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Daily News

HOLYOKE — Robert Gilbert Jr. has banged his last gavel as chair of the Holyoke Community College (HCC) board of trustees.

After serving as a trustee for 12 years, including the last eight as chair, the retired chairman of Dowd Insurance Agencies of Holyoke retired after presiding over his last board meeting on Nov. 28.

“This is a bittersweet moment for me,” he said. “Serving on this board has been an incredible journey, one filled with challenges, triumphs, and, above all, a shared commitment to the betterment of this institution. I’m filled with gratitude for the privilege of working alongside such dedicated individuals and the collective passion for education and unwavering commitment to the success of our students, which has been the driving force behind every decision we’ve made.”

Gilbert was first appointed to the board in April 2011 by Gov. Deval Patrick, serving in various capacities, including chair of the audit committee and member of the finance committee. In October 2015, Gov. Charlie Baker named him board chair, succeeding Helen Caulton-Harris, commissioner of the Springfield Department of Health and Human Services.

In his eight years as chair, Gilbert served alongside three HCC presidents: William Messner, who retired in 2016, Christina Royal, who retired in July, and George Timmons, HCC’s fifth and current president.

“The relationship between the chair and the president is vital to the success of any institution, and so I have considered myself fortunate to have spent so many of my hours with you, Bob,” Timmons said. “HCC is an exceptional place because of your leadership and commitment to the college. I want to thank you personally for your support of me in this transition, your wisdom, and, most importantly, your passion for Holyoke Community College.”

Making a surprise appearance at Gilbert’s last meeting was Royal, who praised him for his stewardship of the college.

“I don’t think, in my entire time knowing you, that you have not had your HCC pin on,” she said. “You have been such an advocate. I think everybody knows you as someone who has dedicated your whole career to supporting and lifting up this community. I am deeply grateful for your leadership and presence in the board chair role, and, beyond this, I look forward to just calling you ‘friend.’”

Until Gov. Maura Healey names a successor, HCC trustee Vanessa Smith will serve as interim chair.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Thunderbirds announced that, through the T-Birds Charitable Foundation, a donation of $10,650 will be made directly to those impacted by the tragic events of Oct. 25 in Lewiston, Maine.

Prior to their games on Nov. 3-4, Thunderbirds players warmed up in Maine Mariners jerseys to show solidarity with their New England neighbors to the north in the aftermath of the shooting that resulted in the loss of 18 lives.

“Seeing the Thunderbirds hit the ice with Mariners jerseys was such a heartwarming gesture in itself, but for the organization to be able to raise so much for the Lewiston community really is remarkable,” Maine Mariners President and Governor Adam Goldberg said. “Thank you to the AHL, the Thunderbirds organization, and to the Springfield fans for being so selfless and compassionate.”

Jerseys worn during the warmups were auctioned online as a fundraiser, and the T-Birds’ 50-50 raffle proceeds from that weekend also were included in the donation to the Maine Community Fund’s Lewiston-Auburn Area Response Fund.

“We are deeply moved by our community and our fans’ support in stepping up for a cause far greater than hockey,” Thunderbirds President Nathan Costa said. “Nothing can replace the cost of innocent lives, but we hope this gesture allows the families a chance to see that all of New England is in their corner. We continue to send our deepest sympathies and best wishes to the victims’ families and friends.”

Daily News

HOLYOKE — Gary Rome Hyundai has partnered with local comedian Jess Miller of Funnyraising Comedy Shows and OMG! Comedy Shows to host a toy drive for foster children.

The Stuff the Trunk toy drive is being held at Gary Rome Hyundai, located at 150 Whiting Farms Road in Holyoke, through Sunday, Dec. 10.

“This is our first year partnering with Gary Rome but the 10th year for our annual toy drive for foster kids in Western Mass.,” Miller said. “We started in 2013 at the Huke Lau and have been doing comedy shows every year since. This year, due to all of the economic hardships people are facing, especially foster families and children in need, we wanted to reach more than just an adult audience and provide a way to get kids involved. We greatly appreciate Gary Rome Hyundai’s involvement this year, as well as other local area businesses, and hope we are able, through a combined effort, to get toys to over 3,000 local kids.”

Toys can be dropped off at Gary Rome Hyundai showroom during regular business hours: Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In addition to the toy drive, the dealership will host a visit with Santa & Mrs. Claus on Dec. 10 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Families are encouraged to attend to meet the merry couple, take pictures, and help foster children. To keep costs low, it is suggested that guests use cell phones to take pictures or bring a camera. Suggested donation: $10 or one new, unwrapped toy.

One ticket is good for one family picture (no individual pictures will be taken without an additional ticket). Spots are limited. Register by clicking here.

Daily News

NORTH ADAMS — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) announced it has received the Garrett Lee Smith (GLS) Suicide Prevention Grant for $306,000 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Over the next three years, this funding will launch the MCLA Cares Project, an initiative to build campus-wide infrastructure to support student mental health.

The MCLA Cares Project will utilize a multi-pronged approach to address mental-health support deficits across campus. This project will engage a health promotion coordinator, a new position designed to plan and implement the grant’s activities as well as produce additional mental-health and wellness programming. Grant funds will contribute significantly to training the student-facing faculty and staff in suicide awareness and prevention.

The MCLA Cares Project was developed in accordance with MCLA’s mission to provide an accessible liberal-arts education to students traditionally underrepresented in higher education, such as first-generation students, students of color, and LGBTQIA+ students. The health promotion coordinator will collaborate with these groups to identify their specific needs and challenges in order to create responsive programming.

“I am thrilled that MCLA received the GLS suicide prevention grant from SAMHSA,” said Ashleigh Hala, MCLA’s associate dean for Counseling and Holistic Wellness. “This enables us to expand critical programs related to our students’ mental health and emotional well-being, including supporting students at high risk for suicide. Through this grant, we will change culture, creating a more caring, compassionate, and healthy community.”

Daily News

WESTERN MASS. — The mentorship agencies of Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Franklin County and BBBS of Hampden County, both founded in 1967, announced they will merge into one organization. The combined agencies, operating under the name Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western Massachusetts (BBBSWM), will become the largest mentorship organization in the region.

David Beturne, executive director of BBBS of Hampden County, who has been acting as interim executive director in Franklin County since April, will lead the new agency. Beturne brings 23 years of experience with BBBS and plans to maintain all staff at both locations.

“The Franklin County office will remain open with minimal changes,” he said. “We are thrilled and energized about this new partnership and know it will bolster our ability to serve more youth and make a stronger impact across our communities.”

Both agencies have a long history of fostering connections in their respective counties, and plan to grow to serve areas without an established BBBS office.

“We have plans to expand into Berkshire county, which is an exciting prospect for all of us,” Beturne said.

The merger does not include the Center for Human Development’s BBBS program, which will continue to serve the Hampshire County area. BBBS of Hampshire County can be reached at (413) 478-8547 or [email protected].

BBBSWM plans to merge duplicate social-media accounts and can currently be found on Facebook at @bbbsfc @bbbshampden, and on Instagram at @bbbsfranklincounty @bbbshampdencounty.

BBBS creates connections between children (Littles) with qualified and vetted mentors (Bigs) in the community to create fulfilling relationships. BBBS monitors all matches to ensure safety standards are upheld and that the relationship is positive and empowering for the children involved.

Daily News

HADLEY — UMassFive College Federal Credit Union announced that its employees have raised more than $18,000 for two local nonprofits during the fall of 2023: $13,677 in support of the UMass Cancer Center via participation in the UMass Cancer Walk and Run, and $4,800 for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts via participation in Will Bike 4 Food.

A longstanding and top supporter of the UMass Cancer Walk and Run event for more than 20 years, UMassFive employees join together annually as Team UMassFive to raise funds for the cause, both personally and in branch locations. In 2023, fundraising efforts included raffle baskets, bake sales, candy sales, and art and jewelry sales. Donations were also sought from credit union corporate partners, whose support helps bolster efforts each year.

Including the $13,677 raised in 2023, Team UMassFive has raised over $186,600 in donations to the UMass Cancer Center over the lifetime of its participation.

Since 2020, UMassFive employees have also jumped on their bicycles in support of Will Bike 4 Food, a major fundraising event for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. In 2023, seven riders teamed up to raise $4,800 in support of their cumulative 300-mile ride. Including the 2023 efforts, Team UMassFive has raised $17,500 in just four years of participation, which equates to providing 70,332 meals to neighbors in need.

“We are so proud of our employees for supporting local causes that they care about,” said Cait Murray, Community Outreach manager at UMassFive. “Together, our team can make a more significant impact than if we all participate in events on our own. These organizations make such a big difference in our communities, and we are thrilled to support those efforts.”

Anyone who still wishes to donate to the UMass Chan Medical School Cancer Walk in support of team UMassFive may do so through the end of 2023 by clicking here.

Daily News

NORTH ADAMS — MCLA faculty and staff invite the campus and North Adams community to a panel discussion on Thursday, Nov. 30, titled “How to Speak About Peace,” to discuss urgent calls for a permanent ceasefire in Palestine.

The discussion will start at 7 p.m. in Murdock Hall Room 218. Panelists include Associate Professor of Anthropology Mohamad Junaid, Associate Professor of English & Communications Victoria Papa, Assistant Professor of Art History and Museum Studies Eunice Uhm, Associate Professor of Modern Language Mariana Bolivar, and Assistant Professor of Psychology Carter Carter. The discussion will be moderated by Assistant Professor of English & Communications Caren Beilin, interim director of the Mind’s Eye, an initiative featuring interdisciplinary academic programming.

“As an educational institution with scholarly expertise in our community, one thing we can do to try to cope with the unfolding events is to gather for conversation and to contend with current events,” MCLA President James Birge stated in a message to the campus community. “It is notable that this panel includes Jewish, Arab, and Muslim faculty members and those whose research addresses many of these intertwined topics. I encourage our community’s participation in this important conversation.”

This community panel is a follow-up and continuation of the previous panel about the war in Israel and Gaza. This comes after a weekend of violence that took place in Burlington, Vt. involving three Palestinian college students.

“We must continue to talk with one another about peace, to find the words, and indeed the information, to speak and act on this urgent issue,” Beilin said.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — United Way of Pioneer Valley (UWPV) has launched its annual Hope for the Holidays campaign, a holiday gift drive for children in the region.

“We have the unique opportunity to distribute toys to the many families we serve every week in our food pantries located in Chicopee, Holyoke, and Springfield. Without the support of our corporate partners and community members, we would not be able to give our families the extra help they may need this holiday season,” said Megan Moynihan, interim president and CEO.

Thanks to a local businessman, a vintage Fiat sits inside the TD Bank building at 1441 Main St. in Springfield for the next several weeks. UWPV invites donors to help “fill the Fiat” with educational toys this holiday season.

UWPV seeks new, unwrapped toys appropriate for children ages 0-12, such as games, trucks, dolls, sports equipment, books, and puzzles. For those who wish to purchase online and have toys shipped, they may be sent to United Way of Pioneer Valley, 1441 Main St., Suite 147, Springfield, MA 01103. Hope for the Holidays will run through Dec. 18.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Hannoush Jewelers will share a community grand-opening celebration of its new Springfield location at 1630 Boston Road on Wednesday, Nov. 29 from 4 to 6 p.m., with a ribbon cutting at 4:45 p.m.

After serving clients at its Eastfield Mall location for almost four decades, getting the news that the retail center would officially be closing was bittersweet, but the Hannoush family knew they wanted to reopen nearby.

“It was important to me and to my whole family to not only relocate our Eastfield Mall store to a location in the city of Springfield, but, if possible, we wanted to stay in the same neighborhood. That’s why we were thrilled when we found this location,” said Maroun Hannoush, owner of Hannoush Jewelers.

What resulted was a move literally across the street, where they transformed a former bank into a new home. This new, free-standing Hannoush Jewelers location offers customers convenient parking, a larger space allowing for jewelry repair and custom design on site, and even a large set of windows where customers can watch the Hannoush bench jeweler hard at work.

“We have the same friendly, knowledgeable staff that has represented my family in the showroom for over 30 years,” Maroun Hannoush said. “We invite you to be our guest and allow us to welcome you as a part of the Hannoush family. We are proud to provide you with hand-selected products that represent love, quality, and natural beauty. We aim to deliver a five-star experience in every way, beginning with the first impression and ending with an everlasting relationship we make with our guests.”

The grand-opening event will include a community give-back to Ronald McDonald House of Springfield. Registering to attend is not required, but from all who do, one winner will be chosen to receive a $500 gift card. Visit hannoush.com/bostonroad for more information and to RSVP.

Daily News

AMHERST — Kuhn Riddle Architects (KRA) recently welcomed Mallory Nurse to the firm as a member of its interior-design team.

Having previously designed corporate workplace interiors and larger-scale projects, Nurse was interested in the slightly more intimate type of design at KRA. She loves projects that have a beneficial impact through education, community-oriented organizations, and residential buildings of all types.

Nurse chose to study interior design in college and has never looked back. She is a graduate of Suffolk University with a bachelor’s degree in interior design and was awarded the Design Excellence commendation for her senior thesis project.

She loves to pay close attention to the details of a project: lighting, scale, texture, and color. Her holistic approach to design focuses on fostering connection between people and the spaces in which they thrive.

Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Lathrop Community announced the appointment of Patrick Arguin as its new CEO.

Arguin brings nearly 20 years of professional experience, starting his career as a physical therapist and then working for many years as a nursing-home administrator (NHA). His most recent position was NHA for Mary’s Meadow at Providence Place in Holyoke, which provides both short-term rehabilitation and long-term skilled nursing. Under Arguin’s leadership, that community achieved high-performing recognition in support categories, effective staffing, and best practices in resident safety. He was responsible for various aspects of the community, including managing staff, organizational finances and budgets, reporting to the board, and upholding the quality of service and attention to residents.

“I’m excited for this next step in my professional journey and to work alongside a talented team to best support the needs of residents at Lathrop,” Arguin said, adding that, although his background has been in skilled-nursing communities, his philosophy, approach, and skillset will transfer quickly to the campus.

“Patrick’s colleagues presented glowing endorsement of his character and work,” added Chuck Johnson, board chair. “We believe his background and education will serve well as the community looks toward the future.”

Arguin, who has a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy and an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, officially joined the community on Nov. 27.

“Patrick is an engaging, personable, and professional individual with experience and perspective that will benefit Lathrop Community. I’m excited to work with him and pleased that he has accepted the position of CEO,” said Amy Harrison, interim CEO and CFO of the Kendal Corp. “His dedication to working with older adults in Massachusetts will allow him to quickly acclimate to Lathrop and residents’ distinct needs and desires.”

