over a prolonged period. It is a tough time to be an investor during this scenario but, eventually, the market finds a bottom and investors feel comfortable once again to begin buying, putting an end to the bear market.

Bear markets are usually the result of a recession or some other financial strain. We are not officially in a recession, but many experts think that one is coming. A recession is defined as a significant decline in economic activity that lasts for months or years. This often means that unemployment rises as companies fail or shrink to control costs. Corporate profits fall causing a decline in stock market prices.

Usually, a bear market signifies tougher economic times ahead. Unfortunately, bear markets are ‘normal’ and happen periodically. We actually experienced a short bear market at the beginning of the pandemic. Bear markets tend to be much shorter than bull markets (when stocks rise over a period of time). They also tend to be less statistically severe, with average losses of 33% compared with bull market average gains of 159%, according to data compiled by Invesco.

“It is a tough time to be an investor during this scenario but, eventually, the market finds a bottom and investors feel comfortable once again to begin buying, putting an end to the bear market.”

What should an investor do during a bear market? Risk tolerance, asset allocation and your age really come in to play right now. The percentage of equities in your portfolio should match your risk tolerance and age. For instance, if you are in your thirties and forties and are investing in your 401(k), you could be very aggressive and have a large percentage of equities.

If this is the case, then you should be thrilled to make your monthly deposit into your account. You are buying stocks ‘on sale’ and you have many years to make up any temporary losses in your account. Even if you are a few years from retirement, and depending upon you situation, a bear market could be seen as an opportunity to purchase stocks at a discount.

A prolonged bear market for someone approaching retirement or a new retiree could mean making some changes to your lifestyle. For example, you could limit withdrawals from your investment account and/or eliminate panic selling. When you withdraw money or sell in a bear market it is considered “locking in the losses.” Perhaps you can cut spending or pick up an extra job for the short term, until the economy is on more stable footing.

There are financial products available that could potentially be suitable in many portfolios. In some cases when determined appropriate, an annuity could be used to create more stable income, a REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) could be used to help diversity a portfolio and many insurance companies offer products with downside protection. Consult your financial advisor for different ideas to help address the volatility in your portfolio.

Perspective is key to a good night’s sleep when dealing with market volatility. Downturns are a normal occurrence in the stock market. Since 1932, bear markets have occurred, on average, every 56 months (about four years and eight months), according to S&P Dow Jones Indices. Make sure to keep emergency funds in the bank to keep market withdrawals to a minimum. Do not make rash changes to your portfolio. There is a saying that ‘time in the market beats timing the market.’ It is very hard to predict the exact best day to sell a stock or to buy a stock. Missing the best days in the stock market, over time, can seriously undermine your performance. Having a plan and sticking to it could yield the best results in the long term.

If you are a new investor, you may want to proceed cautiously. One potential strategy is to dollar cost average any funds that you have into the market (spread the investment over a period of time). This way you are buying at different price points in the market. Dollar cost averaging involves continuous investment in securities regardless of fluctuation in price levels of such securities. An investor should consider their ability to continue purchasing through fluctuating price levels. Such a plan does not assure a profit and does not protect against loss in declining markets.

No one is predicting when the market bottom will happen, and it is nearly impossible to time. I believe you should see to have a well-diversified portfolio with a mixture of asset classes, though there is no guarantee that a diversified portfolio will enhance overall returns or outperform a non-diversified portfolio. Diversification does not protect against market risk.

Always remember the adages “This too shall pass” and “Time is on your side.” Those people that have been investing for a while have been through many economic downturns and have survived and, most likely, thrived if they have stayed the course and stuck to their plan!

 

Barbara Tromblay is a financial advisor and CPA with Wilbraham-based Tromblay, CPA: (413) 596-6992. Securities offered through LPL Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Trombley Associates, a registered investment advisor and separate entity from LPL Financial. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly.

Sam Hanmer Is Finding Satisfaction in His Second Act

By Contributor
Insurance Special Coverage

A Policy of Purpose

After a long career growing FieldEddy (later HUB International New England) into one of the region’s most notable insurance success stories, Sam Hanmer called it quits, figuring he’d enjoy an early retirement. But he didn’t, in fact, enjoy it. So, three years later, with a renewed sense of passion and purpose, he got back in the game, purchasing two local agencies, with the intention to grow them further, with an eye toward cultivating the next generation of leadership.

By Stephen Carter

If not for the pandemic, Sam Hanmer said, he might have stayed retired.

Or maybe not.

A long stretch when COVID-19 largely shut down the world certainly didn’t add to whatever enjoyment his retirement years — which began in the spring of 2018 — were bringing him, but the truth, he admitted, is that early retirement simply didn’t suit him.

“Quite honestly, I was hanging around doing nothing every day and had a lack of purpose in my life,” said Hanmer, whose more than three-decade career in insurance was highlighted by the rapid growth of FieldEddy in the early years of this century and its acquisition by Hub International in 2014. “I said, ‘OK, I have to go do something. This is crazy; I’m too young. None of my friends are retired. I’m a golfer, but not a passionate golfer.’ So retirement didn’t sit well with me.”

As noted, COVID didn’t help — Hanmer’s bulldog, Santino, was his “pandemic dog,” a companion during those isolating months — and not even the golf courses were open for a while. Simply put, he was restless.

“I figured, I’ve got plenty of earning years left, so I went back to what I know,” he said, noting that he honored his non-compete agreement with HUB before jumping back into the insurance business. After bidding on another agency and falling short, he purchased the two locations of LeBel, Lavigne & Deady Insurance (in Chicopee and Springfield) in May 2021, rebranding them as the Rush Insurance Group. Then, in November, he bought Towne Insurance Agency in Agawam, changing the name to Towne Insurance Group; it may eventually be part of the Rush name as well.

“I got back in the business,” he said. “I needed something to do, and it’s what I knew.”

Back in the 1980s, when Hanmer graduated from UMass Amherst, his father was the majority owner of a firm known then as Field, Eddy, and Bulkley, but Hanmer didn’t go to work for him right away. When he later joined the family business, he started in sales but moved to the financial side when the treasurer suffered a heart attack and had to leave the company for some time. After his father retired in 1995, Hanmer stepped into the role of CEO.

It wasn’t long before he started to capitalize on a trend within the industry — many small, mom-and-pop operations struggling to adjust to changes and technology began looking in earnest for exit strategies — to grow by acquisition.

insurance business with a new venture

Sam Hanmer tried retirement, but it didn’t suit him, so he returned to the insurance business with a new venture

Over the next two decades, the firm acquired a number of agencies, including the Curtis and Hodskins agencies in Monson, Aliengena in Palmer, LDS in Three Rivers, Meadows in East Longmeadow, Remillard in South Hadley, Buckley Bridge in Windsor Locks, and both BPI and Lawson, Marino & Bertera in Springfield.

The 160-year-old firm, later branded FieldEddy, was still growing its footprint when it became part of the HUB International family in 2014, where Hanmer remained in a leadership role for three and a half years, then retired.

For a while, anyway.

 

A Different Perspective

Looking back to his un-retirement decision early last year, Hanmer figures it was probably inevitable, pandemic or not.

“I’m very happy I made the call to do it. I’ve had people, friends in the business, say, ‘why did you get back into this business?’ But it’s a good business, it really is, and they know it.

“But after a while, it can get old,” he went on. “So for me, taking three years off and coming back was a like a recharge. I was in the business 30-something years, and after 30 years, anything can get a little tiring. You take a few years off and realize — in my case, at least — retirement wasn’t working, and you come back with a different lens because you had three years off. So I’m excited and having fun in the business — probably more fun now than I had back in the day.”

Hanmer has navigated a number of changes in the sector, including the rise of direct writers like Geico and Progressive, who poured into Massachusetts after state regulations were changed to stimulate competition. But Hanmer, like other independent agents, has always countered that evolution by emphasizing the value of relationships in his business.

“The direct writers have captured a fair amount of the Massachusetts business, and you saw a big pitch years ago about online sales from direct writers. Now you see Geico offices popping up because they finally understand it is a relationship business. Geico’s done phenomenally; they don’t have to put offices up, but they’re starting to build offices you can walk into. And Progressive probably does 80% of their business through independent agents. People don’t know that.”

The other factor that’s been affecting the insurance world over the past 20 years — and remains a factor today — is consolidation, and there’s a place, Hanmer said, for locally owned companies in that landscape.

“Consolidation has been happening in all sectors, and that’s very much the case in the insurance-agency world,” he noted. “Everything is going to the nationals, and the local insurance agencies are dwindling. But we’re still local people.”

The main challenge is one of scale, he said, noting that the size of HUB certainly helped the former FieldEddy grow its business because of the buying power of a national firm. “And they have a lot of what I would call specialty units that focus on a particular sector. It’s powerful. It served us well.

“But I still think there are a group of middle-market buyers, smaller businesses that get lost in the shuffle with the nationals, and I think there’s a big opportunity for smaller local agencies to capture that business,” he went on. “A lot of national players actually walk away from that business. And in Western Mass., that’s 90% of businesses.”

So, against the backdrop of continued consolidation and with his accumulated years of experience, Hanmer saw an opportunity to be successful.

“It certainly was a scary thought to get back in, and come up with some capital in order to get back in, knowing that things have changed in three years — although they didn’t change as much as I thought they would have.”

Elaborating, he said he discussed coming back with friends and colleagues, and they led him to believe the business had changed quite a bit, even in the three years he was away.

“And there is change in the system environment, in the software we use, some of the peripheral things, but the actual dynamics of the business didn’t change. Once I got back in, I said, ‘this is what I anticipated.’”

It’s a landscape where relationship building and the consultative approach still matter, he explained.

“That’s never gone away. I’d rather be your consultant than your salesman. If someone buys from me, great, but if they don’t, and I’ve helped them, that’s fine too, because at some point, that will come around. Maybe they’ll talk to a friend. Even if I don’t ever get their business, that approach works. It doesn’t necessarily work quickly, but this is a marathon, not a sprint.”

He paused for a moment. “Well, I’m sprinting a little bit, because there will be retirement at some point ahead of me.”

 

Leaving a Legacy

For now, though, Hanmer is focused on growing his three offices, which offer personal, commercial, and employee-benefit lines — the latter being new for both agencies.

“My makeup isn’t to sit back. I absolutely plan on growing it through organic growth and organic sales and through further acquisitions, for sure,” he told BusinessWest. But he wants to leave his enterprise in healthy shape when that second retirement does come around — and, presumably, sticks.

“I’m hoping this time around to create something where a perpetuation might be internal instead of selling it externally to a national brand. If I can get a few young guys — and women — in here who are passionate about the business and want to keep it going, I would definitely perpetuate it internally, just create a little annunity for myself, as opposed to just cashing out. That’s the plan. Plans change, but that’s the plan.”

Bringing in young professionals is a national challenge, however.

“It’s hard. This industry is struggling to attract young people who want to be in the insurance business. It’s hard to get young people energized or even want to talk to you. They’d rather be in a dot-com; they’d rather be in a startup in Boston. There’s all kinds of things they’d rather do than sell insurance.”

One reason is that insurance isn’t an instant-gratification career, he explained.

“It’s a recurring-revenue business, which means your first few years are tough because you have to build a book of business. It’s a commission-based business, so once you build your business, you can create a recurring-revenue compensation program. It can be lucrative if you stick it out, but most people won’t stick it out because the first few years are lean. If they can manage through their first few years and have thick enough skin not to worry about the public perception of insurance, it can be a very lucrative job.”

The negative perception arises, Hanmer said, because insurance is something everyone needs, but they don’t want to pay for it. “They love having it when they have a problem, but if they’ve never had a problem, they say, ‘I can’t believe I spent all this money on insurance.’”

Hanmer found he needed insurance, too — not the product, but the career. He needed it more, in fact, than putting on a green or puttering around a house, or whatever activities he and Santino — who now goes to work with his owner every day — might get up to.

In other words, Hanmer needed to feel the spark of working again, so that’s what he did. And he found that spark.

“I definitely made the right decision,” he said. “I’m really happy.”

Incorporations

By
Incorporations

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

AMHERST

Goldpundit Inc., 64 Heatherstone Road, Amherst, MA, 01002. Firas Hashmi, same. Internet services.

The Peachtree Suite Inc., 167 Rolling Ridge Road, Amherst, MA, 01002. Monique Worthy, same. Digital marketing agency.

BELCHERTOWN

Golden Cross Brands Inc., 54 Pepper Ridge Dr., Belchertown, MA 01007.  Matthew Lacroix, same. Holding company that includes multiple brands.

Krispy’s Inc., 146 State St., Belchertown, MA 01007. Anna Voyiatzis, 46 Howard St. Paxton, MA 01612. Restaurant.

CHICOPEE

Joyous Relax Spa Inc., 665 Prospect St., 2h, Chicopee, MA 01020. Chun Yan Li, same. Spa.

KFY Inc., 345 Chicopee St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Kerameddin Ozdemir, 70 Hill St., Second Floor, West Springfield, MA 01089. Pizza restaurant.

EAST BROOKFIELD

Graceful Youth Inc., 220 Adams Road, East  Brookfield, MA 01515. Melissa J. Victor, same. Cosmetic treatments.

EAST LONGMEADOW

K. Ebner Creative Inc., 160 Maple St., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Kayla Ebner, same. Creative services including photo, video, drone photography/videography, and social media management.

EASTHAMPTON

Type 2 Fun Inc., 27 Holyoke St., Easthampton, MA 01027.  Nathan Graham Davis, same. Writing and filmmaking services.

FEEDING HILLS

Integrity Home Improvements Inc., 25 Henry St., Feeding Hills, MA 01030. Yvan A Wampler, same. Home improvements and remodeling.

GREENFIELD

Osprey Drone Solutions Inc., 94 Oakland St., Greenfield, MA 01301. Adam Mitchell, same.  Drone inspection/search services.