Daily News

INDIAN ORCHARD — Saint Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church in Indian Orchard welcomes the community to shop at its thrift shop, celebrating the shop’s one-year anniversary this holiday season. Featuring affordable, curated, high-quality items, the thrift shop is located at 135 Goodwin St. in Indian Orchard, and is open Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

“We believe in the power of community and the joy that comes from giving and receiving. Our thrift shop is not just a place to find incredible deals, but a place where everyone is welcome and the spirit of generosity thrives,” said Tanya Garibian, chair of St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church.

In addition to providing a budget-friendly shopping experience, the thrift shop is actively accepting donations. Those with items in good condition are encouraged to contribute to this community-driven initiative, helping to expand the shop’s offerings and make a positive impact on those in need.

By providing a space for residents to discover affordable, gently used items, St. Gregory’s thrift store aims to foster a sense of unity and assistance within the neighborhood.

Business Talk Podcast Special Coverage

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

Go HERE to view all episodes

Episode 189: November 27, 2023

Joe Bednar Talks to Local Entrepreneur Myke Connolly

Myke Connolly says he learned marketing at age 9, reselling candy to classmates in the Bahamas. As an adult, his entrepreneurial spirit and belief in the value of hard work have led him into many ventures, from Stinky Cakes — which turned diapers into gifts for new parents — to a business training and networking entity called Marketing and Cupcakes, to a rolling electronic billboard called Stand Out Truck. On the next episode of BusinessTalk, Myke talks with BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar about what’s next for his enterprises, how he’s been impacted by mentors and strives to do the same for other aspiring entrepreneurs, and much more. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The 29th season of Bright Nights at Forest Park opened on Nov. 22 and will run through Jan. 1. The lights will be lit every night from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 5 to 10 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, and holidays, which include Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. It will be closed on Nov. 27-28. Tickets are available at brightnights.org.

Over the past 29 years, a lot has changed, but many iconic displays have stayed the same. The Cat in the Hat still waves at the entrance to Seuss Land as he has been doing since 1995. The deer in Winter Woods bound across the road. Toy Land is still a storied land for children to dream of living in.

Santa’s Magical Forest continues to grow with activities, attractions, and Santa himself, who will be in residency through Christmas Eve. He has a cozy cottage to welcome visitors, listen to holiday wish lists, and pose for photos, whether visitors take their own or purchase a photo package.

Daily News

CHICOPEE — The 14th annual March for the Food Bank took place on Nov. 20-21 and is very close to reaching its targeted fundraising goal of $500,000. At the march’s end, it had raised $466,069.

Donations for the march will be accepted through the end of December. Supporters are encouraged to make an online contribution anytime at marchforthefoodbank.org.

The 43-mile, two-day trek from Springfield to Greenfield was led once again by New England Public Media’s Monte Belmonte. Joining him was U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Executive Director Andrew Morehouse and Development Director Jillian Morgan, and several state and local legislators, including Gov. Maura Healey. In her comments to reporters, Healy stressed that hunger is a real issue in Massachusetts for young and old alike and credited the Food Bank and its partners and supporters for all the work being done to end hunger in Western Mass.

“We are deeply touched by the outpouring of support for the march, which has brought us incredibly close to our $500,000 goal,” Morgan said. “The power of community, reflected in the kindness of those who marched as fundraisers, the individuals and businesses that generously contributed to the campaign, along with the support of so many state and local government officials, fills our hearts with gratitude.”

As the campaign approaches its goal, Morgan is hoping the community will join in the final push to make an even greater impact. Reaching the goal of raising $500,000 will provide the equivalent of 1,500,000 meals across the region.

Daily News

STURBRIDGE — Christmas by Candlelight at Old Sturbridge Village is now open select Fridays, Saturday, and Sundays through Dec. 30. Click here to purchase tickets in advance.

The malls aren’t the only place to shop for gifts. Unique, Village-made holiday items are available at the Miner Grant Store during the event, as well as the Ox & Yoke Mercantile, which opens daily at 10 a.m. and does not require admission to the Village.

Visitors who would like to give the gift of something handmade can learn about crafts made throughout the Village, purchase craft kits for gift giving, or try their skill at hand-dipping candles.

Attendees will find themselves enchanted as they step back in time to celebrate Christmas in New England in the 19th century. They can enter Village households to watch traditional craft-making demonstrations; stroll through the Christmas Tree Trail, featuring over 80 cut trees; and take in 4,000 candles and lanterns and more than 2,000 yards of garland dressing up the Village in its holiday finest. A lighting ceremony takes place at 4:30 p.m. each day. And Santa Claus himself makes a nightly appearance, allowing the little ones to tell him their Christmas wishes.

Daily News

HOLYOKE — IT’SUGAR, one of the largest specialty candy retailers in the U.S., has opened a 2,400-square-foot candy store inside Holyoke Mall.

The Holyoke Mall location epitomizes what the brand is known for: hundreds of varieties of over-the-top sweets, humorous products, and immersive candy experiences from America’s beloved brands, including Sour Patch Kids, OREO, Nerds, Skittles, Reese’s, and Starburst. It also includes shops devoted to retro and international candy, TikTok-trending treats, and much more.

“IT’SUGAR is more than a candy store,” said Justin Clinger, assistant vice president, Creative and Marketing at IT’SUGAR. “We have one of the most expansive assortments of confectionery treats, alongside a curated collection of in-demand candy-licensed merchandise, such as apparel, plush, scented candles, and more. IT’SUGAR provides a sweet and humorous escape from everyday life.”

IT’SUGAR’s new store is located on the upper level in Center Court, next to H&M.

Community Spotlight Special Coverage

Community Spotlight

Craig and Pat Sweitzer

Craig and Pat Sweitzer at the recently unveiled mural in the center of Monson.
Staff Photo

“Sophisticated rural.”

That’s how Craig Sweitzer, who has lived and worked in Monson for more than 40 years now — and served on the town’s Planning Board for most of that stretch — chose to describe this community of almost 9,000 people on the eastern edge of Hampden County.

By that, he meant that this town is certainly small and rural, but, as he put it, “you don’t have to leave town to eat.”

Indeed, the community’s downtown boasts several restaurants and, at last count, three coffee shops, said Sweitzer, who, with his wife, Pat, owns and operates Sweitzer Construction, a design-build firm that specializes in medical facilities (especially dental offices) and, more recently, cannabis operations of all kinds.

Indeed, the arrival of the cannabis industry has brought work across all aspects of that sector, Sweitzer said, from dispensaries to production facilities; from testing labs to an armored-car operation in Belchertown created to handle the large amounts of cash generated by these businesses.

“After you get your feet wet in something, you master it, and it leads to more work in that area,” he said, adding that the same is true of dental offices (his firm has now built more than 200 of them), and it is now true with cannabis facilities. “And when you do design/build, you offer the whole package — the architecture, the financing, the site selection … and we’ve done the same thing with cannabis.”

The Sweitzers made Monson their home and the base for their business back in the ’80s, and they’ve watched it grow and evolve. A little.

“Monson still has its rural quality — we still don’t have a traffic light,” Craig said, adding that the town has not changed much over the past four decades, and for those who live there, this is mostly a good thing; sophisticated rural is an attractive quality, one that many are seeking, especially post-pandemic.

Indeed, the town has seen a slight rise in population in the wake of COVID and the manner in which it prompted some living in large population centers to seek more rural areas in which to both live and work.

“Post-COVID, flexible work and hybrid models became very attractive, and so did communities like Monson, because obviously it costs much less to buy a house out here then it does in the Boston area,” said Dan Moriarty, president and CEO of Monson Savings Bank, who grew up in town and thus admitted to some bias, adding that, if the proposed east-west rail project becomes reality, Mosnon and communities like it will become even more attractive to those looking to work in Boston but not necessarily live there.

“There’s still that sense of small-town feel and community here in Monson, and that’s very attractive to many people,” he went on. “It’s a nice place to live, and I get the best of both worlds because I work there as well.”

He said Monson is close enough from Springfield and Worcester to be an attractive landing spot for those working in those metropolitan areas. Meanwhile, it has its own economy in a way, with those aforementioned restaurants and coffee shops, a supermarket, several service businesses, and some ventures that accentuate its rural personality while also making it a destination.

That list includes Silver Bell Farms, a multifaceted enterprise that features everything from Christmas-tree sales (although not this year as the farm builds up inventory for the future) to many different kinds of events, to a new lighting display called Silver Bell Nights.

“There’s still that sense of small-town feel and community here in Monson, and that’s very attractive to many people.”

Michael Moore, who runs the operation with his wife, Laura, said Silver Bell Nights is an intriguing addition to a portfolio of events and attractions that brings more than 50,000 people to the farm each year, with activities running year-round and especially in the fall and then around the holidays.

“This is something we’re really excited about — it’s a dazzling outdoor lighting display,” he told BusinessWest, adding that the lights were turned on amid considerable fanfare on Nov. 18, and the show will go on until the new year. “We’re looking forward to many new visitors discovering the farm and all that we have here.”

For this the latest installment of its Community Spotlight series, BusinessWest visited Monson to get a feel for what sophisticated rural is all about.

 

The Nature of Things

Craig Sweitzer said that, during his long period of service on the Planning Board, the largest housing project to come before that body has been a subdivision of no more than 12 homes.

“Monson is quite hilly, and we have a lot of land that’s tricky to build on,” he said, adding that this topography helps explain why, unlike some of its neighbors, and especially Belchertown, it has not seen large-scale residential development.

What it has seen is slow but continuous growth, one or two homes at a time, on existing roads.

Michael Moore says Silver Bell Nights is an exciting new addition

Michael Moore says Silver Bell Nights is an exciting new addition to what has become a year-round destination.
Staff Photo

“Although there are no massive subdivisions, there’s always a steady flow of new lots being created from existing road frontage,” Sweitzer explained, adding that any growth has been incremental and not (like Belchertown) explosive.

What the new residents encounter, and what those already living there thoroughly enjoy, is a town that’s both isolated and accessible at the same time, one with a small yet thriving downtown, a lively arts community, some intriguing new businesses, and nature.

“There’s a lot here … it’s a quiet, vibrant town with its own personality,” said Pat Sweitzer as she walked with BusinessWest on Main Street. “There’s a lot to like here.”

All of this is captured in, and manifested in, a mural adorning the wall of Adams Hometown Market on Main Street. The byproduct of a project led by local artists Melissa Stratton-Pandina and Shara Osgood and unveiled in September, the mural is titled “Past, Present and Future.” It depicts town landmarks; some of its history, including its granite quarries and involvement in the Civil War; and rural nature — there’s an image of a mountain lion that has become part of town lore, said the Sweitzers, who believe they’ve seen the cat.

The mural, created with large amounts of feedback from the community, effectively tells the story of a town that celebrates its past — including the recent past and a still-ongoing recovery from the June 2011 tornado that roared through Main Street — as well as its present.

And there is much to celebrate, including a high quality of life; a stable, still-evolving downtown; a vibrant arts community thanks to the ongoing efforts of the Monson Arts Council; annual gatherings such as Summerfest and a popular food-truck festival; and what both Moriarty and the Sweitzers called an entrepreneurial spirit that has yielded a number of intriguing new business ventures in recent years.

Dan Moriarty says the broad goal in Monson is to attract new business

Dan Moriarty says the broad goal in Monson is to attract new business while maintaining the community’s rural look, feel, and personality.
Staff Photo

Overall, the business community is quite diverse, said Moriarty, and includes many ventures in the broad realm of tourism and hospitality. These include the restaurants and coffee shops downtown; small bakeries and specialty food producers, such as Cookies by Ray and Happy Hen Farmstand, which sells everything from eggs (hence the name) to a variety of baked goods; and agriculture-related businesses such as Echo Hill Orchards and Winery, Bryson’s Maple Syrup, and Silver Bell Farms, a relatively recent addition that continues to evolve.

Indeed, what started as a Christmas-tree farm roughly a decade ago has become a site for events and activities year-round, said Moore, listing everything from private events such as birthday parties to an Easter egg hunt, Christmas in July, a fall corn maze, barrel-train rides, tractor-pulled wagon rides, and even interactive theater productions.

There are plenty of holiday-season happenings and programs as well, including Santa story time, wreath decorating, and a farm store that sells everything from Christmas ornaments to cider donuts.

The big addition this year is Silver Bell Nights, the holiday light experience that features a number of different displays throughout the property.

Monson at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1775
Population: 8,865
Area: 44.8 square miles
County: Hampden
Residential Tax Rate: $15.86
Commercial Tax Rate: $15.86
Median Household Income: $52,030
Median Family Income: $58,607
Type of Government: Select Board, Open Town Meeting
Latest information available

Moore said the initiative represents a sizable investment, but one that will make Silver Bell more of a holiday destination — and tradition — for area residents, and a vehicle for continued growth at the farm.

Moriarity said Monson’s challenge moving forward — and it’s the same challenge facing many smaller towns — is to promote growth of the business community while maintaining the rural quality that makes it so attractive.

“Like most small towns, we try to be open-minded,” he told BusinessWest. “I’m very passionate and hopeful for continual pro-business decisions in town, where we can bring in some small-business opportunities for people, because I think that, for the town to be viable, we must be open to new business opportunities, while at the same protecting the open space and beautiful landscape the town has.”

 

Getting a Feel for It

Getting back to that mural, it tells a story — and it is quite a story.

A story of a community that is continually looking for ways to build on an already-attractive landscape and create more reasons for people to want to live and work there.

That’s the big picture in Monson — figuratively, but also quite literally.

Professional Development

Professional Development

Kimberly Quinonez

After getting some help rising out of poverty, Kimberly Quinonez is now in the business of helping others.

Kimberly Quinonez says she’s always had a passion for helping people, and a desire to make doing so a career.

But for most of her life, she was the one needing help.

A native of South Carolina, she grew up in a life of poverty, addiction, homelessness, and a sixth-grade education, and was desperate for a way out — and up — from all that.

After getting clean and moving to Western Mass., she completed her high-school equivalency at Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) at age 43 and enrolled in the school’s two-year associate-degree program in social work. And while still earning that high-school equivalency, she told BusinessWest, she met Wally Soufane, social work specialist at Elms College, who became a mentor and essentially put her on a path to the bachelor’s degree-completion program offered at the school.

Completing that program, and the associate degree before that, were stern challenges, she said, noting that there were several times when she wanted to quit because the combination of life and school seemed like too much. But she persevered, with help (there’s that word again) from Soufane and others who helped provide her with the will to carry on.

“I kept on and kept on; I had some discouraging moments, but I just couldn’t give up because this was something that I really wanted for myself,” she said. “And I really like helping people.”