HOLYOKE

Nia Billing and Consulting Inc., 98 Lower Westfield Road, Holyoke, MA, 01040.  Ramon Lorenzi, 7 Thomas St., Windsor Locks, CT 06096. Medical billing.

LENOX

Sexhippies Inc., 41 Taconic Ave., Lenox, MA, 01240.  Benjamin Baptiste, same. Clothing brand.

LONGMEADOW

An Khang Consulting Inc., 294 Anthony Way, Longmeadow, MA, 01106. Tu Pham, same. Financial consulting service.

LUDLOW

Cha’s Ice Cream and Grill Inc., 329 West St., Ludlow, MA, 01056. Charlene A. Coelho, same. Ice cream shop.

NORTHAMPTON

Aeg Massachusetts Vision Therapy, PC, 86 Masonic St., Northampton, MA, 01060. Theresa J. Ruggiero O.D., same. Optometry practice.

PITTSFIELD

Ace Carrier Transportation Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Derrell Spencer Brown, same. Transportation services.

Kovo Credit Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA  01201. Charles Li, same. Financial services marketplace and retail platform.

Low6 USA Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Jamie Mitchell, same. Free online game operator.

SOUTH DEERFIELD

Willoughby Inc., 61 Eastern Ave., South Deerfield, MA 01373. Kelli M Richardson, same. Hair salon.

SPRINGFIELD

413 Elite Foundation Corp., 393 Belmont Ave Unit #80347, Springfield, MA  01108.  Charles T Evans, same.  Provides mentorship, education, and coaching for a broad community where children and young adults aged 5-25 years.

Camino Profetico Inc., 113A Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA, 01105. Juan Rivera, same. Ministry.

Casa Deborah, 147 Santa Barbara St., Springfield, MA, 01104. Merilyn Bermudez, same. Spiritual corporation, organized as a national ministry exclusively for religious purposes.

Cidilhz Gran Cruzada Id Y Predicar Gran Crusade Go Ye Preach Inc., 148 Hartford St., Springfield, MA 01118.  Julio E. Edwards, same. Ministry.

Greater Vermont Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Church of God in Christ, 173 Berkshire St., Springfield, MA, 01109.  Talbert W. Swan II, same. Nonprofit religious organization.

Iglesia Pentecoastal El Carvario Inc., 294 Dorwell St., Springfield, MA, 01108.  Juan A. Rivera, same. Nonprofit religious organization.

J & J Hilltop Trucking Inc., 234 Eastern Ave., Springfield, MA 01109.  Javier C. Santiago, same. Trucking services.

JD’s Experts in Home Repairs Inc., 85 Silver St., Springfield, MA 01107. Jesus D Santos Diaz, same. Home repairs and improvement services.

WARE

Ware Soccer Club Inc., 14 Mountainview Dr., Ware, MA 01082. Herbert Foley, same. Non-profit organization formed and established to provide for the advancement of amateur soccer in Ware.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

1st Response 24/7 Mitigation Inc., 6 Lenny’s Way, West Springfield, MA 01089. Jason Gale, same. Restoration and mitigation company.

Albazi Express Inc., 57 Nelson St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Abdullah Shihab, same. Transportation services.

Bee Logistics Inc., 73 Verdugo St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Vitaliy Pchelka, same. Long-distance transportation.

WESTFIELD

Dukach Transportation Inc., 20 Linden Ave., Westfield, MA 01085. Andrii Dukach, same. Long-distance transportation.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

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

DEERFIELD

J. Corbett Home Exteriors
38 Graves St., South Deerfield
John Corbett

The Olde Highway Bookshop
250 Greenfield Road, South Deerfield
Maria Burge

NORTHAMPTON

Angela Rietvelt, LMHC
44 Maple St., Florence
Angela Rietvelt

Cheap Thrills
321 Easthampton Road
Joseph Cox

Companion Software
71 Olander Dr.
Lawrence M. Daniele

Creations by Candy, LLC
68 Bradford St., Unit E
Candy Lee Lacey

Friendly’s
54-56 Main St., Florence
Friendly’s Restaurant Co. LLC

Holy Cow On-Line Marketing
71 Olander Dr.
Lawrence M. Daniele

Interiors by Ursula
140 Olander Dr., Apt. #115
Ursula Knolton

Laudable productions, LLC
408 North Farms Road, Florence
Kyle Homestead

Mantis Graphics Inc.
557 Easthampton Road
Bradley J. Robbins

MOMS Northampton
216 North King St.
Joel Wheeler

NOHO Nails
32 Pleasant St.
Minh Chau

Northampton Center for Health and Healing
241 King St., #228
Marcia L. Nickerson

Progression Brewing Company
9 Pearl St.
Andrew Starkweather, Member

Room 6
140 Pine St., Florence
Wendie Anne Willey

Spill the Teas Sis Apotherapy
183 Main St.
Mischa R. Epstein

Sunderland Challenge
966 Ryan Road, Florence
Megan Elizabeth Jones

VIP Nails Spa
104B Damon Road
Hoa Ly

SOUTHWICK

CNS Neurofeedback, LLC
20 Davis Road
Connie Jansen

Country Auto Sales
520 College Hwy.
Alan Gendron

Southwick Computer
4 Island Pond Road
Robert Cranston

Wildernedd Experience Unlimited
526 College Hwy.
Robert Templeton

SPRINGFIELD

Allston Antiques
48 Firglade Ave.
William Young Worth

Beautiful Inside And Out
1192 Bay St.
Barbra Jean Williams

Bellevue Home Solutions
62 Bellevue Ave.
Reinaldo Gonzalez

Borinquen Bakery
464 Bridge St.
Dario I. Grullon

Cat Scraps
13 Naismith Place
Salman Nadeem

Cellar Door Productions
109 Dewitt St.
Anthony Zalowski

Chef It Up Catering
57 Macomber Ave.
Carla Edmonds

Chic Elite Credit
46 Harkness Ave.
Luxury Lifestyle

The Children’s Playhouse
112 Gresham St.
Annette Guzman

Clean 2 the Max Cleaning
14 Berbay Cir., Suite B
Juliet M. Maxwell

Comcast of Massachusetts
1083 Boston Road
Tom Donnelly

Crazy Andy’s Liquors
754-758 Main St.
Ravimder Arora

Cristian Transport
39 Stockman St.
Christian H. Perez

Crowns Auto Sales
472 Boston Road
Crowns Traders Corp.

Dream A4 Transportation
32 Hampden St.
Alberto J. Diaz

Edwin Ivan Towing
66 Kenyon St.
Edwin Ivan Albaladejo

Euro Style Hair Salon
28 Burdette St.
Yelena Merzel

Frederick’s Cut
677 South Branch Parkway
Frederick Rivera

Georgie’s Barber Shop
774 Liberty St.
Jorge L. Cruz

J&M Consulting
122 Massasoit St.
Joesiah Gonzalez

JC Carriers LLC
21 Lawndale St.
Johnny A. Colon Alago

J.C. Quick Supply
26 Kenwood Ter.
Julio Casado

Jackline Alston
44 1/2 Chapel St.
Jackline Alston

La Minta De Kelsey, Inc.
154 Catharine St.
Denzel Williams

La Playita Caribena
15 Olney Ave.
Dalfri Ciprian

Last of the Real
105 Central St.
Stevens Brown

Liam Towing LLC
510 Boston Road
Joselito Pagan

Luna Studios TCG
65 Wentworth St.
Gabriel Luna Riveria

Luxury Tax Solutions
46 Harkness Ave.
Luxury Lifestyle

Metrocom Tax Services
11 Preston St.
Tom Lee Morrow

Michael L. Foy, Attorney
21 Stockbridge St.
Michael Foy

My Man Marty
1727 Carew St.
Marty Lee McKemie

Nana’s Crazy Chicken
133 Powell Ave.
Gamalier Colon

Nicolas Family Consulting
32 Hampden St.
Benjamin Robert

Ora Care
878 Sumner Ave.
Violet Hall

Outfit Crislianes
554 Carew St.
Johanna Alicea Alicea

Phoenix Skin Care
127 Sumner Ave.
Carolina Reyes

Premier Nursing Institute
16 Rearson Dr.
Tara M. Johnson

Robbin D. Jones
21 Deveau St.
Robbin Daniel Jones

Sai Amour
262 Connecticut Ave.
Jose Irizarry

Skin Care Types
515 Tiffany St.
Thuy Tran

Snatched
27 Cherry St.
Tiffany Harris

Stop & Go Mini Mart
261 Locust St.
Mark Anthony Centeno

TNS Landscaping LLP
258 Union St., Apt 1A
Hector D. Reyes

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Blinks By JoJo
2260 Westfield St.
Julianna Driscol

Bourque Real Estate
1233 Westfield St.
Wilfrid J. Bourque

Comfort Inn and Suites
106 Capital Dr.
Shailesh N. Patel

Conca Sport and Fitness
170 Elm St.
Stephen F. Conca

The Flying Locksmiths
425 Union St.
Michael Faubert

Total Fitness Equipment LLC
1267 Riverdale St.
Jon Valles

Westside Bar & Grill
95 Elm St.
Tyler Saremi

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies

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

Beltran Suren, Felix
1342 Bay St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Date: 05/28/2022

Bergeron, Chris P.
Bergeron, Linda A.
735 Memorial Dr., Trailer 28
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/31/2022

Butterworth, Leatrice J.
250 New Boston Road
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Date: 06/02/2022

Choquette, Stephen H.
Choquette, Elizabeth M.
15 Blemer Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/31/2022

Dukette, Ross
66 Stony Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Date: 06/06/2022

Eldred, Brandon Michael
34 Longwood Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/31/2022

Evans, Robert P.
20 Easthampton Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/28/2022

Fontanez, Olga
10 Sheridan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 06/01/2022

Hartnett, Richard B.
199 Meadow St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/28/2022

McDonnell, Patricia
1688 South Branch Parkway
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 13
Date: 06/01/2022

Morales Badillo, Victor E.
a/k/a Morales, Victor E.
95 Methuen St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Date: 06/05/20227

Parks, Stephen J.
610 Granville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 06/01/2022

Salamon, Nancy
77 Madison St., 2nd Fl.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/28/2022

Simonoko, Michael J.
243 Manchonis Road Ext.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Date: 13
Chapter: 06/06/2022

Smith, Alexandra Denise-Marie
21 Herrick Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/27/2022

Tiefenauer, Jeane M.
579 Country Club Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/31/2022

Verenich, Larisa
343 Chicopee St., Unit 25
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Date: 06/02/2022

Real Estate Transactions

By
Real Estate

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

FRANKLIN COUNTY

GREENFIELD

407-409 Federal St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $7,692,308
Buyer: Lac 407-409 Fed St.
Seller: 409 Federal Street LLC
Date: 06/07/22

10 Greenway Lane
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Oleg Cobileanschi
Seller: Zimmerman, Lee F., (Estate)
Date: 06/09/22

14 Hope St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Olive Street Development LLC
Seller: Newspapers Of Mass. Inc.
Date: 06/07/22

85 Hope St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $252,000
Buyer: Liza B. Knapp
Seller: Jonathan R. Storm
Date: 06/08/22

124 Meadow Lane
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Terry R. West
Seller: Susan A. Cole
Date: 06/09/22

39 Nichols Dr.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $416,250
Buyer: Adam G. Mitchell
Seller: Cameron R. Ward
Date: 06/07/22

MONTAGUE

32 H St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Brian Dew
Seller: George Carner
Date: 06/10/22

NORTHFIELD

278 Birnam Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Jonathan Storm
Seller: Philip Baker
Date: 06/08/22

148 Winchester Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Taylor O’Neill
Seller: Thomas Aquinas College
Date: 06/07/22

ORANGE

60 Prentiss St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Ginger Siri
Seller: Charles D. Anderson
Date: 06/07/22

27 Riverside Dr.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Stephanie Robinson
Seller: Jacob Brown
Date: 06/10/22

SUNDERLAND

425 Amherst Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $187,500
Buyer: Joseph K. Bagdon
Seller: Mary A. Obdens
Date: 06/09/22

WHATELY

233 Haydenville Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $407,000
Buyer: Jesse Nichols
Seller: Susan E. Stebbins
Date: 06/07/22

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

8 Carmen Ave.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $465,000
Buyer: Maksim Kot
Seller: David E. Borowski
Date: 06/09/22

44 Forest Hill Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Craig D. Kronlund
Seller: Ryan Martin
Date: 06/08/22

53 Harvey Johnson Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $356,000
Buyer: David Spafford
Seller: Mary M. Kirk
Date: 06/08/22

145 High St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Kenia Pena
Seller: Ryan P. Fitzemeyer
Date: 06/10/22

79 Karen Lynn Circle
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Claudia V. Hill
Seller: Barbara A. Hayes
Date: 06/10/22

21 Laura Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Matthew J. Sabo
Seller: John F. Wadlegger
Date: 06/08/22

1005 Main St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Cydney L. Grauer
Seller: Thies, Muriel S., (Estate)
Date: 06/08/22

340-342 North West St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Ginger N. Dubois
Seller: Karen Ollari
Date: 06/10/22

23 Ridgeview Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: John F. Wilson
Seller: Joan A. Gamelli
Date: 06/10/22

15 Sharon Lane
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Emily Dagenais
Seller: Lilliam Yvon
Date: 06/09/22

371 South Westfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $2,320,000
Buyer: 371 South Westfield LLC
Seller: Luigi Chiarella
Date: 06/08/22

BLANDFORD

30 Gore Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Amy J. Harchelroad
Seller: Emily Dagenais
Date: 06/07/22

29 South St.
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $835,000
Buyer: Natalie Kowalczyk
Seller: Rhonda J. Boulette
Date: 06/10/22

BRIMFIELD

53 Harnois Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $725,000
Buyer: Bradford G. Maxfield
Seller: Linda Neto
Date: 06/08/22