This past May, she completed that program and was among the speakers at Elms’ commencement ceremonies, her story riveting those in attendance. Today, she’s employed at the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department as a care coordinator and counselor, while also working toward a master’s degree in social work at Springfield College.

“If we accept a student, our job is to support them. If they’re going to do the work, we need to support them as best we can and help them be successful, and we do that; our retention rates, over 80%, are very good, and our graduation rates, in the mid-60s, are very good.”

Her story touches on many elements of the bachelor’s degree-completion programs at Elms, said Walter Breau, executive dean of the college’s Kirley School of Continuing Education — everything from its ability to help non-traditional students set and achieve goals to the way its administrators and instructors work with students to help them overcome challenges and complete their degrees.

“If we accept a student, our job is to support them,” he went on. “If they’re going to do the work, we need to support them as best we can and help them be successful, and we do that; our retention rates, over 80%, are very good, and our graduation rates, in the mid-60s, are very good.”

Social work is one of the more popular programs at the Kirley School, said Breau, adding that others, many of them offered online, include computer information technology and security (CITS), computer science, healthcare management, speech-language pathology assistant, management and marketing, psychology, and RN-BSN.

Overall, there are now roughly 200 individuals enrolled in continuing-education (CE) programs at Elms, roughly 20% of the undergraduate population, said Breau, a veteran administrator at the college who recently took the helm at the Kirley School, noting that the goal is to grow enrollment to 300 and beyond.

Walter Breau says the Kirley School is focused

Walter Breau says the Kirley School is focused on not only enrolling people in degree programs, but seeing them through to the finish line.
Staff Photo

And there is certainly some momentum with regard to enrollment, as the region’s community colleges, bolstered by the MassReconnect Program, which provides free tuition to those over age 25, are seeing their first real rise in enrollment since well before the pandemic.

For this issue, BusinessWest continues its series spotlighting professional-development programs across the region with a visit to the Kirley School and an examination of how it can change lives, like Quinonez’s, in a profound way.

 

Grade Expectations

This past May, Elms’ School of Continuing Education was officially renamed the Sister Kathleen Kirley ’66 School of Continuing Education, following a donation to the school in her honor.

And the new name is quite fitting, said Breau, noting that Sr. Kathleen, a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph, now retired from the school, was director of Continuing Education at Elms from 1977 to 1990 and served as the dean of Continuing Education and Graduate Studies from 1990 to 1998.

“If you look at the mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph, their goal is to serve the community,” he noted. “And at some point, instead of just having the traditional programs where you come to campus Monday through Friday, they understood that there was a population of individuals we could serve in a different way.”

That was the genesis of continuing education at Elms, he said, adding that, for more than a half-century now, the school has continued to serve non-traditional students with a variety of programs aimed at helping individuals not only earn degrees, but forge careers in growing fields.

These include collaborations with the region’s community colleges, whereby students can earn bachelor’s degrees on the community-college campuses. Indeed, there are social work programs at Asnuntuck Community College, Berkshire Community College, Greenfield Community College, and Springfield Technical Community College, said Breau, noting that many who earn their bachelor’s degrees at those locations, and on the Elms campus as well, go on to earn a master’s degree and become a licensed clinical social worker in the Bay State.

“If you’re a computer science major at STCC and you’re looking to earn your bachelor’s, we make sure there’s no loss of credits. You finish at STCC in May, and you start with us in August in the computer science bachelor’s program. It’s just another sign to students that we’ve deliberately thought about how to make you successful.”

“We have many of our students at STCC, Asnuntuck, and here on campus go forward and get their MSW,” he said, adding that there is “more than enough demand” for individuals who have those credentials.

Other popular programs include RN-BSN and speech-language pathology assistant, he said, adding that there is growing demand in both fields, and especially nursing.

Elms has articulation agreements, more than 50 in all, with the area community colleges, Breau explained, noting that these partnerships help create what he called “seamless pathways” as individuals take the credits they earned while completing an associate degree and apply them toward a bachelor’s degree at Elms.

“If you’re a computer science major at STCC and you’re looking to earn your bachelor’s, we make sure there’s no loss of credits,” he noted. “You finish at STCC in May, and you start with us in August in the computer science bachelor’s program. It’s just another sign to students that we’ve deliberately thought about how to make you successful.”

There are many such signs, he went on, adding that one point of emphasis at the Kirley School is to not simply merely get people enrolled in the various degree programs, but to see them through to completion.

And completion can be challenging, Breau said, noting that more than 75% of those enrolled in CE programs at Elms are 25 and older, which means they’re likely dealing with a number of life matters, such as work and family.

“They’re an older population who have decided, for one reason or another, that they want to fit in coursework with work, family, and other obligations,” he explained. “Our goal is first to show that it’s possible, it’s accessible, it’s affordable. People can see the end point even before they start.”

After showing it’s possible, the school then helps make it possible, with everything from flexible start dates to initiatives to help them step back in if they happen to hit pause for whatever reason, to many forms of student support, such as a 24-hour tutoring program.

Quinonez has seen these efforts to provide support up close and personal.

She said those at Elms were constantly supporting and “checking up on me” while she was in school. And they still do, months after she graduated.

“They still reach out to me today and say, ‘Kimberly, how’s it going?’” she told BusinessWest. “Elms changed me; I grew up and matured a lot — Elms College became my parents.”

 

Bottom Line

Today, Quinonez is working toward another degree at Springfield College and expects to complete that work in May. She said her time at Elms didn’t just help her find a career — instead of a job — but it instilled in her the desire to continue to reach higher and position herself to help people in more ways.

That’s what Sr. Kathleen Kirley had in mind when she laid the groundwork for today’s highly successful CE department at Elms.

The program has provided pathways to success and opened doors for people like Quinonez, who just needed a little help. And now they can help others.

Features

At a Loss

By Dr. Jennifer Sowards

 

The year-end holidays are fast-approaching, and it can be a festive time, with many people busy meal planning and shopping for the perfect gift.

However, for people with hearing loss, it may also be a stressful time, filled with gatherings where it will be difficult to understand conversations with family and friends. Hearing loss is tricky because it’s not an all-or-nothing thing: most people report they can hear, but it’s the clarity that becomes a problem. This is why many people still have untreated hearing loss. Most people don’t notice their own hearing loss because, to them, it sounds like other people are mumbling.

One of the first signs of hearing loss is difficulty understanding speech when there is background noise present — and this is what happens at holiday gatherings.

Even with hearing aids, navigating group settings can be a challenge. Here are some tips for the upcoming gatherings:

• Try to pick a spot that will be less noisy (away from fans or music).

• Try to position yourself as close as possible to the people you are trying to hear.

• Try not to be embarrassed to tell people you are having difficulty, and ask them to speak less rapidly or to move to a quieter spot with you.

• Pay attention to context clues to help you predict what comes next. For example, if you hear the word ‘weather,’ the next topic will likely pertain to cold, snow, rain, warm, etc.

• Don’t nod your head and smile if you didn’t understand what was said; ask the speaker to repeat to avoid embarrassing exchanges.

• If someone tells you a phone number or spells a name for you, repeat back what they said to make sure you heard it correctly.

• If you misunderstood part of a sentence, ask a specific question about the part you missed, rather than saying “what?” (For example, “where did you hide the gifts?” or “who is Ted bringing to dinner?”)

• Try to keep a positive attitude. There are some situations where it is hard to hear even for people with normal hearing.

Communication partners can also support their friends and family with hearing loss during the holidays:

• Enunciate words and face the person you are speaking with.

• Make sure you have the person’s attention if you want to tell them something important.

• Help manage background noise. Lower the volume or turn off background music or television, put down rugs in areas with hard floors (echoes in a room can exacerbate the noise), and make sure the room is well-lit to allow for clear visual cues.

• It’s OK to be frustrated, but try not to take it out on the person with hearing loss. Gentle reminders about their dependence on you might actually be helpful motivation to address any untreated hearing issues.

• Hearing aids aren’t hearing cures; even those with treated loss or normal hearing can still struggle at noisy events.

At Florence Hearing Health Care, our recommendation is for anyone noticing any hearing difficulties to have a comprehensive hearing evaluation with an audiologist to establish a baseline. The first thing we do is check to make sure there is no wax blocking the ears. We also make sure there are no infections or eardrum problems that could be treated by a physician. From this evaluation, the audiologist will be able to tell you exactly what your hearing ability is and if treatment is recommended.

Sometimes, holiday gatherings provide the inspiration for this first step in diagnosing and treating hearing loss.

 

Jennifer Sowards, Au.D. is an audiologist and founder of Florence Hearing Health Care.

Building Trades

Beyond Four Walls

By Emily Thurlow

The Newman Catholic Center

The Newman Catholic Center at UMass Amherst is among PDC’s notable recent projects.

One of Nick Shaink’s earliest memories with Professional Drywall Construction Inc. was working as a laborer for the buildout of the Target store at the Holyoke Mall. As a teenager, he worked with the Springfield-based commercial drywall contractor on weekends and on summer breaks.

Now, more than two decades later, the firm is undertaking larger-scale projects, like a 900-room dormitory at the University of Connecticut, and Shaink is co-owner and vice president of PDC Inc.

While the company’s name reflects its origins in drywall, PDC offers services in structural metal framing, finish carpentry, acoustical ceilings, wood framing, plastering, toilet partitions, and more. Most recently, the company landed a job that solely involves installing metal panels on the exterior of a building.

“We’re starting to get work that’s not our traditional scope of work — it’s our expanded scope of work,” co-owner and President Ron Perry said.

Founded in 1994 by John Kendzierski, PDC has been affiliated with the local carpenters’ and laborers’ unions since 1997.

Over the course of Shaink’s career with PDC, he’s held nearly every job — from carpenter and general superintendent to vice president of Operations. A native of Connecticut, he had aspirations of running his own business and eventually relocated to Hampshire County.

Perry, who has been with the company for eight years, was previously a construction manager for two decades. In that prior capacity, he often hired PDC for construction projects, which is how he met Shaink. Over time, Perry learned that they shared similar ambitions. After Shaink approached Perry about going into business together, the pair purchased the company in 2018.

“I’ve always wanted to own a business; that’s always been a dream of mine,” Perry said. “So when this opportunity came up, it was something that I couldn’t pass up.”

Since then, the business has expanded its footprint into Connecticut, opening an office in Norwalk in 2018, and into New York, with an office in Malta in 2021. The multiple locations support each other, Perry said.

While PDC’s Springfield headquarters is handling some of the larger projects, such as the interior framing, insulation, and drywall for UConn’s hockey arena, its Malta location is currently working on a Starbucks at Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady. For now, the decision remains to take the growth pattern a little slower at the company’s newest office.

“I’ve always wanted to own a business; that’s always been a dream of mine. So when this opportunity came up, it was something that I couldn’t pass up.”

“We want to make sure that we build the right team. We want to make sure that we have the right manpower, instead of taking the giant job out in New York where we could potentially fail,” Perry said. “We’re starting a little slower and trying to grow responsibly there.”

 

Piecing It Together

Over the years, PDC has built a name for itself in renovation and new, large-scale construction projects for retail, medical, and educational organizations in Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Connecticut. The company also has a bonding capacity of up to $100 million.

Notable structures that PDC has had a hand in include the Bone & Joint Institute at Hartford Hospital, Baystate Medical Center’s Hospital of the Future expansion, Taconic High School in Pittsfield, and Wahconah Regional High School in Dalton.

PDC owners Nick Shaink (left) and Ron Perry

PDC owners Nick Shaink (left) and Ron Perry say they want to keep growing the company gradually and smartly.

The company has also worked on more than 30 projects at UMass Amherst in the last 15 years, Shaink said, from its striking design of Isenberg School of Management to the UMass Design Building and the Newman Catholic Center.

At the campus’s Old Chapel, the company installed pre-fabricated, structural cold-formed metal framing, sheathing, and roof blocking on the building’s exterior, and installed framing walls and drywall on the interior. Workers also installed soffits, which is the underside of part of an architectural structure like an arch.

Work also included the installation of wood stairs, acoustical ceiling tiles, and acoustical plaster systems.

“Our goal is to try to do as many of the things we’re good at under one contract. It gives us more control over costs. It gives us more flexibility … it gives us more work on that job, as contracts are a little bigger,” Perry said. “We’re able to do more work with less — that’s why we want our jobs to be bigger. We want to do a bigger scope of work.”

Drywall — a staple in modern homes and buildings in the U.S., also referred to as wallboard or plasterboard — is made of two paper boards with gypsum, a gray or white soft sulfate mineral, in the middle.

The prototype for the invention was patented by Augustine Sackett in 1894, according to the National Inventors Hall of Fame. However, it wasn’t widely accepted as a building material until the 1940s.

Taking the art of drywall a step further in customization, PDC uses a unique method to mill a perfect corner, called ‘origami.’ Much like the Japanese art of folding objects out of paper, PDC’s approach enables its employees to shape a piece of drywall to fit a space more efficiently at the Springfield shop beforehand. Instead of using three separate pieces of drywall to make a column, they can use one piece of drywall, fold it, and glue it together in the desired angle, then install it in one piece.

By using this method, Perry explained, the drywall is not only a durable solution, but it is also a more efficient one, as the profiles are pre-fabricated in the shop. “It makes our lives in the field less complicated. It’s efficiency in the field.”

And, as with most contractors, time and scheduling are of the utmost importance.

 

Leveraging Growth

About a decade ago, the annual drop in temperature also meant a drop in projects. But for the past five years, PDC hasn’t really slowed with the changing of the seasons, Perry said. “It doesn’t ever stop.”

In the months leading up to COVID-19, the company secured a number of jobs, which helped carry it through what were some trying times for other organizations. Despite the uncertainty, Shaink said the company’s workload never really slowed down.

Fortunately, even as businesses across all sectors, especially in the construction realm, have battled persistent workforce shortages, labor has not been much of an issue at PDC, as the company continues to fluctuate between 280 and 300 employees.

The main obstacle during the pandemic — and it’s still an issue — is supply-chain issues for materials. The variety of metal studs the company uses for projects has traditionally been available within a week or two. But in the post-pandemic world, those same metal studs are taking up to eight weeks to arrive. That delay impacts the schedule, which in turn impacts the company’s ability to forecast as accurately as it would like.

“When that lead time is eight weeks and you’re buying material that’s eight weeks away, and it comes, and it turns out you don’t have enough — that’s eight more weeks,” Perry said. “And guys standing around is what costs us the most amount of money.”

One of the hardest-to-get products has been insulation. At one point, insulation, which was typically available within a few weeks, took up to nine months to arrive. In an effort to overcome such delays, Perry said PDC purchased multiple truckloads of insulation in advance and then had to find a place to store it all, hoping the job would still come to fruition.