12 Paige Hill Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Andrew T. Porter
Seller: Louise M. Dickinson
Date: 06/07/22

CHESTER

54 Holcomb Road
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: C. M. Callahan-Carey
Seller: Mark Hetherington
Date: 06/06/22

CHICOPEE

78 7th Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Thomas B. Selby
Seller: Steven M. Tomaino
Date: 06/06/22

54 Alfred St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $205,800
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: Hann Realty LLC
Date: 06/07/22

8 Bonneta Circle
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $216,600
Buyer: Douglas J. Dichard
Seller: Wells Fargo Bank
Date: 06/10/22

802 Britton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $274,000
Buyer: Jennifer Caldalda
Seller: Robert M. Gancarz
Date: 06/09/22

37 Frink St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $163,000
Buyer: Jason Schreiber
Seller: Robert Schreiber
Date: 06/06/22

406 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Edson Souza
Seller: Lapierre, Arthur L., (Estate)
Date: 06/06/22

512 Irene St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Aguasvivas Realty LLC
Seller: US Bank
Date: 06/10/22

45 Magnolia Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Darrian Plasse
Seller: Plasse, Marion T., (Estate)
Date: 06/08/22

62 Paradise St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $193,500
Buyer: Daniel Ewing
Seller: Caroline K. Crooks
Date: 06/10/22

23 Sanford St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Melissa L. Cardona-Birkner
Seller: Partyka Partners LP
Date: 06/10/22

138 Skeele St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $278,000
Buyer: Andrew R. Beiser
Seller: Edward R. Pelland
Date: 06/08/22

EAST LONGMEADOW

31 Sturbridge Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $675,000
Buyer: Ryan M. Martin
Seller: Laurie A. Campbell
Date: 06/08/22

25 Tracey Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Alisha Richardson
Seller: Joseph J. McGrath
Date: 06/10/22

21 Voyer Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Ryan Fatula
Seller: Taylor Kjar
Date: 06/08/22

221 Westwood Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Joseph Torcia
Seller: Mark C. Allen
Date: 06/07/22

GRANVILLE

789 Main Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Brian T. Vecchiarelli
Seller: Kevin M. Washington
Date: 06/10/22

Water St. Lot 1
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Joshua Wilburn-Simpson
Seller: Michael G. Fillion
Date: 06/07/22

HAMPDEN

110 Glendale Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Jakob Labonte
Seller: Bruce A. Specht
Date: 06/10/22

432 Main St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $157,500
Buyer: Ryan A. Wheaton
Seller: Betty J. Sutcliffe
Date: 06/09/22

HOLLAND

12 Brandon St.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Nicole C. Holguin
Seller: Kenneth M. Ference
Date: 06/08/22

4 Cove Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: R. J. & Kristien Lscheyd RET
Seller: Richard A. Sisk
Date: 06/10/22

513 Old Turnpike Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $383,000
Buyer: Eric Walsh
Seller: Cormier & Sons Construction
Date: 06/06/22

49 Over The Top Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Robert F. Baker
Seller: Rosenblatt, Marguerite, (Estate)
Date: 06/07/22

HOLYOKE

15-17 Carlton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Daniel Gladek
Seller: Patrick S. Michaud
Date: 06/10/22

69 Gates St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Alycar Investments LLC
Seller: Anna R. Gagne
Date: 06/08/22

22 Green Willow Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Manuel Reyes
Seller: McGillicuddy, John M., (Estate)
Date: 06/10/22

268 Pine St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Roxanne Roman
Seller: Miguel Pacheco
Date: 06/10/22

LONGMEADOW

678 Converse St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $730,000
Buyer: Robert Hicklin
Seller: Christine Nault
Date: 06/10/22

73 Laurel St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $408,000
Buyer: Shigefumi Tomita
Seller: Floyd Lewis
Date: 06/06/22

1656 Longmeadow St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Karen Stamand
Seller: Anthony E. English
Date: 06/07/22

636 Wolf Swamp Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $685,000
Buyer: Matthew P. Stone
Seller: Jeffrey D. McDonald
Date: 06/07/22

LUDLOW

182 Fuller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: Alfred M. Connizzo
Seller: Andrea McCarthy-Bates
Date: 06/07/22

27-29 Walnut St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Hannah Sugrue
Seller: Jose L. Ferreira
Date: 06/07/22

679 West St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $443,000
Buyer: Juan C. Acevedo
Seller: Seth M. Falconer
Date: 06/08/22

PALMER

2078-2080 Palmer Road
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Feeney FT 2021
Seller: Bernadette Hicks
Date: 06/07/22

1010-1012 Pine St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Jacob Mead
Seller: JBD Empire LLC
Date: 06/09/22

65-1/2 Shearer St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $257,650
Buyer: Matthew Stone
Seller: Erica Beaulieu-Walch
Date: 06/08/22

10-12 Stewart Court
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Deven K. Collignon
Seller: Kevin Goodhind
Date: 06/08/22

SPRINGFIELD

89 Abbott St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: John Thomas
Seller: Fernan Thomas
Date: 06/10/22

138 Abbott St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: L. A. Bucciarelli-Dwyer
Seller: Todd A. Haugsjaahabink
Date: 06/07/22

719 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $303,000
Buyer: Anibal Alamo
Seller: CIG3 LLC
Date: 06/09/22

270 Arcadia Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Value Properties LLC
Seller: Vecchiarelli, R. N., (Estate)
Date: 06/10/22

332 Bay St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $227,950
Buyer: Natasha A. Emery
Seller: Greater Springfield Habitat
Date: 06/10/22

60 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Carol Pennant
Seller: Safee Idrees
Date: 06/10/22

258-260 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Lisa W. Cassidy
Seller: Ernest W. Hamel
Date: 06/10/22

1090 Boston Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $1,500,000
Buyer: GR Springfield Land LLC
Seller: 1090 Boston Road Inc.
Date: 06/10/22

934 Bradley Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: Malania A. Gormley
Seller: Robert F. Wheeler
Date: 06/09/22

15 Burns Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Ileana Garcia
Seller: Alice L. Dezan
Date: 06/10/22

222 Cabinet St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: C. Delaovalle
Seller: George M. Quinlan
Date: 06/10/22

29 Catalina Dr.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $342,000
Buyer: Lisa Aiello
Seller: Eleanor Sampson
Date: 06/09/22

40-42 Cherry St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $209,000
Buyer: Alinoska Jimenez-Colon
Seller: Victor M. Melendez
Date: 06/07/22

38 Collins St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: 38 Collins LLC
Seller: Nolava LLC
Date: 06/06/22

24-26 Commonwealth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $367,000
Buyer: Sarita Oli
Seller: Bijay Tamang
Date: 06/10/22

37-39 Commonwealth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Jose Blanco
Seller: Safee A. Idrees
Date: 06/06/22

20 Craig St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Michael P. Jones
Seller: Crystal A. Jones
Date: 06/10/22

26 Crawford Circle
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $369,500
Buyer: Chiedozie P. Ekeimoh
Seller: Norris Rabb
Date: 06/10/22

12-14 Demond Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $317,000
Buyer: M. Tran Properties LLC
Seller: Brico Properties LLC
Date: 06/10/22

145 Devens St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Tracy L. Hill
Seller: Ruth D. Salcedo
Date: 06/07/22

69 Dexter St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Ding K. Wu
Seller: Jianneng Wu
Date: 06/09/22

41 Dresden St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Schuyler D. Busch
Seller: Steve McLeod
Date: 06/09/22

103 Eastern Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Altiery Chauvet
Seller: Jesus M. Garcia
Date: 06/09/22

35 Eton St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: Platinum Homes LLC
Seller: Nancy E. McCarthy
Date: 06/08/22

15 Ferncliff Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Traci Hershman
Seller: Ana M. Fontanez
Date: 06/08/22

48-50 Ferris St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $287,500
Buyer: Tashanna K. Myers
Seller: Donna Franceschina
Date: 06/10/22

88 Fisher St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $227,500
Buyer: Abdel Velazquez
Seller: Randy Gonzalez
Date: 06/10/22

115 Garfield St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $329,000
Buyer: Garvin Cius
Seller: Majid G. Kia
Date: 06/08/22

5 Gourley Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Quartz & Raffio LLC
Seller: Theresa M. Conway
Date: 06/09/22

139 Hampden St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: Carlos Frais-Castillo
Seller: Gene Phelps
Date: 06/08/22

72-74 Horace St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Javier Rivera
Seller: TM Properties Inc.
Date: 06/06/22

58-60 Howes St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Winners O. LLC
Seller: Shawn D. Davis-Smith
Date: 06/09/22

22-24 Kendall St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Pierre B. Louis
Seller: Volga Empire Mass. LLC
Date: 06/06/22

60 Kulig St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Thomas J. Hibert
Seller: Daniel Smith
Date: 06/10/22

59-61 Lawrence St.
Springfield, MA 01056
Amount: $312,000
Buyer: Danielle Tetreault
Seller: Vilai Sivongxai
Date: 06/07/22

1387 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01103
Amount: $969,026
Buyer: Louis Wiener LT
Seller: JGT Mass. LLC
Date: 06/10/22

110-112 Malden St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Benny Troncoso
Seller: Benjamin Velazquez
Date: 06/07/22

32-34 Massachusetts Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $303,850
Buyer: Roger Cruz-Cordero
Seller: Jailyn Gonzalez
Date: 06/10/22

Mulberry St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Tomasina Reyes
Seller: Lidia Tolparova
Date: 06/07/22

95 Patricia Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $352,500
Buyer: Everett L. Handford
Seller: Janice Marsala
Date: 06/10/22

35 Pine Acre Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Kyle R. Kalin
Seller: Robert J. Mucha
Date: 06/07/22

567 Plainfield St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Mashia D. Waters
Seller: Cruz Rosario
Date: 06/10/22

1412 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $242,500
Buyer: Bryan N. Lopez-Acevedo
Seller: Vanessa M. Marrero
Date: 06/10/22

137 Roy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Angelica R. William
Seller: Debra A. Aberdale
Date: 06/10/22

1276 Saint James Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $3,005,357
Buyer: Exchanferight Net Leased
Seller: Arista Springfield LLC
Date: 06/06/22

46 Shumway St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Michael Garcia
Seller: Kimberly Santiago
Date: 06/08/22

61 Southern Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: John M. Stavro
Seller: Andre P. Bernatchez
Date: 06/10/22

58-60 Sterling St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Luis J. Ayala-Martinez
Seller: Johnson, William J., (Estate)
Date: 06/08/22

78-80 Sterling St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Dyan Varnadore
Seller: Hedge Hog Industries Corp.
Date: 06/06/22

403 Sunrise Ter.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: Juan C. Corniel-Liriano
Seller: Lesmore A. Gibb
Date: 06/10/22

151 Surrey Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $308,000
Buyer: Kali N. Thomas
Seller: Daniel J. Hall
Date: 06/07/22

38 Tinkham Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Sareen Properties LLC
Seller: Kathleen A. Pierson
Date: 06/07/22

105 Upton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Shilasi Investments LLC
Seller: Wicked Deals LLC
Date: 06/09/22

152 West Allen Ridge Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $326,000
Buyer: Ngoc Vo
Seller: Carmelo J. Federico
Date: 06/07/22

89 Wexford St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Peter K. Mwaura
Seller: Brian F. Dominick
Date: 06/08/22

134 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Carmen Vega
Seller: Dale D. Ngo
Date: 06/07/22

79 Wilbraham Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Felix Oliveras
Seller: Yvonne M. Buchanan
Date: 06/08/22

547 Worthington St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: John Cunningham-Boyce
Seller: Alfredo Improta
Date: 06/07/22

48 Zephyr Lane
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: John R. Lapierre
Seller: Edward J. Peplinski
Date: 06/10/22

SOUTHWICK

3 Harvest Lane
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $432,500
Buyer: Andre P. Bernatchez
Seller: Susan D. Bourque
Date: 06/10/22

WESTFIELD

189 Barbara St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Brendan C. McCarthy
Seller: Suzanne M. James
Date: 06/08/22

7 Ethan Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Benjamin L. Kuta
Seller: Thomas A. Kuta
Date: 06/08/22

24 Fowler St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $141,000
Buyer: Wicked Deals LLC
Seller: Kellie Stuck
Date: 06/07/22

990 Granville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $477,500
Buyer: Robert C. Manley
Seller: James J. Crean
Date: 06/10/22

5 Ingersoll Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Kyle T. Allen
Seller: Justin K. Kiefer
Date: 06/10/22

49 Ingersoll Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $393,000
Buyer: Michael B. Wilson
Seller: Meghan L. Kelso
Date: 06/10/22

6 King St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Elovate Capital LLC
Seller: Emtay Inc.
Date: 06/06/22

2 Linden Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Ryan M. McCarthy
Seller: K&R Real Estate Solutions
Date: 06/09/22

18 Oakcrest Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Daniel A. Gaskin
Seller: Vera Bricker-Dunley
Date: 06/09/22

216 Ponders Hollow Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Justin K. Kiefer
Seller: Ruslan Golubchik
Date: 06/10/22

24 Prospect St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Ray A. Wyckoff
Seller: Ivan Carrasquillo
Date: 06/10/22

13 Sackett St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Hunt Rentals LLC
Seller: Dubs Capital LLC
Date: 06/07/22

710 Southampton Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $1,100,000
Buyer: 710 Southampton LLC
Seller: MRC Enterprises LLC
Date: 06/09/22

168 Susan Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Kara M. Graves
Seller: Daniel Cronin
Date: 06/10/22

WILBRAHAM

518 Glendale Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: Victoria Dunbar-Bryan
Seller: Allen T. Baird
Date: 06/10/22

699 Glendale Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $222,500
Buyer: Emtay Inc.
Seller: Jones, Odessa, (Estate)
Date: 06/06/22

10 Meadowview Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $221,000
Buyer: Richard Corsi
Seller: Jennifer L. Trombley
Date: 06/10/22