“It’s complicated to forecast,” he said. “It’s a risk of where to put so much money.”

As for future projects, PDC has been awarded the construction of the new Holyoke Veterans Home. The 350,000-square-foot facility will include a chapel, outdoor gardens, and a pavilion for physical and occupational therapy, as well as outdoor events.

PDC will be tackling the interior and exterior framing, installation of medical headwall systems, drywall installation, and finishing. Once completed, the $483 million project will house 234 long-term-care beds for the medically vulnerable veteran population. Work is slated to begin in the fall of 2024.

In the meantime, both Shaink and Perry still have their sights set on growth, and they’re not getting hung up on a particular volume of work, but rather focusing on sustainability.

“We want to grow the business to be as big as we can and as profitable as we can,” Perry said. “I’d rather do a little bit less work, and make the margins that we need to be sustainable, than to try to take on additional risk and maybe not make as much money. We’re finding that balance between growth and profit.”

Architecture

‘A Labor of Love’

River Valley Co-op in Easthampton

River Valley Co-op in Easthampton demonstrates that on-site solar power can reach net-zero for a grocery store.

 

River Valley Co-op and Co-op Power recently announced a significant achievement: 65 families with low incomes or who are situated within Eversource’s environmental-justice neighborhoods have signed up for low-cost solar power, marking a local step toward mitigating the environmental impact of global warming while promoting community well-being.

In 2014, River Valley Co-op set a sustainability goal to generate 50% of the electricity used annually for its then-future second store through on-site green energy. Upon engaging in real-estate negotiations in 2017 for the second store, on the site of a former Oldsmobile dealership in Easthampton, the co-op simultaneously engaged Co-op Power for support with feasibility of solar power at the store.

Working with the engineering team of Solar Design Associates, a solar canopy over the rooftop and parking lot was proposed. The result was a preliminary, groundbreaking grocery-store design that could achieve River Valley Co-op’s net-zero goal, offsetting 100% of the new store’s electricity.

“The journey has been filled with challenges, but after six years of relentless effort in partnership with our solar developer, Co-op Power — a labor of love for and with our community — we successfully energized the rooftop system,” said Rochelle Prunty, general manager of River Valley Co-op, adding that “we finalized the subscription of 65 community solar shares that were essential to the project, and within a month, we anticipate energizing the solar canopy.”

The success of this project demonstrates that on-site solar electricity can reach net-zero for a grocery store. Moreover, it brings significant relief to 65 community households with low incomes or those situated within Eversource’s environmental-justice neighborhoods, collectively saving them $20,000 on their annual electric bills through the community solar aspect of this project. The economic relief to these community families, including some co-op employees, is timely as many people are struggling with especially high inflation in electric costs over the past year.

“River Valley Co-op remains committed to our mission of creating a just marketplace that nurtures the community through our community-owned retail grocery business operations,” Prunty said. “We leverage our business for addressing the pressing issues of fostering sustainable local food-system development, fighting global warming, and working for overall environmental and social justice.”

The hope, she added, is that this grocery-store solar project inspires others and drives systemic changes that support more widespread community ownership of solar- and green-energy innovations to democratize sustainable energy production. Partners on the project include Co-op Power, PV Squared, EOS Energy Systems, Sunwealth, Solar Design Associates, Wright Builders, Thomas Douglas Architects, and Berkshire Design Group.

Prunty also credited support from U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle, and Eversource in making the project a reality.

“It feels great to have been able to exceed our 2014 stretch goal of 50% for site-generated solar power to net-zero,” she added. “It took years of work to get here, navigating a system that was not designed for short-term profits for corporations, but instead for net-zero, local, community-owned solar production for either individuals or businesses. But with steadfast support from Co-op Power and so many others in our community, we are about the reach the finish line.”

 

Architecture

The Road Ahead

 

Last year, trucks moved 73% — 11.5 billion tons — of the freight in the U.S., making trucks, and truckers, crucial to the U.S. economy. With automation in trucking projected to grow 22% over the next 10 years, a team of UMass Amherst researchers has received a grant to explore how automation will affect the role of American long-haul truckers.

An interdisciplinary group of researchers led by Shannon Roberts, associate professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, has been awarded nearly $2 million over four years by the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Future of Work Program.

“We know that, when automation is introduced into trucks, it changes the role of a trucker,” Roberts said. “The question we are asking is, how do we examine and improve upon the future of work in long-haul trucking not by focusing on technology development, but rather by focusing on the trucker?”

Laurel Smith-Doerr, professor of Sociology and co-principal investigator on the study, noted that, “unlike other research projects on the future of work in long-haul trucking that assume driverless automation, our interdisciplinary, NSF-funded project centers the driver in the process of imagining the future of work in trucking.”

Roberts added that the role technology plays and the needs of truckers have to be carefully balanced. “Let’s focus on taking the best of both worlds to make sure they work together seamlessly. In the end, that will reap the greatest benefit.”

“Technology is good at handling consistent situations with predictable, rational people, but humans are not predictable, rational beings. Because of this, technology will not be able to react to everything that might happen on the road. It’s impossible. We will need a person in the truck.”

Automation has many benefits, like fewer crashes and better efficiency, but that doesn’t mean the human should be removed from the equation entirely, she added. “Technology is good at handling consistent situations with predictable, rational people, but humans are not predictable, rational beings. Because of this, technology will not be able to react to everything that might happen on the road. It’s impossible. We will need a person in the truck.”

At the same time, automation can’t make workers feel expendable, she said. “People take pride in what they do. We don’t want to take everything out of that job such that people are unsatisfied and unhappy. Many people get into trucking as a means to move into the middle-class lifestyle with a high-school diploma or a GED. It’s a means of betterment for a large chunk of the population.”

Roberts added that there’s a significant equity factor to consider as well. She sees how automation can also help relieve the ongoing trucker shortage by making the field more accessible to people who are underrepresented in the field — veterans, women, and minorities.

Ultimately, these questions converge on a topic she calls the human-truck symbiosis. “How do we take advantage of all the things that people are good at doing, and all the things that technology is good at doing, to make sure we have a system that works really well?”

Such a complex landscape requires an interdisciplinary team to evaluate it from all angles. Other principal investigators include Henry Renski, professor of Regional Planning; Shlomo Zilberstein, professor of Computer Science; Michael Knodler, professor of Civil Engineering; and Robin Riessman of the UMass Transportation Center as senior personnel.

Some of the methods the team plans to use to collect the information include ride-alongs with truckers, participatory design with truckers, and workforce-development analysis.

“We’re working with this workforce — that is, truckers,” Roberts said. “One of the things that will make this project successful is our stakeholders.”

 

Cover Story

Creature Comforts

Executive Director Meg Talbert

Executive Director Meg Talbert
Photo by Danielle Cookish

The statistics, frankly, are striking.

In 2021, Dakin Humane Society cared for 2,740 animals; in 2022, that number was 3,071.

The 2023 figure is 4,124 — and that’s just through mid-November.

“Our intake has been up nearly 60% over the past year,” said Meg Talbert, Dakin’s executive director, noting that the upward trend is due to several factors, but especially economic trends that have made everything less affordable for families, pets being no exception.

“Right now, people are being impacted by housing availability, housing loss, the high cost of living,” she said. “So they’re making some choices about their pets and coming to Dakin for help when they can no longer care for their pets.”

But Dakin has been in the animal-saving business in Springfield for almost 55 years and isn’t stopping now.

“We have an incredible community here in our region, people that want to adopt, people that want to help those animals and provide them new homes,” Talbert told BusinessWest. “So, from the sadness and loss we have to support people through comes the joy of making new adoptions and finding those animals new homes.”

“Right now, people are being impacted by housing availability, housing loss, the high cost of living. So they’re making some choices about their pets and coming to Dakin for help when they can no longer care for their pets.”

Yet, Dakin isn’t only rehoming dogs and cats; it has developed an array of services — from low-cost spay and neuter services to a pet-supply thrift shop — designed to help people struggling economically to keep their beloved animals in their homes.

“Many people know Dakin for having adopted an animal from us, coming in and getting a cat or a dog or a small animal from us throughout the years,” she said. “But we’re doing incredible work with our communities. About a year and a half ago, we opened our pet health center, which is a new, accessible veterinary-care clinic. We have programs like our kitten street team that does trap-neuter-return in the community. We have a pet food bank for community residents who might be going through some economic struggles, and they need some help with food for their pets.

“So we’re just at a place of growth,” she continued, “and I think what we’re finding at Dakin — and what we try to message with people — is we really are in the human-service business as well as the animal-welfare business, supporting people and their pets through all sorts of highs and lows in their lives.”

Talbert is no stranger to the nonprofit-management world, serving most recently as chief Development officer for Way Finders, a housing and human-services agency, before landing at Dakin in October 2022. Before Way Finders, she was executive director of Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers, a national service-animal organization founded to provide in-home assistance to people living with spinal-cord injury or other mobility impairments that now focuses on providing lifelong care for the animals in retirement.

Dakin staff member Eliza Fischer

Dakin staff member Eliza Fischer greets a patient at a recent parvovirus vaccine clinic.
Photo by Danielle Cookish

In those roles and her current one, she has led with a specific philosophy.

“Understanding the community, understanding people, being compassionate, listening to people, and having an open heart are incredibly important,” she said. “And that’s what we have here: the staff, the volunteers, the people that show up to Dakin every day are just incredible individuals who support not only the animals in our community, but the people as well.”

Some people, she added, are surprised to learn that Dakin also offers a support group for people dealing with pet loss — a universal experience for anyone who has opened their home (and heart) to an animal.

“That’s been an incredible resource,” she said. “Everything is online. It’s a free service for people to come and attend if they’ve lost a pet. We have people from all over the country — actually, other countries, too — dialing in for that. It’s a relatively new service for us, but it’s something that people have really appreciated; they’ve found comfort through speaking with people about their loss.”

 

Tails of Triumph

With the need to find homes for animals — Dakin handles cats, dogs, and even small animals like rabbits and guinea pigs — so heightened these days amid limited space and resources, Talbert stressed the multiple benefits of adoption.

“People who are considering adoption know that they’re really saving two lives: they’re saving or improving the life of the animal, bringing them into a new home, and they’re also making room for the next animal that needs to come in with us for care and adoption. So it’s such an important choice that people make when they’re considering bringing a pet into their home.”

Potential adopters can always visit Dakin’s website, dakinhumane.org, to check out animals who need homes; the selection changes every day. And it helps that the shelter is now open for walk-in visits Tuesday through Saturday from 12:30 to 3 p.m.; during the pandemic, adoptions were by appointment only.

“So we want to welcome people to come by, take a look, and talk to our staff, who are just amazing resources,” Talbert said. “They know all of these animals individually. They know how to make a great match for every individual home.”

She understands that many people don’t consider shelter adoption as a first choice, preferring, for any number of reasons, to buy pets through breeders or stores. And she tries to dispel some of the hesitancy families feel about rescuing an animal.

“They need to know that these animals have gone through a routine health check. All of our animals will be spayed and neutered prior to their adoption. And we know all about them. If they have any particular health concerns that have been identified upon intake, we certainly talk about that with a potential adopter.

“We really are in the human-service business as well as the animal-welfare business, supporting people and their pets through all sorts of highs and lows in their lives.”

“We have animals of all ages as well,” she continued. “People that are interested in a kitten or a puppy can find one here, but we have a lot of middle-aged dogs, some older dogs that need care. We have a lot of people whose hearts really go out to the older animals that come in, and they need a special type of care for their lives. So we have adopters of all types that come to us.”

She appreciates everyone who feels moved to adopt a pet at Dakin.

From left, Medical Director Dr. Rebecca Carroll with Dakin staff members Lorie Benware and Betsy Bernard

From left, Medical Director Dr. Rebecca Carroll with Dakin staff members Lorie Benware and Betsy Bernard during a parvovirus vaccine clinic.
Photo by Danielle Cookish

“I always joke that, every time people come in, they’re like, ‘my wife is going to kill me if I bring home an animal,’” she said, but they’re moved to adopt one anyway. “We had a fire alarm go off a few months ago; we didn’t have any trouble, just a false alarm. One of the firemen said, ‘I’m thinking about adopting a cat or a kitten.’ I said, ‘come on back.’ And he did. He came back, and he adopted.”

Those stories are gratifying to the staff and volunteers who work at Dakin, Talbert said, but so is the day-to-day care they provide to animals and the support they offer to families who want desperately to hang onto their own pets.

“It’s just a great place to be. I think it’s an incredible organization,” she told BusinessWest. “Walking through these doors and meeting our staff and volunteers will warm your heart. We love showing off what we do and teaching people people about the needs in the community and how they can get involved in helping not only the pets, but the people as well.”

That staff currently totals about 60, supported by more than 300 volunteers. “There’s a variety of different ways to get involved as a volunteer. Some people come in to help with daily animal care and walking dogs and enrichment programs for the animals while they’re here in the adoption center. Some people help us with office work and help our development team and our marketing team do their work.”

And that’s not all. Other volunteers are part of the morning wake-up crew, and others come in for enrichment activities with the cats in the afternoon. Some work in the thrift shop or at events, and others volunteer only on weekends. “You have people that come in every Sunday to walk dogs, and that’s meaningful to them.”

Dakin also maintains a wide network of foster homes who take care of animals prior to adoption, Talbert said, noting that more than 60% of the animals the organization adopted out last year spent time in foster care.

“We have a lot of people whose hearts really go out to the older animals that come in, and they need a special type of care for their lives.”

“What an amazing difference that makes for those pets to have that home environment. We’re learning a lot about them. We’re learning if they can get along with other pets, how they’re doing on their housetraining, obedience skills, all those things. So our foster caregivers are an incredible asset,” she said. “Our foster families also help with our marketing of animals because they’re taking photos, they’re taking videos, they’re telling fun

stories about their interactions with their foster pets.”

Dakin is always looking for more foster families, she added. “It doesn’t need to be a terribly long-term commitment. Some people say, ‘you know, gosh, I only have a one-month window that I can foster.’ We will work with anybody in whatever situation and try to make a good match.”

 

Ruff Times

Dakin is far from alone in dealing with an uptick in need. Shelters across the country, especially down south, have been overrun, and many have had to euthanize more adoptable animals than ever. Compounding the issue is a shortage of veterinary professionals to run much-needed spay and neuter clinics.

“It’s definitely been difficult in the veterinary community as a whole throughout this country,” Talbert said. “Fewer people are entering the veterinary field, whether that’s veterinarians or technicians or other people coming to animal welfare. There really is a shortage of veterinary staff. So we are very lucky here to have our staff and our veterinarian to run this spay-neuter clinic. It is designed to help people who may be struggling to access other veterinary care because of location or cost.”

In short, it’s a time of great challenge for facilities like Dakin, but also one of opportunity.

“It’s an amazing place to be,” she added. “I told people about a year ago, when I took this job, I felt like I won the job lottery. It’s been wonderful to come into an organization where I’ve been welcomed, where people want to teach about their experiences, where there’s really good communication and incredible teamwork, not only internally here, but with our partners in the region as well. It’s just an amazing place to be.”

Talbert encouraged people to get involved in the organization, either through adopting an animal, volunteering, getting involved in the foster program, or donating money, pet food, or pet supplies; information about all that is available at dakinhumane.org.

“I just want to thank the community for their support of Dakin,” she added. “We could not do the work that we do without the generosity of others, whether it’s a philanthropic gift, a supply drive, or people giving of their time. It really is what makes Dakin work.”

Building Trades Special Coverage

It Runs Hot and Cold

Fifth-generation president Ted Noonan

Fifth-generation president Ted Noonan says the company continues to grow and diversify its products and services.

 

Going back nearly 135 years, Ted Noonan says, the company now known as Noonan Energy has been defined by ambition, innovation, entrepreneurship, diversification, and, perhaps most importantly, the willingness — and ability — to adapt to changing times.

And these qualities continue to describe Noonan today, he said, noting that the company started by his great-great-grandfather in 1890 as an ice-delivery venture continues to evolve and create new business opportunities.

Indeed, Noonan, which moved on from ice after the advent of refrigeration and morphed over more than a half-century into a leading provider of oil and HVAC services, has added two new divisions in recent years, electrical and plumbing services, that give it the ability to provide more services to existing and potential customers — and intriguing growth opportunities.

“We added these new divisions because there was so much synergy with our other services,” he explained. “We were constantly needing an outside plumber or an outside electrician to pull permits and do work, so we said, ‘since we’re hiring one all the time, why don’t we just bring one on and create a new division?’”

The plumbing division was added in 2011 with the hiring of master plumber Mark Gadourey, and the electrical unit was introduced in 2018 with the addition of master electrician Daniel Rollend, said Noonan, adding that both continue to grow, as do other aspects of the broad operation.

“We were constantly needing an outside plumber or an outside electrician to pull permits and do work, so we said, ‘since we’re hiring one all the time, why don’t we just bring one on and create a new division?’”

“We’ve had some nice growth in both of those divisions over the past five to 10 years, and on the service and installation side as well,” he told BusinessWest, noting that the company installs everything from oil tanks and oil burners to air-conditioning systems, heat pumps, and mini-splits, while also undertaking home-energy audits and creating comfort plans. “We have a whole host of … everything.”

As fifth-generation owner, Ted Noonan continues many traditions, if they can be called that, of the owners who came before him. Being entrepreneurial is one of them. Growing up in the business and learning all aspects of it first-hand is another — Noonan recalled riding with the delivery men in his youth and unwinding hose. And filling in, especially in a pinch, is yet another.

“I still drive today when we get really busy in the winter,” he said. “I enjoy it … I always say that it’s therapy for me; I get out of the office, I shut my phone off — or try to — and make deliveries. I’ve pretty much done every territory we handle, so if we get a couple of call-outs in the winter, I’ll step in.”

Mostly, though, he is involved in short-term and long-term planning, creating additional opportunities, and exploring new avenues for growth and expansion. He noted that a trend toward consolidation within the industry, one that has fueled the dramatic growth of this company over the past 50 years, continues, especially as the Baby Boomer owners of smaller oil-delivery and HVAC service companies move into retirement.

Ted Noonan (right) and his father, Ed

Ted Noonan (right) and his father, Ed, have continued traditions of innovation laid down by T.F. Noonan back in 1890.

“We’re still looking at acquisition opportunities and expansion opportunities, while also keeping an eye on what might create great synergy from a diversification standpoint,” he noted, adding that, at present, the company is focused on “shoring up” those new divisions and growing those aspects of the business.

For this issue and its focus on the building trades, BusinessWest takes an in-depth look at Noonan Energy, exploring its rich history, the continuing of a tradition of entrepreneurship, and the question of what might come next.

 

Freeze Frame

Flashing back more than a century to company lore that he is well-versed in and relates often, Noonan marveled at how the venture known as T.F. Ice Dealer (named for his great-great-grandfather, Timothy F. Noonan) cut huge blocks of ice from Lake Massasoit (Watershops Pond) in Springfield and, using sawdust as an insulator, kept it relatively cold all through the year for delivery to customers in the Greater Springfield area.

And he continues to be awed by the insulating properties of sawdust.

“We’re still looking at acquisition opportunities and expansion opportunities, while also keeping an eye on what might create great synergy from a diversification standpoint.”

“We have a small barn at our house, and we have sawdust for the horses,” he noted. “You’ll go two months after cold weather, and if we’re digging in the sawdust, we find snowballs. And that always brings me back to how this company started.”

While some things haven’t changed — like sawdust’s ability to keep ice cold — the Noonan company certainly has. Its history is told through a huge photo display in the lobby of the company’s offices on Robbins Road, in the shadow of a 2-million-gallon oil tank. That lobby is also home to an oil-delivery truck circa the 1930s — it was rescued several years ago, refurbished, and painted with the Noonan colors (green and white) to resemble trucks the company had on the road 80 or so years ago.

Providing a quick history lesson, Noonan said the company, while it has remained in the same family, has changed names a few times and added new products and services on a consistent basis.

The first name change came in 1911, when T.F. decided to put ‘Massosoit Lake Ice Company’ over the door and on the side of the horse-drawn wagons. He would sell the company to his son, Edward J. Noonan, in 1923. The entrepreneurial second-generation owner would add kerosene and home heating oil to the products delivered by the company, additions that would prompt a name change to Massasoit Lake Ice and Fuel Co.

Second-generation owner Edward J. Noonan inaugurated the company name Massasoit Lake Ice and Fuel Co.

Second-generation owner Edward J. Noonan inaugurated the company name Massasoit Lake Ice and Fuel Co.

By 1939, with refrigeration chipping away at the ice business, Ed Noonan diversified by opening a gasoline station at the corner of King Street and Eastern Avenue in Springfield, one that also sold paint and wallpaper, which many of those facilities did at that time.

In 1958, Ed Noonan sold the business to two of his sons, Timothy and William, who ran a company that would take the name Noonan Oil Co. Inc., a venture that would slug its way through the oil embargo in 1973 and manage to expand sales and develop new markets. Timothy would become sole owner in 1981.

“We see a bright future … it’s going to be different, certainly, than it was five, 10, or 50 years ago, but everyone is always going to need warming and cooling, and we’ll be there to provide it.”

His son, Ed, would launch his own career in the business by acquiring Palmer Coal and Oil in 1973, while his father continued to grow Noonan Oil. (The two companies were in friendly competition for several years.) Ed Noonan doubled the size of his company with the acquisition of Leonard Oil Co. of Monson in 1978 and continued to grow with other acquisitions, including Dulude Oil Inc., Palmer Oil Co., City Oil in Springfield, Marquis-Rivers in Holyoke, and Tinco Fuel in Ludlow.

He would eventually put all those brands under one name, Noonan Energy, in 1985, and in 1985, Noonan Oil Co., still owned by Ed’s father, Tim, would become part of Noonan Energy as well. In the ensuing years, many other smaller oil-delivery and service ventures would be acquired, including Better Heat Inc., Bolduc Fuel, Royal Heating, National Heating, Canary Oil, Hampshire Oil, Hillside Oil, Davis Fuel Co., Hadley Fuel Co. … the list goes on.

Ted Noonan, Ed’s son, joined the company in 1998, became its president in 2009, and was named a member of BusinessWest’s Forty Under 40 class of 2017.

 

Hot Takes

During his tenure, one during which Tim has remained active with the business, Ted Noonan has continued his father’s tradition of aggressive acquisition of smaller fuel-oil and service businesses.

In 2011, the company acquired the assets of Whiteley Fuel Oil Co. in Chatham; in 2011, it purchased Ray Kelley & Son of Palmer; in 2013, it acquired East Springfield Oil Co; and, most recently, it added Borsari Oil of West Springfield, Chudy Oil in Three Rivers, and Westfield Fuel to the fold.

All these acquisitions give the company something very much needed in this day and age — size, said Noonan, adding that they also give it a presence in several different markets across the region.

Indeed, the Noonan footprint, or service and delivery area, now stretches to the edge of the Berkshires to the west, several of the border communities of Connecticut to the south (penetrating further into the state is difficult, Ted said), into Franklin County to the north, and into Worcester County to the east. With that acquisition of Whiteley Fuel Oil, it also serves a dozen communities on Cape Cod. Locations in the 413 are in Springfield, Westfield, Amherst, and Palmer.

Noonan Energy is known for heating and HVAC services

Noonan Energy is known for heating and HVAC services, but has become a player in electrical and plumbing work as well.

Beyond these acquisitions and the accompanying territorial expansion, the company has achieved additional growth though expansion of its product and service portfolio, said Noonan, adding that, in addition to the new plumbing and electrical divisions, the company also added a home-energy audit division under the leadership of his sister, Kara Noonan, in 2012.

He said these new divisions, and especially the plumbing and electrical units, were natural additions that came about as need became evident, especially as plumbers and electricians retire in large numbers, and as customers looking for those services continued to ask people from Noonan — who were delivering oil, servicing a boiler, or installing central air conditioning — if they knew a good plumber or electrician.

After years of offering referrals if it could, the company made the entrepreneurial decision to change its answer to those questions to ‘yes … that’s us; we can handle that.’

“It’s similar work to what we do, and it’s a niche we can fill,” Ted Noonan said, adding that the ability to give that answer puts the company in a position to offer a portfolio of services that few, if any, of its many competitors can match. Noonan said many still just deliver oil, while others will also handle installation and service of HVAC systems. Meanwhile, some handle plumbing and HVAC, but not electrical or oil delivery. But very few cover all those bases.

The new divisions enable the company to further diversify and better position it for a future where there will certainly be less dependency on fossil fuels, said Noonan, adding that the company is already making strides in that direction through steps such as the blending of biodiesel and traditional heating oil to create bioheat, continually increasing the blend so it is less carbon-intense.

“We see a bright future … it’s going to be different, certainly, than it was five, 10, or 50 years ago, but everyone is always going to need warming and cooling, and we’ll be there to provide it,” he said, adding that the ability to change with the times — and sometimes see around the corner and anticipate what’s coming next — has kept Noonan viable since Benjamin Harrison was patrolling the White House.

And these qualities will continue to serve it well into the future.

 

Architecture Special Coverage

Something to Build On

Vice President Vinny Magnano (left) and President Jeff Noble.

Vice President Vinny Magnano (left) and President Jeff Noble.

Western Mass. is home to dozens of architecture firms. And engineering firms. And land-surveying companies.

Not too many can say they’re all three.

But over its 75 years in business — it celebrates that milestone early in 2024 — Hill-Engineers, Architects, Planners Inc. has evolved into a entity that can manage all those aspects of a project. And President Jeff Noble says that broad expertise sets Hill apart in its field — or, more accurately, fields. It’s also a strong buffer against shifting economic tides.

“We’re organized in three departments — architecture, engineering, and civil surveying — and it’s seldom that you get all three of those going gangbusters all at once,” Noble explained. “Sometimes we’re very fortunate, but other times, one might wane a little bit, while the other two are going well. That diversity of services has carried us along, so we’re able to sustain the level of employment and the types of services we offer. That’s been a big benefit.”

The company’s roughly 40 employees reflect that range: architects; structural, mechanical, and electrical engineers; civil engineers, land surveyors, and survey technicians; and project managers, designers, and drafters in all three niches.

For instance, “we did a brand-new facility for Standard Uniform Services. We started with the permitting, the site development, the architecture, the engineering, and designed that whole facility for them,” Noble explained, adding that it contracted with Forish Construction on the build. “That range of services has allowed us to provide all that, though it’s not always necessary that you need all those services together.”

“A lot of architectural firms are just architectural firms, and they have to go to get an engineer for structural, mechanical, electrical, civil … that’s not part of their company. In Western Mass., very few of those have combined engineering and architecture — and certainly not land surveying besides.”

Hill-Engineers, Architects, Planners was established by William T. Hill in 1949 to provide mechanical-engineering design services to the robust paper industry of the Berkshires. It has called Dalton, a small town just east of Pittsfield, its home since its opening.

“Mr. Hill was a paper-mill engineer for Crane & Co. here in town, and he evolved from there,” Noble said of the company’s founding. “He grew little by little and did structural engineering, electrical, and mechanical engineering, strictly for the pulp and paper business.”

Vice President Vin Magnano came on board in 1975, and the company’s work and client base started to expand beyond paper into a wide range of commercial and industrial clients — still primarily engineering, but moving gradually into some design work.

“Then it just started to evolve organically to include more architectural work,” Noble added. “And we had engineering here to offer as backup for an architectural project, so it made a lot of sense.”

This Berkshire Family YMCA project

This Berkshire Family YMCA project includes a pool, court, elevated track, and fitness room.

Magnano recalled that “when I came here — I was just a kid, in my 20s — the only architecture we did was to put up a building that covered the machinery; that’s all they cared about. But we started changing after I was here a few years.”

In 1980, a group of five employees purchased the fixed assets of the founder and changed the company’s name to Hill Engineering Inc., and the company began to expand its footprint further in the fields of architecture, engineering, and surveying. In 1986, the company’s leadership contacted Noble, who had worked there before, to head up the growing architectural group. He was intrigued by Hill’s new model.

“I said, ‘yeah, that sounds like a good opportunity,’ and it turned out it was,” he told BusinessWest, adding that, as an architect, “I always appreciated having engineering in-house. A lot of architectural firms are just architectural firms, and they have to go to get an engineer for structural, mechanical, electrical, civil … that’s not part of their company. In Western Mass., very few of those have combined engineering and architecture — and certainly not land surveying besides.”

The company name was changed again in 1987 to Hill-Engineers, Architects, Planners, Inc. to better reflect these expanded areas of service.

“We still do an awful lot just like we always have: we listen to our clients and respond to their needs. They come to us with a problem to solve, and we solve the problem, and move on to the next one.”

“We just started growing the architectural side of the business, doing more commercial work and some residential, institutional, recreational … lots of different types of projects that weren’t industrial. We added staff, and the company has grown over the years.”