8 Nokomis Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $307,000
Buyer: Paul Ireland
Seller: Ann M. Zanetti
Date: 06/08/22

619 Springfield St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Sandra Brown
Seller: Ann M. Mercando
Date: 06/10/22

632 Springfield St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Noel A. Espinal
Seller: Travis J. Bell
Date: 06/10/22

24 Sunset Rock Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Christopher S. Clark
Seller: Stanley R. Grochmal
Date: 06/06/22

WEST SPRINGFIELD

114 Deer Run Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: Robert Miles
Seller: Steven R. Williams
Date: 06/10/22

62 George St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $167,000
Buyer: Daniel Carthon
Seller: Frank Rios
Date: 06/08/22

4 Kings Hwy.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $317,000
Buyer: Mohammed A. Shihab
Seller: West Co. Investments LLC
Date: 06/09/22

86 Overlook Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Alicia Zitka
Seller: Andrew R. Goodsell
Date: 06/10/22

34 Talcott Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Om N. Bhujel
Seller: Narayan K. Basnet
Date: 06/09/22

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

463 Bay Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Annie E. Nelson
Seller: J. P. Regish & T. Delaney LT
Date: 06/10/22

39 Country Corners Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Martha M. Faison
Date: 06/10/22

228 Grantwood Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $463,500
Buyer: Toby J. Susse
Seller: Maple Leaf Capital Reserve
Date: 06/06/22

46 Kestrel Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $725,000
Buyer: Scott Niekum
Seller: Crist, Margaret L., (Estate)
Date: 06/06/22

295 Lincoln Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $369,375
Buyer: Lincoln Fearing LLC
Seller: Lynne K. Edwards
Date: 06/07/22

555 Market Hill Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $733,000
Buyer: Noel Llopis-Artime
Seller: Laurel D. Dickey
Date: 06/08/22

111 Mill Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $457,000
Buyer: Stephen Orloske
Seller: Marco Keiluweit
Date: 06/10/22

19 Pebble Ridge Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $720,000
Buyer: Vaidehi Ravikumar
Seller: Kristen L. Lynch
Date: 06/10/22

 

103 Sunset Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $780,000
Buyer: Francisco J. Botto
Seller: Daphne Patai
Date: 06/06/22

152 Triangle St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $583,000
Buyer: Canaan Gifford
Seller: Carolyn Lee-Davis
Date: 06/06/22

BELCHERTOWN

51 Gold St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Brian M. Phelps
Seller: James E. Snow
Date: 06/08/22

15 North Washington St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $353,000
Buyer: Edna Wilson
Seller: Virginia B. Hislop NT
Date: 06/06/22

63 Oakridge Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Samuel Clark
Seller: Lynn A. Clark
Date: 06/09/22

31 Old Sawmill Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Kathleen Stewart
Seller: John A. Benoit
Date: 06/08/22

EASTHAMPTON

10 David Richardson Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: David R. Boyle
Seller: Quinn, Lucy L., (Estate)
Date: 06/06/22

322 East St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Emma Freedman
Seller: Emily A. Moreau
Date: 06/06/22

32 East Green St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $411,750
Buyer: Jeffrey M. Mack
Seller: Lee A. St.Martin
Date: 06/06/22

63 Highland Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Jason Vogel
Seller: Kathleen Etzel
Date: 06/10/22

142 Holyoke St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $545,000
Buyer: Kody O. Crawford
Seller: Margaret Powers-Sheehan
Date: 06/10/22

32 Mayher St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Sebastian Barr
Seller: Caitlin M. Bunning
Date: 06/08/22

20 Plymouth Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Molly Bajgot
Seller: 20 Plymouth Avenue RT
Date: 06/10/22

 

5-7 West St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $545,500
Buyer: Sarah J. Fogel
Seller: Labelle, Thomas H., (Estate)
Date: 06/10/22

GOSHEN

4 Highland Road
Goshen, MA 01096
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Alexander J. Kessler
Seller: James F. Heroux
Date: 06/06/22

GRANBY

92 Chicopee St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: GC&RK LLC
Seller: Phyllis M. Laborde NT
Date: 06/07/22

HADLEY

31-A Chmura Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $1,250,000
Buyer: David Leith
Seller: Tod R. Loebel
Date: 06/09/22

15 Cold Spring Lane
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $310,500
Buyer: Henry E. Whitlock
Seller: Spring Associates Inc.
Date: 06/06/22

HUNTINGTON

24 Allen Coit Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $462,500
Buyer: James A. Lipshaw
Seller: Daniel A. Noel
Date: 06/08/22

NORTHAMPTON

88 Crescent St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $689,000
Buyer: Michael G. George
Seller: Christopher Jackson
Date: 06/07/22

64 Forest Glen Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $237,500
Buyer: Daniel J. North
Seller: James A. North
Date: 06/10/22

213 Park Hill Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Karen Randall
Seller: Robert L. Charette
Date: 06/08/22

117 Riverbank Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $457,000
Buyer: John Nicolaou
Seller: Pinky Hota
Date: 06/08/22

SOUTH HADLEY

25 Highland Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Gregory K. Shenk
Seller: John P. Leonard
Date: 06/10/22

11 Karen Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Jerry Lombardo
Seller: Lesperance, Robert W., (Estate)
Date: 06/10/22

62 Old Lyman Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $467,000
Buyer: Christopher Viens
Seller: Christine M. Talamini
Date: 06/08/22

135 Old Lyman Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $469,900
Buyer: Kevin Schwartz
Seller: Daniel W. Goble
Date: 06/09/22

7 Ranger St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Christopher Chouinard
Seller: Debra A. Dwight
Date: 06/08/22

SOUTHAMPTON

43 Cold Spring Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Max T. LLC
Seller: Donna M. Garstka
Date: 06/09/22

102 Pequot Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Ryan L. Kaulback
Seller: Jerry L. Kaulback
Date: 06/10/22

82 Valley Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Vladimir Tverdokhlebov
Seller: Conn. Valley Biological Supply
Date: 06/06/22

WARE

44 Greenwich Plains Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Casiano Ramos
Seller: Baird, Evelyn E., (Estate)
Date: 06/07/22

18 Lower Cove Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $540,000
Buyer: Joseph A. Croteau
Seller: Carol Kolenik
Date: 06/09/22

246 Old Belchertown Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Dylan F. Smith
Seller: Nancy J. Carter
Date: 06/10/22

104 Pleasant St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Marc A. Varnum
Seller: Kristie L. Allen
Date: 06/09/22

21 School St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $118,000
Buyer: Benjamin Perry
Seller: Rocket Mortgage LLC
Date: 06/07/22

14-16 Vigeant St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Alycar Investments LLC
Seller: Jahjan LLC
Date: 06/09/22

50 Warebrook Village
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $123,295
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Andrew Fritscher
Date: 06/08/22

WILLIAMSBURG

16 Nash Hill Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $860,000
Buyer: Jonathan Chapman
Seller: Mark R. Chrabascz
Date: 06/08/22

Building Permits

By
Building Permits

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

CHICOPEE

Center for Human Development
89 Ninth Ave.
$18,000 — Install new bathroom and kitchen

PITTSFIELD

4 Second Street Realty LLC
4 Second St.
$40,000 — Repairs to existing concrete landing, stairs and railings on rear exterior of building

SPRINGFIELD

276 Bridge LLC
286 Bridge St.
$10,000 — Remove and replace 1,440 square feet of sheet rock, install four partition walls and one door

Northgate Center LLC
1985 Main St.
$61,675 — Alter 256 square feet of interior tenant medical office space in miscellaneous locations, Boston Orthopedic

Springfield College
807 Wilbraham Road
$7,128 — Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing install new skylight

DCX Springdale DST
1610 Boston Road
$33,500 — Relocation of drive-thru window and addition of 61-square-foot cash booth for relocated window; update drive thru for a side by side ordering layout and site work; McDonalds Restaurant

Colvest/Parker Spfld LLC
1242 Parker St.
$135,000 — Alter 1,902 square feet of interior space; CVS Pharmacy

Springfield College Announces New Trustees, Elects Chair

By
Conventions & Meetings Daily News Events Meetings & Conventions

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield College Board of Trustees recently announced the outcome of its 2022-23 board election results during its annual spring meeting.

William Burke III was re-elected as chair for the board of trustees. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Loyola College, and also received a master of Business Administration from Loyola College Sellenger School of Management.

The following individuals have been elected to serve a three-year term on the board of trustees (Class of 2025):

  • Mark Elgart is president and chief executive officer at Cognia in Alpharetta, Ga. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Springfield College, a master of Education from Westfield State College (now university), and a doctor of Education from the University of Massachusetts.
  • Pia Flanagan is chief of staff to the chief executive officer at MassMutual in Springfield. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a juris doctor from Emory University School of Law.
  • Peter Pappas is a wealth management associate at Morgan Stanley in Springfield. He earned a bachelor’s degree at Kenyon College, a Master of Arts from Union College, and a master of Education from Springfield College.
  • Suzanne Robotti is the founder and president of MedShadow Foundation in New York, N.Y. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland.

The following individuals have been elected as new members to serve a three-year term on the Springfield College Board of Trustees (Class of 2025):

  • Terry Powe is principal of Elias Brookings School in Springfield, Mass. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Springfield College.
  • Anthony Sarage is a podiatrist and partner at Western Massachusetts Podiatry Associates in East Longmeadow, Mass. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Springfield College and a doctor of Podiatric Medicine from Temple University.

The following individuals have been elected to serve a five-year term on the Springfield College Board of Trustees (Class of 2027):

  • Denise Alleyne is a retired vice president for student services at Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill, Mass. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Springfield College in 1973 and a graduate degree in 1974.
  • Douglass L. Coupe is the retired vice president of State Street Global Investor Services of Boston. Coupe has been a member of the Board of Trustees for more than 20 years serving as chair from 2011 to 2015. He earned a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and certificate of advanced studies at Springfield College, and he received an honorary doctor of Humanics degree from the College in 2016.

Samantha Hourihan, a native of Bridgewater, will continue to serve as a student trustee until January 2023. A physical therapy major, Hourihan has been named to dean’s list multiple times and is a member of the women’s basketball team.

Gizzelle Abanador, a native of Ludlow, will continue to serve as student trustee-Elect until January 2023 and then serve as student trustee from January-December 2023. She is a biology major.

David Henke, a native of Brookfield, Conn., was elected as student trustee-elect for January-December 2023. He is a secondary education major.

The Mount’s 2022 Summer Lecture Series Kicks Off on July 11

By
Berkshire County Daily News Education Events Tourism & Hospitality Travel and Tourism Work/Life Balance

LENOX — The Mount, Edith Wharton’s Home, announced its 2022 Summer Lecture Series line-up. Now in its 29th year, the Summer Lecture series brings leading biographers and historians to the Berkshires. This year’s series includes journalist and New York Times bestselling author Kati Marton, Pushcart prize-winning poet Ravi Shankar, and Syrian/Jordanian thought leader Luma Mufleh, among other notable speakers. 

Lectures will be held outdoors under an open-air tent on Mondays at 4 p.m. and Tuesdays at 11 a.m., beginning July 11 through August 30. To view the full line-up and purchase tickets, visit EdithWharton.org.

“We have a fascinating mix of narratives about historical figures and contemporary underrepresented voices in this year’s lineup,” said Patricia Pin, The Mount’s Public Program Director. “We are looking forward to welcoming our community back to The Mount for what promises to be an engaging season of meaningful storytelling.” 

  • July 11 and 12: Grace M. Cho, author of Tastes Like War; 
  • July 18 and 19: Victoria Kastner, author of Julia Morgan: An Intimate Biography of the Trailblazing Architect 
  • July 25 and 26: Luma Mufleh, author of Learning America: One Woman’s Fight for Educational Justice for Refugee Children.
  • August 1 and 2: Ravi Shankar, author of Correctional: A Memoir;
  • August 8 and 9: Susan Branson, author of Scientific Americans;
  • August 15 and 16: Chad Williams on “The Voice of W.E.B Du Bois”
  • August 22 and 23: Ann McCutchan, author of The Life She Wished to Live;
  • August 29 and 30: Kati Marton, author of Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel.

For more information, visit EdithWharton.org

HMC Names Lisa Wray-Schechterle Director of Community Benefits

By
Daily News Employment Health Care News Women in Businesss

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Medical Center has announced the appointment of Lisa Wray-Schechterle, as the hospital’s director of Community Benefits.

Wray-Schechterle joins the hospital from Pyramid Management Group where she served as the marketing director of the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside, a position she held for more than 20 years.

Wray-Schechterle holds both a master of Arts in Communication and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Western New England University. She serves as a marketing committee member for Girls Inc. of the Valley, a board member of the Holyoke Chamber of Commerce, and as an advisory board member for the Holyoke Community College School of Business.

“We are happy to welcome Lisa to our team,” said Spiros Hatiras, Holyoke Medical Center’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Her proven ability to build collaborative partnerships coupled with her knowledge of Holyoke and the many community based organizations we work with throughout the region, will enable her to successfully manage and expand our Community Benefits program.”

Holyoke Medical Center Community Benefits provides programs and services to improve health in communities and helps to increase access to health care. This is done to advance medical and health knowledge in the community and relieve or reduce the burden of government and other community efforts. Wray-Schechterle has succeeded Kathy Anderson as the director of the department, following Anderson’s retirement. 

“I am excited to extend my knowledge and networking connections to help improve the health needs of the Pioneer Valley,” said Wray-Schechterle.  

“As the hospital has just completed their 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment, I look forward to creating the next implementation strategy based on the feedback we received and expressed needs identified by the community.”

HCC Accepting Applications for Free Community Health Worker Program

By
Daily News Education Events Health Care

HOLYOKE – Holyoke Community College is now accepting applications for its free Community Health Worker training and apprenticeship program. 

The program begins in September and is tuition free thanks to a federal grant HCC received in 2020. 