 

Industrial Evolution

Over the decades, Hill-Engineers, Architects, Planners has performed work for dozens of the most recognizable names in Western Mass., including General Dynamics, General Electric, Berkshire Health Systems, Union Carbide, Solutia, Kanzaki, and Smith & Wesson, as well as numerous colleges and universities; several Berkshire County municipalities; recreational, religious, and commercial entities; cultural institutions like Berkshire Museum, MASS MoCA, the Clark, and Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center; and land subdivisions throughout the region.

“When the architecture started to evolve from the paper mills, it was still industrial-based, no commercial; we hardly ever did banks or colleges or any of that,” Magnano said. “It was really driven in the industrial.”

Today, the firm boasts many long-time clients in all those sectors above, some for 40 years or more, he added.

Its acquisition of West Stockbridge Enterprises became an opportunity to get into the land-surveying and civil-engineering aspect, Noble added. “It, again, broadened our range of services that we can provide to our clients, whether it was strictly a subdivision survey or supported an architectural project. Clients say, ‘hey, I want to build something,’ and they’ve got to go through all the permitting aspects, site design, maybe find a site, do site analysis. All that started to become services we could provide for our clients.”

Meanwhile, in the engineering group, Magnano said, “we still do pretty much every discipline except fire protection; we partner with a company in Albany for all our fire-protection work.”

The Weidmann Electrical Technology facility in St. Johnsbury, Vt.

The Weidmann Electrical Technology facility in St. Johnsbury, Vt. is among the firm’s largest projects.

The firm’s radius of work is typically about 50 miles, though it has done major projects outside that, including a major expansion of Weidmann Electrical Technology’s paper mill in St. Johnsbury, Vt., one of that region’s largest employers, a little over a decade ago — about 35 years after Hill first worked on a project for Weidmann.

“They were losing their edge in the market, in the industry; Germany and other places were building new, high-tech stuff. So they spent $40 million doing a new addition on the old addition. We did everything, right from the site work,” Magnano said. “That was probably one of the most unique jobs we’ve done, and we were literally in there from day one — about four years. That was a big one.”

Over the decades, Hill has seen a number of changes, from technology to the way projects are bid. For one thing, there are fewer long-term, local relationships with clients because of consolidation, with clients being purchased by larger entities all the time. “So your companies that used to be local are now owned by a company that’s out of Springfield, Illinois or something,” Noble said. “You don’t have the same relationship, unfortunately.”

Meanwhile, codes and regulations have become more challenging, and an emphasis on energy efficiency and sustainability has impacted how projects are designed, he added. “But we still do an awful lot just like we always have: we listen to our clients and respond to their needs. They come to us with a problem to solve, and we solve the problem, and move on to the next one.”

 

Welcome Mat

One negative trend that has impacted businesses of all kinds has been recruiting and retaining talent, and Noble said Hill has been able to maintain a steady staff, but it’s not always easy, especially with engineers.

“You don’t see people applying. It used to be people would come in, knock on the door, send a résumé pretty routinely. Now we can’t even solicit them. We go out and try to get them, and no responses,” he told BusinessWest, adding that Hill’s headquarters in the Berkshires can be a problem for some. “Our location just doesn’t seem to have the attraction for younger people. They’d rather go to the cities where there’s potential for maybe more glamorous or high-profile types of work.

“Students are still enlisting in engineering and architecture schools, but they don’t tend to come back here,” he added. “They go to UMass or Boston for college, but then they won’t come back to the Berkshires to work. That’s what we see as the issue.”

Still, the firm has managed to attract employees from the Pioneer Valley and the Albany, N.Y. areas, and it has also maintained relationships with trade schools to bring young people in for co-op experiences, some of which have resulted in hires over the years.

“You don’t have to necessarily get a master’s in such-and-such; you know you can come out of trade school and go to work as a computer operator here, and we’ll put you to work,” Noble explained. “You can learn on the fly, but under the tutelage of professional engineers.”

Magnano added that “we’ve been fortunate enough to get some individuals whose roots are in Dalton, or close by, and wanted to come back to Dalton. Over the last five to 10 years, we’ve really brought in another whole generation that hopefully will keep it going.”

NUPRO plastic-fabrication factory in South Deerfield

Here, the envelope and siding go up on the NUPRO plastic-fabrication factory in South Deerfield.

Hill-Engineers, Architects, Planners has been community-minded in other ways as well, Noble said, by supporting local nonprofits, social organizations, churches, and other causes in a number of ways.

“The [Dalton] Community Recreation Association is one, whether we do our work at a reduced fee or we support them through ads in their programs, or we sponsor a basketball team or baseball team.”

The firm also supports the Pittsfield YMCA, for which it just completed a major $12 million renovation, including a pool, court, elevated track, fitness facilities, and more. Often, Hill is able to provide services to nonprofit clients at a lower cost, or in an in-kind way, he said. “It works both ways. We get good experience out of it, and the client gets the service at a more affordable level.”

The firm’s leadership and employees also sit on boards and are encouraged to volunteer in the community, Noble added.

 

Shovels Out

As part of its 75th-anniversary year, the team at Hill is planning to bury a time capsule that includes, among other artifacts, some tools of the trade in 2023, and then unearth it 25 years from now, at the company’s centennial, to see how much their industry — sorry, industries — have changed.

Things have certainly changed plenty since 1949.

“I think we’re just very proud of having carried on Mr. Hill’s legacy here for 75 years,” Noble said. “I think he’d be really happy to see where we’re at. And who knows? Maybe we’ll keep it going for another 75.”

Daily News

WARE — Country Bank recently announced its partnership and $20,000 in support of the Wonderfund of Massachusetts.

The Wonderfund helps kids and teens served by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to enjoy childhood’s magical moments during the holiday season. The Wonderfund organization is an ordinary group of people on an extraordinary mission to bring the magic and meaning of childhood into the lives of children who have been impacted by trauma, abuse, and neglect.

Join the Wonderfund and Country Bank in making magic this holiday season for kids in foster care by donating a new, unwrapped gift at any of Country’s banking centers until Dec. 15. Country Bank’s team will shop for gifts to join in the efforts, and donations will be delivered to DCF offices in Springfield and Worcester to be distributed throughout Western and Central Mass.

“We are delighted about this partnership with the Wonderfund and the opportunity for our team and our communities to help us make a difference for children by putting a smile on so many faces,” said Jodie Gerulaitis, vice president of Community Relations at Country Bank.

In addition to the toy drive, Country Bank donated more than $100,000 to 17 local food pantries and $42,000 to local senior centers to relieve food insecurity and homelessness and support elders in its local communities during its annual Season of Difference campaign. To support these efforts, visit wonderfundma.org.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — UMass Amherst and American International College (AIC) signed an agreement allowing AIC to use clinical simulation laboratories and classrooms at the UMass Amherst Center at Springfield following a fire on the AIC campus in July. The agreement will assist AIC nursing students in continuing their education uninterrupted as repairs are made to AIC’s health-sciences facilities.

“As an institution that is deeply committed to Western Massachusetts and Springfield and to our partner institutions, we recognized the urgency of not only helping AIC nursing students continue their studies, but also addressing the need for primary caregivers amid the ongoing nursing shortage,” UMass Amherst Chancellor Javier Reyes said. “This is about neighbor helping neighbor in a time of need — and meeting the workforce needs of our region, especially in an area as critical to the Commonwealth as nursing.”

The July 27 fire on AIC’s campus in Springfield, sparked by a lightning strike, caused extensive damage to Courniotes Hall, which houses the college’s nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and public health programs.

“After the destruction of Courniotes Hall, AIC swiftly reaccommodated classroom and office space for faculty on the AIC campus. However, rebuilding simulation labs with just a few weeks before the start of the semester would not have been possible,” AIC President Hubert Benitez said. “We are tremendously grateful for the outpouring of support shown by the community at large, including the generosity of UMass in helping us secure this critical space. This partnership enabled the college to move forward quickly while allowing our nursing students to continue their studies uninterrupted.”

Under the agreement, the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing at UMass Amherst and AIC’s nursing program have developed a schedule to share instruction space at Tower Square in downtown Springfield through May 2024. This fall, more than 50 AIC students have used the facilities for instruction, assessments, and other activities.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Rock 102 is wrapping up its 30th annual Mayflower Marathon food drive today, benefiting Springfield’s Open Pantry. Bax & Nagle have been broadcasting for 52 hours, ending today at 10 a.m., near the South End Market at MGM Springfield, while collecting non-perishable food donations for Open Pantry Community Services of Springfield.

Open Pantry continues to see growing demand for its services, as one in four families in the Springfield area is experiencing food insecurity, making the need for donations of non-perishable food items constant. The outpouring of support from area residents and businesses (including the Springfield Thunderbirds, Capitol Relocation and Logistics, XFINITY, Camping World of West Hatfield, Affordable Waste Solutions, Arment Trucking, and many more) has historically been significant.

Daily News

MONSON — Monson Savings Bank was a silver sponsor of this year’s Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts Stock Market Competition, the largest single-day student stock-market competition in North America. In this high-tech stock-market simulation, student teams are ‘given’ $1 million to invest in more than 50 fictitious stocks. The goal is to build the highest portfolio net worth in 60 ‘days,’ with trading days lasting just 60 seconds.

Monson Savings Bank donated $1,500 in support of this annual event. This donation supported five teams of five students in the competition, as well as the overall event.

“We are so grateful to have a partner like Monson Savings Bank, who has offered us their loyal support year after year,” said Jennifer Connolly, president of Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts. “Without partners like this, events like the Stock Market Competition would not be possible. The Stock Market Competition offers students a valuable, hands-on learning experience. Thank you to Monson Savings for helping us to make this experience possible for them.”

Lena Buteau, Monson Savings Bank’s vice president, Retail Branch Administration, and Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts board member, shared her excitement about the partnership.

“Monson Savings Bank’s mission truly aligns with the mission of Junior Achievement. We, too, are dedicated to supporting financial literacy and education for everyone, and especially for young people,” she said. “Every year, we look forward to the Stock Market Competition and watching the students’ participation. It is an exciting morning filled with lots of action and learning.”

Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the months of October and November 2023.

CHICOPEE

Chicopee Child Development
989 James St.
$4,170 — Remove existing door, install new steel doors with egress hardware

Diamante 16 LLC
508 Montgomery St.
$7,000 — Roofing

MPK Properties LLC
999 Memorial Dr.
$5,000 — Exterior exit door replacement

Pride Real Estate
27 Montgomery St.
$9,200 — Siding, drywall

Dave Vickers
34 Columba St.
$7,657 — Remove and replace nine windows

EASTHAMPTON

KC Tactical LLC
412 Main St.
$170,000 — Insulation and roofing

HADLEY

Barstow’s Longview Farm Inc.
156 Hockanum Road
N/A — Build barn

Gulmohar Realty Corp.
237 Russell St.
N/A — Install inground swimming pool

LEE

Gilbert Biron, Margaret Biron
42 Park St.
$4,900 — Nine vinyl windows

Alan Wilcox, Lynn Bertelli
29 High St.
$4,000 — Roofing

LENOX

Chucky’s LLC
90 Main St.
$25,000 — Selective demolition

Hillcrest Educational Center
349 Old Stockbridge Road
$408,245 — Replace windows, siding, decking, and shingles

Hillcrest Educational Center
242 West Mountain Road
$318,330 — Replace siding and windows; add new exterior porch, roof, and walkways; re-roof main roof areas; HVAC work to provide ventilation of fresh air

NORTHAMPTON

4-6 Market Street LLC
4 Market St.
$60,000 — Office renovation and add kitchen

14 Conz St. LLC
14 Conz St.
N/A — Deck repairs

1924 LLC
46 Round Hill Road
$2,700,000 — Convert Coolidge Hall building into apartments

Ballybunion Realty LLC
102 Main St., Unit A
$4,340 — Illuminated sign for Smoke Shop

City of Northampton
20 West St.
$7,950 — Chimney liner at Forbes Library

DDM Properties LLC
14 Market St.
$30,000 — Roofing

Florence Congregational Church
130 Pine St.
$35,000 — Fire system upgrade and add-on

Healthy Neighbors Group LLC
321 Bridge St.
$5,000 — Repairs and replacement windows

Scher Mass LLC
10 Michelman Ave.
$10,000 — Two-car garage addition

Smith College
186 Elm St.
$10,000 — Ceiling repairs at Jordan House

Smith College
100 Green St.
$96,740 — Install and relocate growth cambers

Valley Go West LLC
3 North Main St.
$4,300 — Two roof vents and insulation

PITTSFIELD

Cross Development Berkshires LLC
41 Cherry St.
$147,000 — Patch, paint, carpentry, tile, new vanities and cabinets

Four Thirty Three North RE LLC
431 North St., #1
$9,000 — Add six non-bearing interior partitions, two doors, one hand sink, and two hair-washing sinks

Douglas Hutton, Charles Slattery III
35 Commercial St.
$1,190,000 — Selective interior demolition and renovation to office, warehouse, and self-serve/retail

Goodwill Industries
5 Cheshire Road
$75,000 — Remove and replace five HVAC rooftop units

Independent Connections LLC
579 Fenn St.
$77,227 — Roofing

L&S LP
1035 South St.
$92,000 — Machine demolition of structure, including slab and foundations

John Marchisio
57 Industrial Dr.
$64,000 — Roofing

OBCC Holdings LLC
74 Downing Parkway
$168, — Roofing

Regan Development
592 North St., Building 2
$2,925,402 — Renovate building

Regan Development
592 North St., Building 3
$4,130,845 — Repair/improve commercial and residential apartments

Paul Saldana
271 Tyler St.
$28,000 — Replace architectural shingles to two porches, install 32 replacement windows, install four main doors in existing frames, rebuild floor of two porches

Pittsfield Management Systems Inc.
1000 North St.
$15,670 — Door units and hardware

South Congregational Church
110 South St.
$17,500 — Install projection Sunstyle retractable awning

South Street Associates LLC
153 South St.
$400,000 — Repair existing parapet

Thomas C. Flanagan Living Trust
63 Churchill Crest
$10,000 — Six vinyl replacement windows

SPRINGFIELD

American International College
1059 State St.
$48,950 — Interior demolition for future build-out in Lissa Building

American International College
1067 State St.
$29,925 — Interior demolition for future build-out for AIC Health Sciences

Baystate Medical Center Inc.
759 Chestnut St.
$19,294 — Alter interior space for new electrical closet for replacement of electrical distribution service in mechanical/maintenance tunnel

Chestnut Park Preservation LP
10 Chestnut St.
$22,886 — Repair section of parking garage ramp slab

City of Springfield
70 Tapley St.
$4,214,000 — Roofing at Congressman Richard E. Neal Municipal Operations Center