The purpose of the four-year, $1.89 million grant, awarded in 2020 from the Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) is to increase the number of CHWs qualified to help children and families affected by opioid use.   

HRSA’s Opioid-Impacted Family Support Program supports training programs like HCC’s CHW program that enhance and expand paraprofessionals knowledge, skills, and expertise. 

 

The training involves college level coursework during the first year, as well as supervised field work experience at Behavioral Health Network in Holyoke. Classes are held in person at HCC and require basic computer proficiency and literacy skills. After the first year, students can apply for a full-time, paid apprenticeship placement — the first of its kind in Western Mass. 

 

During the pre-apprenticeship training at HCC, students take two core Community Health Worker classes across two consecutive semesters.

 

“The HCC Community Health Worker Apprenticeship Program is an initiative that offers free training for people interested in pursuing community health and human services,” said Tina Tartaglia, CHW project coordinator. “There is a specific focus on teaching students how to support children and families affected by opioid use and substance use disorders. Students with lived experience are encouraged to apply.”  

 

This is the third year of the four-year grant, which aims to train 25 individuals as CHWs each year. The grant also provides stipends to students as incentives to complete the program and seek employment in the field. Students who enter an apprenticeship after they finish training are eligible for an additional annual stipend of $7,500.

 

“COVID-19 has made clear how essential community health workers are in addressing the wide range of physical, behavioral and mental health issues faced by members of our community,” President Royal said in 2020 after the HRSA grant was awarded. “Through this program and with our partners, we will not only have the ability to support more families struggling with substance use, but we will also be creating more jobs in a sector central to our region’s economic growth.”

 

HCC’s partners in the grant include Behavioral Health Network, Holyoke Health Center, and the MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board.

 

For more information or to apply, please visit hcc.edu/chw-free

The T-Birds Take a Big Step Forward

By
Opinion

Editorial

 

From the day he took the helm with the fledgling Springfield Thunderbirds hockey team, Nate Costa, now the president of the franchise, talked about the importance of winning to the ultimate success of a team.

Indeed, Costa, who came to Springfield following management roles with several minor league sports operations, often spoke about the importance of presentation and the overall experience when it came to how well a team could capture the hearts and minds of a region or community — and thrive financially. But ultimately, he said there is no real substitute for winning. A team can have endless promotions, bring in big names as guests, and offer special prices on hot dogs and beer, he implied, but in the end, it would have to win to really break through.

The events of the past few several months, and especially the past few weeks, have proven Costa right.

As the Thunderbirds made their way to the Calder Cup finals against the Chicago Wolves, the team moved to a new and much higher level in terms of visibility and presence, for lack of a better term, in the Greater Springfield area. While T-Birds ultimately lost the series, four games to one, including the last three at home, it was a clear winner on every other level.

Let’s start with the games themselves. The downtown area was electric on game nights. Some fans would arrive an hour or two before the game started. There was some tailgating in some of the parking lots and larger crowds in many of the area restaurants.

The weekend games that closed out the series were sell-outs, and there were high levels of energy in the MassMutual Center.

Overall, the Thunderbirds were front of mind for the past month or so as they progressed in the playoffs to the finals. They were the lead story on local sports pages and the local news shows, but there was more than that.

People were talking about them — at the office, in coffee shops, and at the many events that have been staged in the region over the past several months as the long-awaited return to normalcy from the pandemic has moved to a different level. And they are still talking about them.

And while people were talking about this team, they were reminiscing about championship teams from 30 and 50 years ago. Hockey, for at least a little while, became king.

The best news is that interest in the T-Birds has moved well beyond talk. Season-ticket sales are far ahead of the pace for previous years, and they, as everyone knows, are one of the key cornerstones to success. More corporate support is certain to follow.

While the Thunderbirds have always had a presence in Springfield and the region, they have now officially arrived. And this bodes extremely well for a city that will need this team to play a big role in its full recovery from the pandemic and ongoing efforts to make downtown a place to not only work, but live.

The T-Birds did not bring home the Calder Cup in 2022. But they may have succeeded in an even bigger game, if one can call it that.

They have broken through and truly captured the attention of the region. That makes them big winners.

An Ominous Projection

By
Opinion

Editorial

Area businesses already battling an intense workforce crisis received an additional dose of sobering news recently when MassINC released a report indicating that the Bay State could lose as much as 10% of its college-educated workforce by the end of the decade, a drop of roughly 129,000 people.

The projected decline stems from a number of factors, said the think tank, including a huge wave of retiring baby boomers, falling numbers of school-aged children in the state, and declining immigration. To sum it all up, there are fewer people going to college — certainly not enough to offset the number of boomers who are retiring — and fewer people coming into the state — from other countries and from other states, with the latter the result of the exploding cost of living in Massachusetts.

This confluence of factors leads to MassINC’s dire projections, which, if they come to be, will make an already narrow pipeline of qualified talent for jobs in a technology-focused region even smaller, threatening the health and vitality of many sectors.

There is not much anyone can do at this point about the birth rates that will lead to this projected talent drain, but there are some steps that can be taken to perhaps lessen the blow, starting with efforts to help more people attain a college degree.

This work starts with easing more people into college, especially through early-college programs in high schools, a step that the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has said is effective in increasing both college enrollment and completion rates, especially for low-income students and students of color.

Getting more people into and then through college is only part of the equation. As the cost of living in Massachusetts continues its upward movement, more college graduates will gravitate elsewhere. More housing, especially affordable housing, is one answer to this problem.

Indeed, a recent report on the state of U.S. housing released late last month by Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies reveals that, to afford a typical house in Greater Boston, one will need to earn more than $180,000. The numbers for this region are roughly half — $96,000 for Pittsfield, $83,500 for Greenfield, and $87,412 for Springfield.

With those statistics in mind, the need for high-speed rail becomes even more evident. They show the importance of enabling someone who wants to work in Boston, Cambridge, or Worcester to live in the 413.

The new report from MassINC is certainly sobering. As anyone in business can tell you, a college education is increasingly necessary to succeed in today’s high-tech economy. This state, and this region, needs more people with degrees, not 129,000 fewer of them.

The task at hand is to bring more people into college and then through it, and to then make it possible for more people with degrees to afford to live here. Nothing about this assignment is easy, but the stakes are high, and something needs to be done.

Picture This

By
Seen with the plaque are Dan Moriarty, president and CEO of MSB, left, and Michael Rouette, executive vice president and COO.
Picture This

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

 

Marking the Spot

To memorialize its 150th anniversary, Monson Savings Bank Bank recently unveiled a historical marker at the original location of the bank in Monson. The event took place on June 1, a day chosen since it was the first day Monson Savings Bank accepted deposits in 1872. Guests gathered nearby the Monson Town Offices, where the original granite building stood that housed Monson Savings Bank at its incorporation in 1872. A granite block from the original building reading “BANK” was expertly placed at the base of the historical bronze plaque marker located on a pole. Surrounding the display was a new landscaped area.

Seen with the plaque are Dan Moriarty, president and CEO of MSB, left, and Michael Rouette, executive vice president and COO.

Seen with the plaque are Dan Moriarty, president and CEO of MSB, left, and Michael Rouette, executive vice president and COO.

 

United Way Awards

Berkshire United Way (BUW) recently presented Jewish Family Service of Western Mass. with the Robert K. Agar Jr. Volunteerism Award and Shirley Edgerton with the Daniel C. Dillon Helping Hands, Caring Heart Award during its LIVE UNITED Community Celebration at Berkshire Money Management in Dalton.

Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts CEO Maxine Stein

Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts CEO Maxine Stein, second from left, and Gabriela Sheehan, Berkshires Resettlement Coordinator, with Mike Stoddard, BUW Board Chair, left, and BUW President and CEO Tom Bernard.

 

Stoddard and Bernard with Edgerton

Stoddard and Bernard with Edgerton

 

Sign of the Times

American International College president Hubert Benitez and Holyoke Community College President Christina Royal sign an articulation agreement formally establishing a close academic relationship between the two-year college and the four-year institution. The accord between AIC and HCC aligns academic programs that enhance the seamless transition of HCC graduates and qualified candidates from HCC, and promotes a smooth, successful transfer to AIC.

American International College president Hubert Benitez and Holyoke Community College President Christina Royal

American International College president Hubert Benitez and Holyoke Community College President Christina Royal

 

 

 

 

Agenda

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Agenda

Woodstock Tribute Band

July 9: The Rotary Club of West Springfield will stage a concert appearance by Back to the Garden 1969, a Woodstock tribute band at the Morgan Road Pavilion.

Doors open at 4 p.m. at the pavilion, located behind the Irish Cultural Center, 429 Morgan Road, West Springfield. Opening band Great Acoustics will appear from 5 to 6:30 p.m., followed by Back to the Garden 1969 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The playlist will include as many of the original tracks as time allows. Food and drink will be sold. Outside beverages or food may not be brought into the venue; ’60s inspired attire is highly encouraged. RotaryRocks is a rain or shine event. Seating is available under the pavilion, or guests may bring folding chairs for the lawn. There are only 350 tickets available for this show and patrons are encouraged to order theirs early through www.WestSpringfieldRotaryClub.com. RotaryRocks is the club’s main fundraiser. All Rotary Club fundraising proceeds fund scholarships, community grants and other local projects for the betterment of the community.

 

Celebrity Bartending Fundraiser

July 14: The Hampden County Bar Association Legal Clinic will stage its Celebrity Bartending Tip-Off event at Kaptain Jimmy’s restaurant. The event will start at 4 p.m. and will include celebrity bartenders, a DJ, and a silent auction. All proceeds from the event go toward the agency’s legal clinic programs. The legal clinic is still seeking sponsorships for the event from local businesses. Sponsors will be recognized as supporting the mission of providing legal services to people who cannot afford an attorney. For further information, contact the Hampden County Bar Association Legal Clinic at (413) 733-6500.

 

Juneteenth Heritage Walking Tour

Ongoing: Starting with the recent Juneteenth weekend, a new walking tour of local historic homes and museums will showcase the unique history and contributions of generations of Black families in Amherst that ranged from music to manufacturing. Ancestral Bridges, a local nonprofit organization, collaborated with the Amherst Historical Society & Museum, local organizations, and the descendants of local Black families to produce the Juneteenth Heritage Walking Tour, a 1.5-mile story-filled tour that invites visitors to immerse themselves in the day-to-day experiences of Black Amherst residents from 200 years ago to more modern times. “There is so much important Black history in Amherst that has been hidden from view for too many years,” said Anika Lopes, founder of Ancestral Bridges. “With this walking tour, we are pulling back the curtain, highlighting the way that my family and other Black and indigenous historic residents of Amherst lived and worked, what they hoped and fought for, so that Black youth and others can understand this part of our history and use it to grow.” The Juneteenth Heritage Walking Tour is the first descendant-led and curated walking tour of its kind in the area. A family-friendly event on June 18 will serve as a kick-off of the walking tour and encourage local residents and visitors to explore exhibits featuring historic photographs, artifacts, and millinery that bring to life the essence of Black neighborhoods in Amherst. The tour begins at the historic West Cemetery to honor the lives and contributions of the all-Black 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment and the famed 5th Cavalry, the soldiers who alerted Texas residents that the Civil War and slavery had ended. This event is the origin of the holiday celebrated as Juneteenth. Additional tour stops include special exhibits at the Amherst History Museum with artwork and images from the mid-18th century and on; The Emily Dickinson Museum, where stories of Charles Thompson and other Black residents familiar with the Dickinson Family are featured; Hope Church, the first Black church in Amherst; and Goodwin Memorial AME Zion Church. The event to be emceed by descendant William Harris, Jr., president and CEO of Space Center Houston. Neighborhoods featured on the tour include the Westside District (Hazel Avenue, Baker Street, Snell Street, Northampton Road), which was designated a National Historic District in 2000 thanks to the efforts of Dudley J. Bridges, Sr.; and the neighborhood of McCellan, Beston, and Paige Streets. Also featured on the walking tour will be a special art installation by local artist Dr. Shirley Jackson Whitaker that will highlight the Tote2Vote campaign, launched recently to raise awareness of voter suppression. Learn more at ancestral-bridges.org.

 

Art with Heart

July 20: Community members are invited to attend a free art exhibit and reception for the debut of Art with Heart, a collaboration between local grieving youth and caregivers and area artists. The exhibit will run the month of July with the reception on July 20 at 6 p.m. at the BOMBYX Center for Arts and Equity. Art with Heart, the vision of Shelly Bathe Lenn, program coordinator at The Garden: A Center for Grieving Children and Teens, paired local grieving youth and caregivers with artists to create art as an expression of grief. Children ages 5 to 17 participated in workshops that were held in May. “We believe in reinforcing the connection between the head, heart, and hand to help one express their feelings around grief that may have previously been unspoken,” Lenn said. “Grieving youth can use art to help them further understand their experience and gain a sense of mastery and confidence while serving as a ‘container’ for the intense feelings associated with grief.” Artists Barbara Neulinger, Christine Southworth, Frankie Borrero, and Omarthan Clarke each worked with one of four small groups of grieving youth and caregivers. In each of the groups, the participants learned the artist’s medium and made an art piece. The art piece that was created was designed to help participants express their feelings and/or remember those in their life who have died. The artwork will be on display throughout the Pioneer Valley each month through June 2023 and a culminating event will be timed with the 25th anniversary of The Garden in 2023. To learn more about the Art with Heart program, contact Shelly Bathe Lenn at (413) 727-5749.

People on the Move

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People on the Move

Greenfield Community College recently announced that Michelle Schutt will serve as the college’s 11th president, effective July 18. Currently serving as the vice president of community and learner services at the College of Southern Idaho (CSI), the state’s first Hispanic Serving Institution, Schutt was chosen from a competitive pool of four highly-qualified candidates. Schutt’s appointment was approved by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education on June 21. “From the moment I began researching Greenfield Community College, I was immediately drawn to the campus’s core values,” she said. “I am honored by the opportunity to serve Greenfield Community College as its next president and I look forward to ensuring that we meet the evolving needs of the students, employees, alumni and community members we serve.” Schutt will be taking the helm of GCC from Richard Hopper, who has served as interim president since August 2021. With more than 20 years of experience in higher education, Schutt has held leadership roles in all facets of education, including student affairs, academic services, and community learning. Schutt’s visionary leadership throughout her career has produced measurable enrollment and retention results. Notably, Schutt oversaw an enrollment increase of 3% at CSI during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, despite nationwide decreases due to the pandemic and an expected institutional decline of 15%. Schutt is steadfastly dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, showcasing them throughout her career. At CSI, she undertook efforts to improve Latinx student enrollment, which grew by nearly 9 percent during her tenure, created greater access to non-English speaking services across all departments, and petitioned for gender-neutral restrooms on campus. In addition to her most recent role as vice president of community and learner services, Schutt has served in a number of roles at CSI since 2015, including as vice president for student services. She has also taught college-level courses each semester and worked closely with state legislators on a variety of issues facing education. Prior to her work at CSI, Dr. Schutt held positions at Penn State University, the University of Wyoming, Hanover College and St. Cloud State University. Schutt holds a bachelor’s degree in English education from Upper Iowa University, master’s degrees in teaching and social responsibility from Emporia State University and St. Cloud University, and a doctorate in education and human resource studies from Colorado State University. She attended the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University and was a 2021-2022 Aspen Institute Rising Presidents Fellow.

•••••

Lauren Rainville

Lauren Rainville

Amanda Walsh

Amanda Walsh

Nicholas Kubacki

Nicholas Kubacki

Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that Lauren Rainville, Amanda Walsh, and Nicholas Kubacki have been accepted into the Law Clerk program for the 2022-2023 school year. Bacon Wilson created the clerkship program more than 40 years ago to allow law school students to gain experience and mentoring in the legal profession. Many Bacon Wilson attorneys began their careers after their clerkship experience. The program is unique as it lasts for a year. Typically, clerks begin at the firm at the end of their second year of law school and stay through their third year. Clerks use their law school training to conduct important research assignments with attorneys in all practice areas. The clerks are an integral and important part of the firm and participate in various firm events during their time at Bacon Wilson, P.C. Rainville joined Bacon Wilson, P.C. in May. A Western New England University School of Law Candidate for Juris Doctorate in May 2024, she ranks in the top 25th percentile of her class and is the treasurer for the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. She earned her bachelor of Science degree, cum laude in Business Management from Bay Path University, in 2016. Her previous experience includes negotiations and settlements with claimants’ attorneys and pro-se claimants on personal and commercial auto damage, and injury losses in Connecticut. She has volunteered her time as an educator for Junior Achievement in Connecticut and Western Mass. from 2016 to 2018, and as a camp volunteer at The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, Connecticut in 2019. She is interested in pursuing a career in real estate law. She is a member of Western New England’s Real Estate Law Association and will be participating in the Western New England University’s Law School Real Estate Practicum in the Spring of 2023. Walsh joined the firm in May, and will be eligible for her Juris Doctorate in May 2023, from Western New England University School of Law. She spent two years at the University of London in Richmond, Surrey, as a transfer student and then earned her Bachelor of Political Science and Economics Degree, cum laude in May 2020 from Simmons University in Boston. Recently, she served as a fellow for The State House, and as a Blue Lab associate to the Liberty Square Group in Boston. She was elected 1L and 2L day class representative from September 2020 to May 2022. She has been interested in becoming an attorney since the age of 10. She has expressed interest in litigation and trust and estates. Kubacki joined Bacon Wilson, P.C. in May, and will be eligible for his Juris Doctorate in May 2023, from Western New England University School of Law. He earned his bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice, summa cum laude in May 2020 from Western New England University. He also was named to Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society for Student-Athletes. He is currently a teaching assistant in the Academic Success Center at Western New England, as well as a member of the Real Estate Law Association. Recently, he served as a legal intern for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and as a Victim Witness Advocate intern at the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office.

•••••

The Massachusetts Colleges Online (MCO) consortium announced that Anne Goodwin of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) received a Course of Distinction (COD) Award on June 2. The Course of Distinction awards are given annually to recognize excellence in design and delivery of online and hybrid courses across multiple categories. Goodwin designed and taught ‘Nutrition for Healthy Living,’ integrating individual and small-group activity, and providing authentic, humanized connections to support students’ engagement and academic success in an asynchronous environment.

•••••

Mary-Beth Cooper

Mary-Beth Cooper

Springfield College President Mary-Beth Cooper will serve as a voting member on a new NCAA Board of Governors, the highest governance body of the NCAA. The board members will assume their duties on August 1. Cooper, the lone Division III delegate, was selected by the NCAA following the new NCAA constitution that was adopted in January by member schools and conferences. The new board includes nine voting members: four from Division I (at least one school president and one conference commissioner), one from the Division II Presidents Council, one (Cooper) from the Division III Presidents Council, two independent members and one graduated student-athlete. Cooper became the 13th president of Springfield College in August 2013. Known for her volunteer leadership, Cooper has served on the President’s Council of the NCAA, serves on the NIL Committee: NCAA Federal and State Legislation Working Group, and has been the president of the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC).

•••••

Mychal Connolly

Mychal Connolly

At its recent commencement ceremonies, Holyoke Community College honored entrepreneur Mychal Connolly with its Distinguished Service Award. Connolly is co-founder of Stinky Cakes, a newborn baby gift company, and creator and chief brand ambassador of StandOutTruck.com, a digital mobile advertising and marketing agency. Connolly has served as an alumni mentor for the HCC Alumni Champions Mentorship Network, and last year established an annual scholarship through the HCC Foundation for business and marketing majors. He has also worked as a volunteer for HCC’s annual “Together HCC — Drive to Change Lives” fundraising campaigns. “Myke can be found talking about the impact of a Holyoke Community College education all across our region – in boardrooms, with aspiring leaders, and all along the streets of western Massachusetts thanks to the Stand Out Truck,” said President Christina Royal said. “He is a champion for HCC and we are pleased to celebrate his service to the college by recognizing him as this year’s Distinguished Service Award winner.”

•••••

The Cohn & Company Real Estate Agency announced that Brian Marchand has joined its team of real estate professionals. Prior to working with Cohn & Company, Marchand was a real estate agent in the Albany, N.Y. area.

Company Notebook

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Company Notebook

Nominations Sought for Super 60 Program

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Regional Chamber (SRC) is seeking nominations for its annual Super 60 awards program. Super 60 recognizes the success of the fastest-growing and privately owned businesses in the region. Nominations must be submitted by August 5. Each year, Super 60 identifies the top-performing companies in this region, based on revenue growth and total revenue. In 2019, one-quarter of the Total Revenue winners exceeded $30 million, with all the winners combining for more than $720 million in revenue. In the Revenue Growth category, all winners had growth above 21%, and 50% of the top 30 companies grew by more than 50%. To be considered, companies must be independently and privately owned; based in Hampden or Hampshire counties or be a member of the Springfield Regional Chamber; have revenues of at least $1 million in the past fiscal year; and have been in business for at least three full years. Companies are selected based on their percentage of revenue growth over a full three-year period or total revenues for the latest fiscal year. Companies may be nominated by financial institutions, attorneys, or accountants, or they can self-nominate. Along with an application, nominators must provide net operating revenue figures for the last three full fiscal years, signed and verified by an independent auditor. All financial information must be reported under generally accepted accounting principles and will be considered confidential. Nomination forms can be found on the Chamber’s website and can be submitted by faxing to SUPER 60, Springfield Regional Chamber, (413) 755-1322. Nomination forms must be submitted no later than August 5. The Super 60 awards will be presented at the annual luncheon and recognition program on Oct. 28, at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. The Super 60 award luncheon attracts more than 500 business leaders each year. Super 60 sponsorships are now available. For information, call (413) 755-1309 or e-mail Szynal at [email protected].

 

Greenfield Co-op Reports Solid FY 2022

GREENFIELD — Anthony Worden, president & CEO of Greenfield Cooperative Bank and its parent company, Greenfield Bancorp, MHC recently announced the operating results of the bank’s latest fiscal year as announced at the 117th annual meeting of the bank on June 21. Worden reported that FY 2022, which ended March 31, was very successful and the assets of the bank grew by $41.4 million (5%) over the prior year.

Other results include:

• In FY 2022, GCB originated more than $166 million in loans of all types, including $61.3 million in residential mortgages, $92.0 million in commercial loans,

$45.6 million in municipal lending, $9.2 million in home equity loans and lines, and

$1.2 million in MassSave® ‘’zero-interest” energy loans.

• GCB had an increase of $50.5 million in deposits (7.4%) over the past year;

• The pre-tax operating income for Greenfield Cooperative Bank was $4.416 million for the year ended March 31, 2022 and the net income after taxes was $3.454 million;

• GCB’s Tier 1 Capital to average assets is 10.5%. The bank is considered “well capitalized” by all regulatory definitions.

• As a result of these solid earnings, the bank and its employees were able to contribute more than $180,000 to 200 community groups and charities throughout both Hampshire and Franklin County during the past fiscal year.

 

AIC Partners with HCC with Signing of Articulation Agreement

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) has signed an articulation agreement with Holyoke Community College (HCC), formally establishing a close academic relationship between the two-year college and the four-year institution. The accord between AIC and HCC aligns academic programs that enhance the seamless transition of HCC graduates and qualified candidates from HCC, and promotes a smooth, successful transfer to AIC. This articulation agreement offers time and cost savings for students by recognizing the coursework pursued at the community college and demonstrates the ongoing commitment of both AIC and HCC to the community and its students, by ensuring that educational pathways are created for all those who wish to consider a degree in higher education. At AIC, the program is referred to as Direct Connect. Direct Connect, transfer students automatically receive a $4,000 scholarship in addition to their earned merit scholarship, before any need-based aid is awarded. This means Direct Connect students can earn up to $18,000 in financial gift aid, not loans, before being evaluated for additional need-based aid. And, unlike some other transfer articulation agreements, the Direct Connect program at AIC allows students to study and major in their area of interest while attending their community college.

 

Westfield Bank Supports Camp Atwater Capital Campaign

WESTFIELD — Westfield Bank President and CEO James C. Hagan recently presented Springfield Urban League CEO Henry M. Thomas III with a $100,000 contribution to help launch a $7.5 million capital campaign to ensure the future of historic Camp Atwater. The Urban League has owned and operated Camp Atwater, located in North Brookfield, since 1921, making it the longest operating Black-owned summer camp in the nation. In its many years of service, Camp Atwater has had a profoundly positive impact on the lives and careers of the vast majority of the camp’s more than 55,000 alumni. Galvanized by the needs of the Black community in Massachusetts and beyond, the Urban League is embarking on the $7.5 million Centennial Campaign to reimagine and reconfigure Camp Atwater so that it may continue as a foundational experience for campers for the next hundred years. Already recognized for its significance by being listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Urban League is seeking to capitalize on the opportunity for Atwater to provide the preeminent camp experience for the African American community, and to develop ongoing generations of leaders by providing a unique blend of enriching programs and activities within a setting that is at once nurturing and challenging, while fostering self-discovery and growth. With Westfield Bank’s support, as well as that of other early donors, significant work on the Camp’s buildings and grounds is scheduled to begin this summer and continue onward so that Atwater can welcome overnight campers back in the summer of 2023.

 

Funders Reach Million-dollar Milestone in Awards to Local Farms

AGAWAM — The Local Farmer Awards, a funding initiative launched in 2015 by the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation (HGCF) and Big Y Foods, reached the million-dollar milestone in May. Over the past eight years, more than 470 grants have been made to farmers in Western Mass. and the Berkshires. Along with the Big Y and HGCF are 25 generous community and individual donors including Ann and Steve Davis, Charles and Elizabeth D’Amour, PeoplesBank, DeNucci Group at Merrill Lynch, Farm Credit East, HP Hood LLC, Audrey & Chick Taylor, Baystate Health, Country Bank and others. Last month, 74 farmers primarily located in Western Massachusetts received the 2022 awards — checks of up to $2,500 for infrastructure improvements. Totaling $165,500, these grants help sustain robust projects related to growing, harvesting, and processing. Program director Cari Carpenter said that the publicity generated by the Local Farmer Awards draws much needed attention to the productivity of all farms in the region, whether or not they have been award recipients. “We want to celebrate and encourage every farm in Western Mass and the Berkshires, not only our winners. The program returned in March to an in-person appreciation party, including all 120 farms within our applicant reach this year. Donors were able to grasp the impact of what they are doing — and the potential to do even more!”

 

W.F. Young Receives Visionary and Visibility Awards

EAST LONGMEADOW — W.F. Young, a global leader in animal health products such as Absorbine® and The Missing Link®, received two awards at the 2022National Animal Supplement Council Annual Conference, the NASC Visionary Award, acknowledging the animal wellness company as an originating/founding member, and the Visibility Award, for Outstanding Promotion of the NASC Quality Seal. The National Animal Supplement Council is a nonprofit trade organization dedicated to protecting and enhancing the health of companion animals and horses throughout the United States. Founded in 2001, NASC is an all-industry association of stakeholders concerned with the issues surrounding the supply of health supplements for animals not intended for human consumption, such as dogs, cats, and horses. The 2022 NASC Annual Conference took place recently in St. Louis, Mo. at the Chase Park Plaza Royal Sonesta Hotel. The event featured networking opportunities for all the attendees, breakout sessions for science, compliance, business, and marketing, as well as exhibiting from sponsors, and a dinner and awards gala. Audra Mulligan, director of Regulatory Affairs and Development, was present at the ceremony and accepted the awards on behalf of W.F. Young.