Citywide Associates LP
513 Main St.
$19,873.55 — Insulation and air sealing

Citywide Associates LP
64 Myrtle St.
$30,918.10 — Insulation and air sealing

Holy Name Catholic Assoc.
323 Dickinson St.
$121,964 — Roofing at Holy Name Church

New North Citizens Council Inc.
2455 Main St.
$117,000 — Roofing at New North Community Center

New Trinity Church of God in Christ
209 Quincy St.
$15,000 — Roofing

WD 2025 Roosevelt LLC
2025 Roosevelt Ave.
$15,000 — Erect storage racks on concrete pad for Eversource Gas

WD 2025 Roosevelt LLC
2025 Roosevelt Ave.
$10,000 — Erect storage racks on concrete pad for Eversource Gas

WD 2025 Roosevelt LLC
2025 Roosevelt Ave.
$3,833 — Erect storage racks on concrete pad for Eversource Gas

Western New England University
1215 Wilbraham Road
$237,451 — Alter third-floor space in Sleith Hall for six faculty offices

Guyseymore Wilson
708 Main St.
$125,000 — Full remodel and addition to rear of property for new kitchen

Picture This

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

 

Super 60

The Springfield Regional Chamber’s Super 60 Luncheon drew nearly 500 attendees to the MassMutual Center on Nov. 9. This year, the traditional Revenue and Growth categories were expanded to five with the addition of Start-Up, Give Back, and Non-Profit categories.

chamber President Diana Szynal with Lenny Underwood of Upscale Socks, honored in the Start-Up category

 

Griffin, Vanessa Cofer, and Esther Hudson of Revitalize Community Development Corp., which was honored in the Non-Profit category

 

the team at Appleton Corp., honored in the Give Back category

 

keynote speaker Ashley Kohl, owner of Ohana School of Performing Arts

 

Jessica Hansen and Boomer from the Springfield Thunderbirds, honored in the Growth and Give Back categories

Jessica Hansen and Boomer from the Springfield Thunderbirds, honored in the Growth and Give Back categories

 

 

Bikes Fight Cancer

In its inaugural year, Bikes Fight Cancer raised more than $190,000 for cancer research and services by engaging cyclists to fundraise and participate in various cycling events, including the Bikes Fight Cancer Charity Ride in June. On Nov. 5, Bikes Fight Cancer donated $36,500 to the Center for Human Development’s (CHD) Cancer House of Hope, which participated in the charity ride.

Pictured. from left: Ben Craft of CHD; Avery McAvoy, Becky McAvoy, and Johnny Morin of Bikes Fight Cancer; Margaret Toomey of the Cancer House of Hope; and Meghan Morin of Bikes Fight Cancer.

Pictured. from left: Ben Craft of CHD; Avery McAvoy, Becky McAvoy, and Johnny Morin of Bikes Fight Cancer; Margaret Toomey of the Cancer House of Hope; and Meghan Morin of Bikes Fight Cancer.

 

 

Campaign Kickoff

Berkshire United Way (BUW) launched its 2023-24 campaign with a kickoff celebration on Sept. 20 at the Country Club of Pittsfield, recognizing companies and organizations that went above and beyond and individuals who raised awareness and encouraged giving.

BUW President and CEO Tom Bernard with guest speaker Natalia DeRuzzio from Volunteers in Medicine Berkshires, one of the agencies BUW supports through donor contributions

BUW President and CEO Tom Bernard with guest speaker Natalia DeRuzzio from Volunteers in Medicine Berkshires, one of the agencies BUW supports through donor contributions

 

Beverly Gans from Taconic High School is honored as Employee Campaign Coordinator of the Year

Beverly Gans from Taconic High School is honored as Employee Campaign Coordinator of the Year

 

attendees wave pom-poms during a celebratory moment. (Photo by Autumn Phoenix Photography)

attendees wave pom-poms during a celebratory moment. (Photo by Autumn Phoenix Photography)

 

Gone to the Dog

Baystate Children’s Hospital recently welcomed Isabela — Isa for short — as its first-ever facility dog, thanks to a $150,000 grant from the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation. The golden retriever goes to work every day to provide animal-assisted therapy to pediatric patients, their families, and staff members. Facility dogs are used exclusively for clinical work; they can physically interact with patients to provide comfort and are trained to help with tasks like teaching kids how to take medication, keeping a child calm during medical intervention, and providing incentives for kids to get out of bed for a walk.

Baystate Children’s Hospital recently welcomed Isabela — Isa for short — as its first-ever facility dog

Baystate Children’s Hospital recently welcomed Isabela — Isa for short — as its first-ever facility dog

 

Honoring Service

JGS Lifecare held its 2023 annual meeting on Oct. 10. Highlights of the meeting included remarks from Robert Whitten, president of JGS Lifecare; Dr. Margaret Calkins, president of Innovative Designs in Environments for an Aging Society and recipient of the 2022 Changemaker Award from the Center for Health Design; and Adam Berman, CEO of JGS Lifecare (pictured, right, with Rudy D’Agostino, partner at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. and treasurer of JGS Lifecare, who received the Chair’s Service Award at the meeting).

Adam Berman, CEO of JGS Lifecare (pictured, right, with Rudy D’Agostino, partner at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. and treasurer of JGS Lifecare, who received the Chair’s Service Award at the meeting).

Adam Berman, CEO of JGS Lifecare (pictured, right, with Rudy D’Agostino, partner at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. and treasurer of JGS Lifecare, who received the Chair’s Service Award at the meeting).

 

Pipeline to Nursing

State officials visited Holyoke Community College (HCC) on Oct. 17 to celebrate a statewide nursing scholarship program that pays 100% of costs for community-college nursing students. Pictured: HCC nursing student Katelynn Richard, center, practices under the supervision of Instructor Dorothy Shannon as Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler, state Sen. Jo Comerford, and HCC President George Timmons look on. Also in attendance were Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones, Commissioner of Public Health Robbie Goldstein, state Sen. Adam Gomez, state Rep. Pat Duffy, and Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia.

Pictured: HCC nursing student Katelynn Richard, center, practices under the supervision of Instructor Dorothy Shannon as Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler, state Sen. Jo Comerford, and HCC President George Timmons look on

Pictured: HCC nursing student Katelynn Richard, center, practices under the supervision of Instructor Dorothy Shannon as Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler, state Sen. Jo Comerford, and HCC President George Timmons look on

Court Dockets

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

 

 

CHICOPEE DISTRICT COURT

 

Amy Desroches v. Luis Maravilha Sr., Annastacia Maravilha, and Aloralynn Maravilha d/b/a Twinscape Design and Construction Co.

Allegation: Defendant contracted to do work on plaintiff’s premises; defendant did not do some of the work, and the work defendant did was done negligently: $10,000

Filed: 11/8/23

 

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

 

Joseph Asante v. Burkhard Restoration & Property Services LLC and Patrick Burkhard

Allegation: Breach of contract:$77,631.22

Filed: 10/11/23

 

Joanne Laviolette v. Aldi Massachusetts LLC and Aldi Inc.

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $70,000

Filed: 10/13/23

 

Jose Pomales v. City of Springfield

Allegation: Motor-vehicle negligence causing personal injury: $7,046.33

Filed: 10/19/23

 

Agenda

Difference Makers Nominations

Through Dec. 8: Do you know someone who is truly making a difference in the Western Mass. region? BusinessWest invites you to nominate an individual or group for its 16th annual Difference Makers program. Nominations for the class of 2024 must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 8. Difference Makers was launched in 2009 as a way to recognize the contributions of agencies and individuals who are contributing to quality of life in this region. Past honorees have come from dozens of business and nonprofit sectors, proving there’s no limit to the ways people can impact their communities. Let us know who you think deserves to be recognized as a Difference Maker in our upcoming class by visiting businesswest.com/difference-makers-nomination-form to complete the nomination form. Honorees will be profiled in an upcoming issue of BusinessWest and celebrated at a gala in the spring.

 

Community Giving Initiative

Through Dec. 31: Monson Savings Bank (MSB) is inviting the public to submit their votes for the bank’s 2024 Community Giving Initiative. For more than a decade, MSB has sought the help of community members to plan the bank’s community giving activities. Each year, the bank encourages the public to vote for the nonprofit charitable organizations they would like the bank to support during the coming year. Everyone is welcome to cast their vote online at www.monsonsavings.bank/cgi. Voters may provide the names of up to three organizations they would like MSB to donate to in 2024. The only requirements are that a nominee is designated a nonprofit and provides services within the bank’s geography. Monson Savings Bank pledges to support the 10 organizations that receive the highest number of votes. The top 10 vote recipients will be announced by mid-January. Visitors to the voting page can also view a compiled list of organizations that the bank has supported in years past, as well as previously nominated organizations.

 

Women of Impact

Dec. 7: BusinessWest will honor its sixth annual Women of Impact at Sheraton Springfield. Tickets cost $95 per person, and tables of 10 are available. To purchase tickets, visit businesswest.com/womenofimpact. The class of 2023, profiled in the Oct. 16 issue of BusinessWest and at businesswest.com, are: Fredrika Ballard, president, Aero Design Aircraft Services and Fly Lugu Flight Training; Carla Cosenzi, president, TommyCar Auto Group; Arlyana Dalce-Bowie, CEO, Moms in Power; Sandra Doran, president, Bay Path University; Dr. Khama Ennis, founder, Faces of Medicine and Intentional Health, LLC; Dawn Forbes DiStefano, president and CEO, Square One; Amy Jamrog, CEO, the Jamrog Group; Michelle Theroux, CEO, Berkshire Hills Music Academy; and Lisa Zarcone, author, speaker, and child and mental-health advocate. The event is sponsored by Country Bank and TommyCar Auto Group (presenting sponsors) and Comcast Business (partner sponsor).

 

Eat, Drink, & Be Holyoke

Dec. 7: The Holyoke Rotary Club announced the return of Eat, Drink, & Be Holyoke, its premier tasting fundraiser and silent auction. The event will take place at the Holyoke City Hall Ballroom at 5:30 p.m. following the sealing of the Holyoke 150th-anniversary time capsule. Eat, Drink, & Be Holyoke will feature food prepared by 110 Grill, Amedeo’s, Crave, Fame, Hamel’s Summit View, Iona’s Kitchen, Kate’s Kitchen, Pics Pub, Rusty’s Place, the White Hut, and Woodstone Tavern. Additionally, Brennan’s Place will provide various alcohol tastings from local and regional breweries, wineries, and distilleries. Tickets cost $50 and can be purchased online at edbh.eventbrite.com. Proceeds will go toward supporting Rotary projects.

People on the Move
Gene Kingsley

Gene Kingsley

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) has named a cyber range manager for the Springfield Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (CCE) at Springfield Union Station. Following a comprehensive search, the college has hired Gene Kingsley, who will be responsible for a host of facility operations. Supported by local, state, and federal funding, the center is scheduled to open in 2024 and will serve as a regional center for Western Mass. and beyond. The CCE is a collaboration between STCC, the Springfield Redevelopment Authority, and CyberTrust Massachusetts. The 6,000-square-foot CCE will include a cyber range, which is a simulated training environment, and a security operations center, which will be a support for Massachusetts municipalities to detect cybersecurity events in real time and respond quickly. Students who train at the CCE could move into paid internships or employment, where they would work with professionals to confront the growing global problem of cybersecurity threats. Kingsley’s experience includes managing Information Security at Reliant Medical Group. He also served as director of the Security Operations Center at UMass Amherst. He holds a master’s degree in Communications and Information Management from the Graduate School at Bay Path College and an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Westfield State College and an associate degree from Holyoke Community College.

•••••

Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C. announced that Shareholder Michael Fenton has been named a Go To Lawyer in the area of Commercial Real Estate Law by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. Fenton joined the firm in 2012 and focuses his practice in the areas of commercial real estate, business planning, commercial finance, and estate planning. He represents principals in business formation and succession planning, businesses in the purchase and sale of enterprises, lenders and borrowers in commercial financing transactions, developers in the acquisition and permitting of projects, and individuals in establishing comprehensive and sophisticated estate plans. With a background in taxes and a master’s degree in business administration, Fenton provides added value to clients with business-planning concerns. In addition, he has extensive land-use experience that includes zoning, subdivision, project permitting and environmental matters. A significant part of his practice revolves around estate planning, and he develops sophisticated estate plans to facilitate access to public services and the preservation of assets. Fenton is a graduate of Western New England University (WNE) School of Law, where he was a publishing editor of the Law Review and an Oliver Wendell Holmes full-tuition merit scholar. He is an adjunct professor for Corporate Finance at WNE School of Law, where he is also a board member of the Center for Social Justice. He serves on the Baystate Medical Center Community Advisory Council and has served as a member of the Springfield City Council since 2010.

•••••

Kuhn Riddle Architects recently welcomed Salabat Khan and Ruoqi Zhong to its architectural team. Khan’s architectural interests began at MEASI Academy of Architecture in Chennai, India, where he acquired a strong foundation in design principles and cultivated his love for innovation. He completed his master of architecture degree at UMass Amherst in 2023. Khan’s approach to architecture is human-centric: he most enjoys creating designs that enhance the user’s quality of life and sense of belonging. His work is focused as well on contextual integration into the historic, cultural, and natural environment surrounding any project. Kuhn Riddle’s leadership noted that his collaborative design philosophy and appreciation of diverse perspectives integrates perfectly with that of the firm. KRA was recently awarded the prestigious Emerging Professionals Friendly designation from the American Institute of Architects. This award recognizes supporting emerging architects like Khan on their journey to registration and ultimate success in the architectural field. Ruoqi was drawn to Kuhn Riddle because she is inspired by architecture that connects to its surroundings, is public-oriented, and will make a positive difference in people’s lives. She will continue to follow her integrative, transformative design focus at KRA. She applies her expertise and attention to detail to K-12 educational projects, community organizations, and multi-family and private homes. Ruoqi received her bachelor of architecture degree in 2011 from Harbin Institute of Technology in Heilongjiang, China. In 2014 she was awarded two degrees at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne: master of architecture and master of science in civil and environmental engineering.

•••••

Nathan Dion

Garvey Communication Associates Inc. (GCAi) recently appointed Nathan Dion as digital PR analyst. Dion is an experienced video producer and is already telling local stories with GCAi’s new vlogging camera. Dion will continue to grow GCAi’s digital PR video services and subsidiary New England Corporate Video. He is a graduate of Westfield State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in communication with a dual concentration in media arts and analysis and public relations. He also minored in graphic design.