 

Bella Foodie, Fogbuster Coffee Launch Bella Foodie’s Private Label

SPRINGFIELD — Bella Foodie LLC, in partnership with Fogbusters Coffee, celebrated the launch of its custom private label coffee blend with a special coffee tasting event at Open Square in Holyoke. “Let’s face it, anyone that knows me knows how much I love my coffee! I am so truly happy that Bella Foodie will be having its own custom blend under Fogbuster Coffee,” said Ashley Tresoline, Owner of Bella Foodie LLC. “This partnership has been a dream come true for me and the Pierce brothers are so wonderful to work with. We all understand the value of what we put in our bodies and that it should be only of the highest quality. Their organic, air-roasted coffee is one of a kind and I am so excited for everyone to try it.” Said Sean Pierce, owner of Fogbuster Coffee Works, “we here at Fogbuster Coffee Works are very excited to partner up with Bella Foodie. We have worked closely with Ashley, to develop a special Bella Foodie Blend. One that encompasses both Bella Foodie and Fogbuster Coffee Works philosophies around all foods.”

 

Whittlesey Celebrates Community Day

HARTFORD — More than 90 Whittlesey team members across Connecticut and Western Mass. celebrated Community Day on June 17, an annual day of service representing the firm’s year-round commitment to giving back to local communities. For the past 12 years, hundreds of Whittlesey volunteers have put aside their daily work to partake in various projects ranging from painting classrooms to building homes. This year, the firm focused on efforts related to environmental sustainability. Alongside ReGreen Springfield, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services, and Springfield Forestry, team members planted a pollinator garden in Forest Park. Also, teams joined the Bushnell Park Foundation and the United Way of Greater New Haven to plant community gardens, weed, and lay mulch.

 

EforAll Berkshire County Awards Prizes to Accelerator Companies

Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) Berkshire County awarded nearly $10,000 in prizes to the Spring 2022 Business Accelerator Cohort at a recent awards ceremony held on Zoom. The celebration and gala began with remarks from state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, who emphasized the robust public-private partnership that supports EforAll’s regional efforts and lauded the efforts of the 12 businesses that completed the program. The class speaker, Rachel Hailey of DEI Outdoors was chosen by her colleagues and shared many of the lessons of the program for future EforAll participants.

The awards were granted as follows:

• Jenny Gitlitz of Berkshire Family Advocates received the Paula Buxbaum Award, established in honor of a member of the Fall 2021 cohort who died in a car crash in October 2021. The award is granted to an individual making a career pivot and incorporating a social mission into their business;

• $1,000 to Rachel Hailey for DEI Outdoors;

• $2,300 to Deirdre Horan (Great Barrington) of Dri Ocean Products;

• $2,500 to Jackye Stoddard (Hudson, NY) for Hierba Buena Foods; and

• $3,500 to Elizabeth Heller (Pittsfield) for The Kids Super Journal.

The virtual event was also simulcast on Pittsfield Community Television. The recording is available to view here: https://youtu.be/yTeFMsVcB-4

EforAll’s next accelerator class will begin in September; applications are due at www.eforall.org before August 25.

 

Pare Corporation Opens Facility in Holyoke

HOLYOKE — Pare Corporation, a multi-disciplinary engineering firm, recently staged a well-attended grand opening for its facility in Holyoke, its third office in the region. “The Pioneer Valley is very community-focused and I appreciate the warm welcome the leaders of the Holyoke community have given us,” said Pare Vice President David Loring. “Because Holyoke is a hub point to the region, it is a perfect location for our new office. We look forward to meeting additional members of the community now that the office is open.” As part of the ceremony, a proclamation was presented by the office of Senator John Velis, who grew up in Holyoke and maintains strong ties to the region. Established in 1970, Pare Corporation has more than 130 staff serving the eastern United States. In addition to Holyoke, Pare has offices in Rhode Island and Foxboro, Mass. Pare has experience designing public and private facilities and the infrastructure that supports them. Clients and markets include state transportation departments, water and wastewater authorities, K-12 and higher education facilities, biotechnology and life science companies, and dams and marine facilities ranging to a wide variety of municipal, industrial, institutional, and commercial developments.

Business Confidence Falls Again in June

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Biz Tips & Industry News Business Management Daily News News

Confidence among Massachusetts employers edged close to pessimistic territory in June as businesses struggled with surging inflation and concerns about a possible recession.

The Associated Industries of Massachusetts Business Confidence Index (BCI) fell 3.9 points to 50.8. The Index now rests 12.6 points lower than a year ago and marginally higher than the 50 mark that separates an optimistic from a pessimistic view.

The decline, which left the Index at its lowest point since December 2020, reflects particular concern about the course of both the state and national economies. The BCI’s US Index plummeted 9.1 points for the month and more than 20.3 points for the year.

The Central Massachusetts Business Confidence Index, conducted with the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, fell from 57.5 to 49.0. The North Shore Confidence Index, conducted with the North Shore Chamber of Commerce, dropped from 61.8 in May to 52.6 last month.

The confidence numbers came at a time when 76% of CEOs globally tell The Conference Board that they expect a recession by the end of 2023 or believe it’s already here. The economy appears to be growing, but employers face growing struggles with soaring fuel prices, supply chain disruptions and financial market volatility.

“Central banks around the world are raising interest rates with new urgency, hoping to cool inflation by slowing growth of aggregate demand and achieving a closer balance with supply,” said Sara L. Johnson, Chair of the AIM Board of Economic Advisors.

“Capital markets remain open, but financing costs are rising for businesses, consumers, home buyers, and governments. The year ahead will bring a more difficult environment for builders and capital good producers.”

The constituent indicators that make up the Index were  uniformly lower in June.

The Massachusetts Index assessing business conditions within the Commonwealth shed 6.6 points to 47.2, down 16.4 points since June 2021. The US Index measuring conditions throughout the country fell to 38.6.

The Current Index, which assesses overall business conditions at the time of the survey, declined 3.3 points to 53.4. The Future Index, measuring projections for the economy six months from now, lost 4.6 points to 48.1.

The confidence employers have in their own companies declined 2.6 points to 56.0, ending the month 8.7 points lower than in June 2021.

The Manufacturing Index fell 5.2 points to 49.3, 11.6 points less than a year ago.

Small companies (52.6) were more optimistic than large companies (50.2) or Medium-sized companies (49.8).

Elmore Alexander, Dean Emeritus of the Ricciardi College of Business, Bridgewater State University, and a BEA member, said the Russian invasion of Ukraine and COVID-19 lockdowns in China have added to the supply chain woes experienced by Massachusetts employers.

“Elevated demand continues to collide with supply restraints and most economists believe inflation will remain above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target through the end of 2023,” Alexander said.

AIM President and CEO John R. Regan, also a BEA member, noted that recent polls find that among all of the vexing issues facing the commonwealth, Massachusetts residents remain most concerned about the economy and jobs, inflation, housing costs and taxes.

“The citizens of Massachusetts clearly understand that economic growth and jobs form the basis of their ability to establish a stable life and raise a family. The emphasis on jobs is especially notable at a time of an acute labor shortage that has allowed workers participating in the ‘Great Resignation’ to pretty much have their pick of new positions,” Regan said.

Florence Bank Donates $50,000 to the Easthampton Community Center

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Daily News Events News

FLORENCE — Florence Bank announced that it recently donated $50,000 to the Easthampton Community Center through its Florence Savings Easthampton Branch Charitable Foundation, Inc.

“We are honored to receive such a large donation,” said Robin Bialecki, executive director of the Easthampton Community Center, who was recently named the 2022 Person of the Year by United Way of the Hampshire & Franklin Region. “This is a testament to how much the people at Florence Bank and the Easthampton Branch Charitable Foundation value our work, and it will allow us to touch many lives in the community.”

The Florence Savings Easthampton Branch Charitable Foundation was formed in 1999, following the merger of the former Easthampton Cooperative Bank into Florence Bank, the first and only acquisition for Florence Bank.
That investment brought Florence Bank into Easthampton for the first time. Before the merger, Easthampton Cooperative Bank operated the branch near the city rotary, which Florence Bank assumed and continues to run today.

“This foundation helps reinforce the longstanding giving philosophy of Florence Bank,” said President and CEO Kevin Day. “There is a synergy there. The foundation allows the bank to serve its overall mission as a supporter and sustainer in the communities we serve.”

The check for $50,000 was presented by three original members of the foundation: Nancy J. LaBombard, Virginia L. Smith and Anita Sedlak.

bankESB commits $30,000 to Girls Inc. of the Valley

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Daily News Education News

EASTHAMPTON — Matthew Sosik, president and CEO of bankESB, announced that the bank has pledged $30,000 over three years to Girls Inc. of the Valley.

The money will be used to help support the organization’s Her Future, Our Future campaign, a $5 million fundraising effort designed to help the organization better meet the needs of girls from under-resourced communities in Hampden County and beyond. Through this campaign Girls Inc. seeks to triple the number of elementary and teen girls served, reaching more than 1,000 girls annually. Efforts include renovating a new dynamic, state-of-the-art headquarters and program center in Holyoke, expanding geographic reach in public schools in Springfield, Chicopee, and beyond, and supporting their innovative Eureka! STEM program that prepares girls for college and career.

“This incredible gift from bankESB to support the Her Future, Our Future campaign shows their impactful commitment to community,” said Suzanne Parker, executive director at Girls Inc. of the Valley. “We are proud to have bankESB’s support as we aim to deliver our research-based, engaging programs to more youth across the Valley — and in our new headquarters.”

The donation was made as part of the bank’s charitable giving program, The Giving Tree, which reflects the roots the bank has in its communities, its commitment to making a real difference in the neighborhoods it serves, and the belief that everyone’s quality of life is enhanced when we work together to solve our communities’ biggest problems.

“Children are our future, and Girls Inc. of the Valley is helping to build that future for young girls with innovative, supportive, and life-changing programs that inspire them to be strong, smart, and bold,” said Sosik. “bankESB is pleased to do its part in supporting Girls Inc. and its efforts to provide a high-quality environment and programs that help elementary school-age and teenage girls unlock their full potential.”

New Appointments Announced at Big Y

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Daily News Employment

SPRINGFIELD — The management of Big Y Foods Inc. has announced the following new appointments in Western Mass.:

• Shane Lashway, store director, Amherst Big Y Supermarket;

• Brian Cromack, store manager, Wilbraham Big Y Express;

• Nadine Bransky, bakery sales manager, Palmer Big Y Supermarket;

• Sarah Ashton, night manager, Southampton Big Y Supermarket;

• Vito Guerino, night manager, North Adams Big Y Supermarket;

• Daniel Dufur, meat and seafood sales manager, Pittsfield, Big Y Supermarket;

• Raanan Hartman, district director, Springfield Big Y Supermarket;

• Jonathan Hubbard, assistant store director, Great Barrington Big Y Supermarket;

• Robert Masciulli, sales and merchandising mentor, Springfield, Big Y Supermarket;

• Keith Fronsceno, corporate senior produce sales manager, Springfield Big Y Supermarket;

• Mery Aviles, customer service manager, SpringfieldBig Y Supermarket;

• Angelo Cosme, employee services representative, Wilbraham Big Y Supermarket;

• Andrew Kubin, employee services representative, Southampton Big Y Supermarket;

• Alexander Deming, customer service manager, Southwick, Big Y Supermarket; and

• Corey Decker, store director, Westfield Big Y Supermarket.

Downtown Springfield Toastmasters Names 2022/23 Officers

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Conventions & Meetings Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Downtown Springfield Toastmasters kicked off its 25th anniversary year by announcing its officers for 2022/23. They are:

• President: Steve Lanning (eight-year member);

• Vice president, Education: Andrew Watt (nine-year member);

• Vice president, Membership: Mechelle Decouteau (one-year member);

• Vice president, Public Relations: Shera Cohen (18-year member);

• Secretary/Treasurer: Dave Anderson (14 year member);

• Sergeant-at-Arms: Steve Lanning (eight-year member)

Toastmasters is not a course that is graded, but a club in which members give impromptu and planned speeches. It is an opportunity to learn, practice, and be evaluated in a non-threatening setting.

BusinessTalk with Hubert Benitez, the recently appointed president of American International College

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Business Talk Podcast Special Coverage

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

Go HERE to view all episodes

Episode 119: July 4, 2022

George O’Brien talks with Hubert Benitez, the recently appointed president of American International College

Hubert Benitez

BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien talks with Hubert Benitez, the recently appointed president of American International College. The two discuss his latest assignment within academia, his goals for AIC, COVID, and the many other challenges facing colleges and universities today. It’s all must listening, so join us for BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest in partnership with Living Local and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

 

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$475 Million Courthouse Plan Proposed

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Architecture Construction Daily News Real Estate

SPRINGFIELD — Developer Peter A Picknelly, along with Springfield city officials, on Thursday unveiled a proposal to build a new Hampden County courthouse on a 14.5-acre site along the Connecticut River north of the Memorial Bridge. The proposal, which also includes housing and a marina, comes with a pricetag of $475 million.

The plans, unveiled at a press conference, call for a four-story, 210,000-260,000-square-foot courthouse; an 11-story residential apartment building with 120-180 units; and a 50-slip marina on the waterfront and a space for an outdoor restaurant.

The proposal hinges on whether the state decides to replace the troubled Roderick L. Ireland Courthouse on State Street. The state is exploring potential new sites and the cost of building a new courthouse; the existing facility has been plagued by health concerns.

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said that if the state decides to build a new courthouse, the proposed riverfront site would be the ideal location.

Sarno, Picknelly, and Tim Sheehan, Springfield’s chief development officer, all said that a development of this size and with its various components could be a catalyst for growth along the river and in the North End of the city, similar to what the Basketball Hall of Fame has done for the area south of the Memorial Bridge.

MassDevelopment Puts 1550 Main St. on the Market

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Commercial Real Estate Daily News News Real Estate Real Estate

SPRINGFIELD — Colliers Capital Markets announced that it has been retained by MassDevelopment, to sell 1550 Main Street, the 128,900 square-foot office building in Springfield’s downtown corridor.

Colliers Executive Vice President Jeanne Pinado will lead marketing efforts of 1550 Main, with Vice President Rob Schlesinger providing additional support, and the firm will issue a call for offers in mid-July.

The five-story office building is 97% leased and underwent a complete $9 million renovation in 2010. Capital improvements included creating a high-quality building entrance with an open atrium with 70-foot ceilings, as well as building an outdoor plaza and improving landscaping, elevators, restrooms and more.

Formerly a federal courthouse, 1550 Main St. is home to tenants such as the administrative offices for Springfield Public Schools, the United States General Services Administration, and BayState Health. The building has a 103-space below grade garage and connects via a pedestrian skywalk to the 28-story Tower Square, an office, retail, hotel and parking complex. MassDevelopment purchased 1550 Main from the federal government in 2009 and revitalized the campus to position it as a Class A office building with an expansive public plaza as part of an economic development initiative.

Grand Opening Slated for HONEY Dispensary

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Cannabis Daily News Events Luxury Living News Sports & Leisure The Cannabis Industry

NORTHAMPTON — HONEY, a recreational cannabis dispensary, located in the former home of Sierra Grille, will stage its grand opening on July 9 at 1 p.m.

Visitors can enjoy all day music, fresh popped kettle corn, and performances by the local hula hoopers, wing dancers, stilt walkers, and aerialists. There will be a fire performance at 8:30 p.m.

HONEY is owned and operated by Volkan Polatol and Kevin Perrier. In opening HONEY Northampton, Polatol and Perrier have teamed up with HONEY Brands, originally founded in California, which produces full spectrum, distilled cannabis oil in vape cartridges.

“We are thrilled to partner with the HONEY brand,” Perrier said. “It’s telltale black-and-gold packaging has become synonymous with the best cannabis hash oil on the market today. And now, consumers on the East Coast can try it for themselves. We’re also proud to be able to make the HONEY hash oils from our own facility at Wemelco Industries in Easthampton.”

In addition to HONEY vapes, the dispensary also carries the highest-testing flower and a huge selection of brands from across the state. The location’s innovative LED tunnel, color-changing displays, and chill playlist all create a relaxed, club vibe, and budtenders are on hand to give expert advice on all products.

Evan Collins Joins Lee Bank’s Pittsfield Branch

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Berkshire County Daily News Employment Real Estate Real Estate

LEE — Evan Collins has joined Lee Bank as a mortgage originator and will be working out of the Pittsfield branch.

Colins was previously employed as a sales associate at Piretti Real Estate and Stone House Properties. He has been involved in real estate sales in Berkshire County for seven years and said he is looking forward to exploring a different side of the local real estate market in his new position.

CDC Designates UMass Amherst as Center of Excellence in Vector-borne Diseases

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Daily News Education Environment and Engineering HCN News & Notes Health Care News Sports & Leisure Summer Safety Travel and Tourism

AMHERST — UMass Amherst has received a $10 million, five-year award from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to create the New England Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases (NEWVEC).

The UMass-based center is one in a group of regional centers of excellence designated by the CDC to reduce the risk of vector-borne diseases – such as Lyme disease and West Nile virus – spread by ticks, mosquitoes and other blood-sucking arthropods across the U.S.

Stephen Rich, vector-borne disease expert and professor of microbiology, is the principal investigator on the project and will serve as the executive director of NEWVEC, whose three-pronged mission will integrate applied research, training and community of practice to prevent and reduce tick- and mosquito-borne diseases in New England. NEWVEC aims to bring together academic communities, public health practitioners and residents and visitors across the Northeast.

“We’re really excited about building this community of practice and embracing all the stakeholders in the region who need to know how to do things like reduce ticks and mosquitoes on school properties and public spaces. It is also important to inform the public on best practices to keep ticks and mosquitoes from biting people and their pets,” Rich said. “Part of that mission entails training public health entomologists — undergraduate, master’s and Ph.D.-level students — who are going to be the next generation of people confronting these challenges.”

Infectious disease epidemiologist Andrew Lover, assistant professor in the School of Public Health and Health Sciences, will serve as deputy director of the center, with co-principal investigator Guang Xu at UMass Amherst, and co-principal investigators at Northern Vermont University, the University of Maine, University of New Hampshire, University of Rhode Island and Western Connecticut State University.

“This center fills a critical gap in responses to vector-borne disease in the region,” said Lover, who aims to apply his prior work with regional malaria elimination programs to build strong networks across the Northeast region. “As pathogens and vectors don’t pay attention to borders, coordination across states is essential for public health response. Among other things, we’ll develop practical public health tools to understand how and where people are most likely to interact with ticks, which will then allow for well-targeted and efficient health programs.”

His lab also will provide technical assistance to directly support local health practitioners in optimizing vector surveillance strategies and designing operational research to improve program effectiveness.

Xu, research professor of microbiology, will be responsible for the center’s pathogen testing core and will conduct applied research in the evaluation of tick suppression approaches.

Rich notes that blood-sucking ticks transmit more vector-borne diseases than any other arthropod in North America, accounting for some 400,000 cases of Lyme disease alone every year. “And at least a half-dozen other pathogens are associated with the blacklegged tick,” commonly known as the deer tick, he adds. “It’s kind of a silent epidemic.”

The researchers say it’s critical to attack the problem on all fronts by using applied research projects to reduce tick populations and optimize personal protection and control products, and by training public health students and workers, as well as individuals.

The Dowd Agencies Announces Promotion of Jack Dowd

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Business Management Daily News Employment

HOLYOKE —  The Dowd Agencies announced the promotion of Jack Dowd from account executive to vice president of personal lines. Dowd has been with the agency since 2016 and represents the fifth generation to join the family business.

“I am happy to announce the well-deserved promotion of Jack to this new position,” said John Dowd Jr., president and CEO of The Dowd Agencies. “For the past six years, he has been a very successful commercial producer as part of our sales team and in this new role, he will further develop the personal lines department including marketing, customer service, client retention and operating procedures.”

Jack Dowd graduated from Saint Michael’s College with a B.S. in business administration and received his MBA from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business. A licensed property and casualty insurance producer, he achieved his certified insurance counselor (CIC) designation in 2019. In addition, he has participated in the 18-month Agents Sons & Daughters Training Program for underwriting at Quincy Mutual Insurance.

In his community, he serves on committees for the Brightside Foundation and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He is also a member of the board of directors for Boys Scouts of America, Western Massachusetts Council, where he serves as the risk management chair.

“I look forward to taking on more responsibility within the business,” said Jack Dowd. “Continuing the Dowd insurance tradition is important to me, and I am proud to be part of the fifth generation of this family-owned operation. I look forward to working with our team on the new challenges this position will bring, as well as the opportunity to continue to learn and grow here.”

Elizabeth Hillis Joins Springfield YPS Board of Directors

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Conventions & Meetings Daily News Women in Businesss

HOLYOKE — The Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield (YPS) welcomed Elizabeth Hillis, business development associate at WWLP 22 News, to its Board of Directors.

“I’m excited to share my skills with the board and learn new things about the area,” Hillis said. “I’m thrilled to be able to help with the amazing events our organization has to offer. Being a Springfield YPS member is a great way to develop your network, meet other professionals, and become more involved in your community. I can’t wait to get started!”

Traffic Advisory Issued for Star Spangled Springfield

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Daily News Events Security Sports & Leisure Summer Safety Travel and Tourism

SPRINGFIELD — In preparation for Star Spangled Springfield on Monday, the Springfield Police Department will be detouring traffic in and around the area of the Memorial Bridge and Riverfront Park where festivities will be held this weekend.

On Sunday, at 11 p.m., the Memorial Bridge will close to all traffic, vehicular and pedestrian, to allow for the set-up of the Star Spangled Springfield fireworks display. The bridge will open again around 11p.m. on Monday.

At around 7:30 p.m. on Monday, the Springfield Police Department will begin to close roads in the vicinity of the Memorial Bridge in anticipation of the 9:30 p.m. fireworks display. Massachusetts State Police will close Exit 5 (formerly Exit 7) off of I-91 South as needed. Pedestrians will be restricted from sitting on I-91 Exit Ramps.

For public safety, the Springfield Police Department will enforce no pets, alcohol, smoking, bicycles, skateboards, rollerblades, fireworks, sparklers, and drones in and around Riverfront Park.

Karen Warren Promoted to Regional Director of Operations of Bk Investments Hotel Group

By
Business Management Daily News Women in Businesss

CHICOPEE — Bk Investments Hotel Group announced the promotion of Karen Warren to regional director of Operations.

Warren will be responsible for the management of the hotel portfolio. She will have responsibilities for a range of brands, including Residence Inn Chicopee, Hampton Inn Chicopee, Tru by Hilton Chicopee, and Holiday Inn Express in Brattleboro, Vt.   

Vickie Maryou has been promoted to general manager of the Residence Inn Chicopee to succeed Warren.

Liberty Bank Hosts Annual Save-A-Suit Drive

By
Daily News

MIDDLETOWN, CT — Liberty Bank is again teaming up with Save-A-Suit, a Connecticut-based nonprofit dedicated to helping veterans transition back to civilian life and achieve job security. The initiative supports local military men and women as they go through the job interview process and seek long-term employment.

Through July 15, the bank is collecting professional clothing for men and women, basically anything veterans can wear to a job interview and at work. Following the drive, Save-A-Suit staff and volunteers will sort the donations and distribute clothing at a quarterly event where veterans are also provided with wellness resources.

Liberty Bank has worked with Save-A-Suit since 2016. All Liberty Bank branches are currently accepting donations as drop-off sites for Save-A-Suit. Since inception in 2010, the nonprofit has helped ‘suit up’ and support over 5,000 veterans.

“Partnering with Save-a-Suit is one of the most rewarding experiences and sound investments we can make in a community organization that does so much year after year to help our veterans succeed after service,” said David Glidden, Liberty Bank president and CEO. “Our continued partnership with Save-A-Suit and other organizations allows us to show our deepest gratitude for the selfless service and sacrifice of our veterans who deserve only the best. Collectively, by giving back and spreading kindness, we are helping to ensure our veterans are fully prepared for the next chapter in their lives.”

Anyone can support local veterans through Save-A-Suit by dropping off new and gently used suits, blazers, dress shirts, dress pants, tops, shoes, and other business attire for men and women at the nearest Liberty Bank branch. Dirty, damaged or ripped items will not be distributed to veterans. Monetary donations for Save-A-Suit are also being accepted. For locations and branch hours, refer to www.liberty-bank.com and learn more about Save-A-Suit at: www.saveasuit.org. 

Report: Westover Industrial Parks Generate $2.2 Billion in Economic Impact

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Business Innovation Daily News Economic Outlook Events

CHICOPEE — The Donahue Institute at UMass Amherst issued a study Tuesday showing that the Westover Metropolitan Development Corporation (WMDC) industrial parks in Chicopee and Ludlow and the civilian airport generate an estimated $2.2 billion a year in direct and indirect revenues.

The report was released at a press conference at a hangar at the base attended by dozens of area economic development leaders. It states that the industrial parks and airport have increased the number of jobs in the region, employing 3,600 people across the Hampden County area. Also, 69% of workers in the airparks earn more than $3,333 per month, compared to 55% of workers across the state. Business activity at WMDC-developed areas generates almost 8,500 jobs around Massachusetts annually.

The WMDC is a quasi-public development corporation formed in 1974 to convert military property in the vicinity of Westover Air Force base to productive civilian uses. WMDC has developed more than 1,300 acres of land in the area and currently operates the Westover Civilian Airport and three industrial parks.

The report notes that businesses within the airparks and the airport also contribute more than $6 million in local taxes. Businesses in Chicopee paid a total of $4.32 million in local taxes, while businesses in Ludlow paid $1.87 million in local taxes.

Kevin Rhodes Returns for Celebration of John Williams

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Creative Economy Daily News Events Luxury Living Sports & Leisure Tourism & Hospitality

SPRINGFIELD — MOSSO, the Musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, will celebrate the film music of John Williams on July 21, at 7:30 PM in Springfield Symphony Hall. MOSSO will perform excerpts from Williams’ scores to ET, Schindler’s List, Superman, Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and more. Some popular classics, including Rossini’s Overture to The Barber of Seville, Massenet’s Meditation from Thaïs, and Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite open the program.

Maestro Kevin Rhodes was music director and conductor of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra for 20 seasons before the pandemic. He returned to Springfield to conduct his musicians last October in front of a packed house at Symphony Hall, featuring many musical highlights from his tenure as their music director.

Rhodes was recently appointed Chief Conductor of the Slovak National Opera and Ballet in Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia. In this role he will have a leading artistic position in a European city noted for its cultural diversity, while he continues to serve as music director for the Traverse Symphony Orchestra in Michigan, and as principal conductor of Boston’s Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra.

Rhodes has been a presence in the major musical capitals of Europe for over 25 years, with credits including The Paris Opera, The Vienna State Opera, The Berlin State Opera, La Scala of Milan, The Dutch National Ballet, The Verona Ballet, The Stuttgart Ballet, and many others.

Tickets for the concert, a MOSSO benefit, are priced at $60, $45, $25, and $10, and are on sale at: SpringfieldSymphonyMusicians.com. MOSSO sponsors include BusinessWest and Healthcare News, the Republican/MassLive, WWLP-22News & the CW Springfield, the Sheraton Springfield at Monarch Place, New England Public Media, and the Bolduc Schuster Foundation.

MOSSO is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, which is not a subsidiary of nor affiliated with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra Inc.