•••••

Square One recently elected a new slate of officers to its board of directors. The election was held at the agency’s annual meeting on Oct. 13. Taking on the role of chairperson is Corrine Ryan of Community Legal Aid. The vice chair seat will be filled by Colleen Stocks of Western Massachusetts Regional Women’s Correctional Center. Moving into the treasurer position is Julie Quink of Burkhart Pizzanelli, P.C. Jessica Dupont of HealthOne Alliance/Alliant Health Plans will serve as the board’s clerk. New to the full board of directors are Shenell Ford, Terry Maxey, Edward Nunez, Gillian Palmer, and Aundrea Paulk. They will join existing board members Andrea Hickson-Martin, Amy Selvia Smith, Lavar Click-Bruce, Leonard Underwood, Kate Kane, Ryan McCollum, and Peter Testori.

Company Notebook

Forest Park Zoo Wins Award for Education Programming

SPRINGFIELD — For the third time in as many years, the Zoo in Forest Park & Education Center has been nationally recognized for its innovative education programs. On Oct. 19, the zoo received the Educational Award of Excellence from the Zoological Assoc. of America for its zookeeper internship program. The program combines classroom and hands-on learning in a way that creates a well-rounded internship experience for college-aged students. In addition to providing basic care for the 225-plus animals that call the zoo their home, interns also participate in a 12-week professional-development curriculum and complete a capstone project. Weekly topics are selected by the zoo’s education and animal-care teams and cover a wide range of themes in the field of zoological studies. The program culminates with the enrichment capstone project, in which participants research a species to create an enrichment item based on the animal’s individual needs. Enrichment is an important component of an animal’s daily care and aims to provide mental or physical stimulation by encouraging natural behaviors. In December 2021, the zoo won the same award for its creation and implementation of the Kids Go Wild program, and in August 2021, Adams received the Janet McCoy Excellence in Public Education Award from the American Assoc. of Zookeepers for her work on Kids Go Wild.

 

Big Y Again Named a Best-in-State Employer

SPRINGFIELD — For the fifth year in a row, Big Y has been named a Forbes Best-in-state Employer. Honorees have been identified across all industries based upon an independent survey of employees who anonymously recommend their employers for this award. Employers, such as Big Y, neither have the knowledge of which employees are polled, nor do they have the ability to influence the results in any way. According to Forbes, employees are asked to rate their willingness to recommend their own employers to friends and family. Employees are also asked to give their opinions on a series of statements surrounding topics such as working conditions, salary, potential for development, and company image. Big Y’s award spans 25 different industries.

 

LightHouse Holyoke to Acquire Sons of Zion Building

HOLYOKE — LightHouse Holyoke is in the process of acquiring the Sons of Zion building at 378 Maple St. to become its permanent home. LightHouse Holyoke is a 501(c)(3), accredited school founded in 2015. It began a partnership with Holyoke Public Schools in 2017 and now works with four public districts along with private-pay families on a sliding scale. With a foundation in social justice, LightHouse offers a transformational educational experience for students in grades 6-12 who are seeking a new way to experience school. Over the past eight years, LightHouse has supported nearly 150 students to not just graduate high school, but to redefine their relationship to learning. More than half were either already dropped out of high school or at high risk to not graduate. LightHouse’s vision is to be a reflection of a world where young people are celebrated for their individual gifts and identities and where all people are invited to learn with each other, from each other, and for each other, guided by a shared goal of connection and responsibility. It believes that transformative education is a key to this future. Current enrollment is 75 students; in the new building, LightHouse aims to increase enrollment to 100-120 students. With the support of Mass Development, it has completed a robust feasibility study, including multiple environmental reports. It has initial drawings from an architect and is prepared to close on the four-lot parcel in January 2024. The current vision for two of the currently vacant lots is to create an urban food forest, open to the community. The cost estimate for the total project is approximately $4 million. Occupancy is expected by September 2025.

 

Greater Westfield Chamber Announces 2023 Awards

WESTFIELD — The Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce announced its annual award winners for 2023. The Business of the Year Award is being presented jointly to Westfield Barnes Regional Airport and the 104th Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard. The Lifetime Achievement Award goes to Kimberley Betts of Betts Plumbing & Heating Supply. Westfield On Weekends earned the Nonprofit of the Year Award, and the Member of the Year Award is being presented to Rick Rheault of Integrity Merchant Solutions. The awards were presented at the chamber’s annual meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 15 at Shaker Farms Country Club.

 

Chamber of Greater Easthampton Receives WorkHub on Union Grant

EASTHAMPTON — The Chamber of Greater Easthampton announced that its new entrepreneurial initiative, WorkHub on Union, received a significant boost with a recent award: a $50,000 Collaborative Workspace Program Fit-Out Grant. This is the second grant the chamber has received for this project from the Executive Office of Economic Development, MassDevelopment, and the Collaborative Workspace Grant Program. This latest grant is an addition to the $100,000 in state funding, bringing the total of local and state funds raised to date to $230,000.

 

Country Bank Donates $42,000 to 21 Area Senior Centers

WARE — Country Bank recently announced donations to 21 local senior centers throughout the region, totaling $42,000. These donations are made without restriction for necessary items that may not be met within the centers’ annual budgets. “We are so fortunate to have a community partner like Country Bank,” said John Zienowicz, executive director of Ware Senior Center. “Countless members of their staff have volunteered at our events and special projects that have ranged from holiday parties at the senior center to personally delivering boxes of food items to seniors in need. This donation helps to sustain our meal program, which, over the past five years, has provided in excess of 38,000 home-cooked meals for the seniors. Their commitment to service, volunteerism, and community is what makes Country Bank the gold standard when it comes to being true difference makers.” In addition to its annual monetary support, Country Bank also sends teams of employees to volunteer at local senior centers on a monthly basis.

 

LiftTruck Launches Fundraiser to Benefit Head Start

WEST SPRINGFIELD — LiftTruck Parts & Service Inc., a local, family-owned business, launched its 2023 Fill a Forklift fundraiser to benefit Head Start Brockton and Holyoke Chicopee Springfield (HCS) Head Start. For 35 years, LiftTruck has been a family-owned business providing forklift sales, rentals, parts, and service to the Massachusetts, Cape Cod, Connecticut, and Rhode Island areas. LiftTruck invites the community to help it raise funds throughout November and December, as it will be collecting monetary donations at its Brockton and West Springfield locations and accepting donations online. Head Start Brockton and HCS Head Start aim to provide family and parent support and opportunities for families to engage in a child’s education. Since its inception in 1965, Head Start has improved the lives of more than 32 million children and their families.

 

Country Bank, Bank Director Announce Fully Certified Board

WARE — James Phaneuf, Country Bank board chair, announced that the bank’s board of directors recently became the first fully certified board through Bank Director’s certification program. The certification provides participants with a thorough grounding in corporate governance and important industry issues that enhance the performance of individual directors. The board completed the comprehensive training program this past year and was certified in September. Participants must complete 31 designated online training videos and board briefs focused on the role of the board, audit and risk, compensation, governance, and fiduciary responsibilities. In addition to Bank Director’s online training series, participants must attend a day-long corporate-governance workshop in the Bank Director certification program or, alternatively, complete a virtual version of the program. Completing the program and becoming a certified bank director sends a clear message to state and federal regulators that board members take their fiduciary duties seriously and want to be top-performing members of the bank’s board.

 

Second Chance Animal Services Named a Top-Rated Nonprofit

EAST BROOKFIELD — Second Chance Animal Services has been named a 2023 Top-Rated Nonprofit by GreatNonprofits, a leading website for community recommendations of charities and nonprofits. Second Chance offers programs and services that help more than 44,000 pets a year to live better lives. The Top-Rated Nonprofit award is based on the rating and number of reviews that Second Chance received from volunteers, donors, and aid recipients. In one review, a volunteer shared that “I have been a volunteer with Second Chance for the past couple of years and continue to be impressed with how hard they work to not only help and care for the animals they rescue, but also the resources they give to animal owners in the communities they serve, from veterinary services to vaccine clinics, pet grooming, food banks, and more. They truly are an impressive organization.”

 

Market Mentors Raises $4,000 for Breast-cancer Programs

SPRINGFIELD — As part of its 20th-anniversary recognition, Market Mentors LLC, a fully integrated marketing, advertising, and public-relations agency, brought back its annual Pink Day campaign to raise funds for Baystate Health Foundation to support breast-cancer research and services. Selling MM Pink Day 2023 T-shirts, the agency raised a total of $4,000. Participating companies included Adams & Ruxton; Allied Flooring, Paint and Design; Belt Technologies Inc.; BusinessWest; Cornerstone Bank; Dowd Insurance Agencies; EffecTV (Comcast); Excel Dryer; Freedom Credit Union; Giombetti Associates; Girard Heating & Air Conditioning; Koopman Lumber; Louis & Clark Pharmacy; Millennium Press; Noonan Energy; Prime Media; PDC Inc.; the Recorder; the Republican; Vlier Inc.; Western Mass News; and Women’s Health Associates.

 

 

Skoler Abbott Receives Empowering Women Award

SPRINGFIELD — Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., a labor and employment law firm serving employers in the Greater Springfield area, has been named to Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly’s inaugural Empowering Women list. The award recognizes Skoler Abbott for its strong commitment to hiring and promoting women, providing mentoring and opportunities for professional advancement to women attorneys, and establishing programs and policies to help women attorneys thrive professionally. Skoler Abbott was the only law firm in Western Mass. to receive this honor.

 

Home City Development Begins Construction on Apartments

PELHAM — Home City Development Inc. (HCDI) has begun construction of 34 new affordable apartments on a previously developed site in Pelham. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on Nov. 2 at 20 Amherst Road, Pelham. Consisting of one-, two-, and three-bedroom rental apartments in two buildings, Amethyst Brook Apartments provides modern amenities in a quiet, rural setting for households earning up to 60% of area median income. The buildings are designed to meet Energy Star and Passive House energy-performance standards. The property will contain charging stations for electric vehicles and roof-mounted solar panels. Along with local jobs, construction spending, and increased property taxes, this professionally managed property is expected to make significant contributions to the town of Pelham. HCDI was awarded most of the project funding from the Commonwealth’s Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. In addition, HCDI received Community Preservation Act funds from the town of Pelham and construction and permanent loans from Easthampton Savings Bank. Other funders include Community Economic Development Assistance Corp., Massachusetts Housing Investment Corp., and Dorfman Capital. The development team includes Architecture Environment Life; Western Builders; development consultant Gerry Joseph; Tierney Development Services; Berkshire Design Group; Shatz, Schwartz, and Fentin, P.C.; Klein-Hornig LLP; O’Reilly, Talbot and Okun; and many other partners.

DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the months of October and November 2023.

PITTSFIELD

All Star Cuts 2
397 North St.
Henry Martinez

All-Ways Vending LLC
241 West Housatonic St.
James Hespelein

Behavior Vibes LLC
82 Wendell Ave.
Justin McGrath

Berkshire Book Nook
100 Wendell Ave.
Maricelli Torres

Caribbean Moments
5 Ridge Ave.
Rhonda Serre

Cash Buyers
82 Wendell Ave.
Blue Lobster Management LLC

Castlegate Property Management
390 Fenn St.
LND Investments LLC

Cloud Nine Visions
5 Cheshire Road
Cloud Nine Visions LLC

Corrine Vaughn
103 Elm St.
Corrine Vaughn

CVS Pharmacy #257
107 West St.
CVS Pharmacy Inc.

Daniel V. Sollecito, Esq., Attorney at Law Retired
23 Abbott St.
Daniel Sollecito

DC Enterprises LLC
34 Meleca Ave.
Jason Dargi

A Familiar Face
101 Oliver Ave.
Jean Hamilton

Green River Bookkeeping
1064½ Holmes Road
Lighten Business Services

Ill Mindsets
268 Highland Ave.
Kurtis Gero

Karen’s Hair Studio
70 Broad St.
Peter Bondini

Market 32 by Price Chopper
555 Hubbard Ave.
Price Chopper Operating Co. of Massachusetts Inc.

On-the-Go Canine Co.
259 Onota St.
Kamea Quetti Hall

Osterman Propane
5 Cheshire Road
Superior Plus Propane

Pal Scientific LLC
50 Vinal Ave.
Sandhya Palakurthi

Serre Solutions
5 Ridge Ave.
Rhonda Serre

Those Guys Yard Cleaning and Minor Maintenance
253 Wahconah St.
William Buckley

Tip Top Cleaners
43 West Union St.
Miranda Perez

Vending M’s
14 Franklin St.
David Benle

SOUTH HADLEY

7-Eleven
46 Newton St.
7 Eleven Inc.

The Boathouse
1 Alvord St.
Rovaye Hospitality LLC

Lisa A. Uyehara, M.D.
23 College St.
Lisa Uyehara

Loomis Village
246 North Main St.
Loomis Communities Inc.

Thai Place
480 Granby Road
77 Number Mon Corp.

WESTFIELD

Al’s Tire Shop
918 Southampton Road
Lou Jean Inc.

Bill Sitler Recording Service
165 City View Road
William Sitler

Boston Bay Pizza
73 Elm St.
Alya Food Inc.

Coggin Creek Stables
1008 Granville Road
Brenda Coggin

Dime Online
21 Linden Ave.
Glen Lusignan

Epoxy Pro Solutions
210 Bates Road
Dustin Taudal

Family Jungle Entertainment
2 Clinton Ave.
Roboham Rivera

Goyette Property Service
240 Buck Pond Road
Parker Goyette

GTG Plumbing & Heating
7 Stuart Place
Guy Guatreau

Human Atlas Trucking LLC
142 Yeoman Ave.
Matthew Perrier

Hydro Heal Corp.
10 Nancy Circle
Rosa Rodriguez, Sandra Lara

Patton Firearms
24 Old Holyoke Road
Michael Patton

Rope Performance LLC
501 Southampton Road
Pedro Leon

Sleepy Bee Gardens
43 Dee Path Lane
Katherine Guildner

Srattner Painting LLC
48 Marla Circle
Gregory Srattner

Susie Read Photography
33 Hassler St.
Walton Read LLC

The Tasty Dessert Bars
402 Montgomery Road
Art Jannakas

Tim’s Drywall LLC
919 Southampton Road, C4
Tim Mongeau

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Arnold D. Silverman, DDS
46 Daggett Dr.
Arnold Silverman

Bar Cogas LLC
86 Garden St.
Bar Cogas LLC

Black Friday Bin Store
520 Main St.
Rani Liquidation LLC

Bobcat of Greater Springfield
181 Wayside Ave.
Bobcat of Connecticut Inc.

Cashway Oil
75 Union St.
Super Petro Inc.

Chargeless Oil
75 Union St.
Super Petro Inc.

Cost Less Oil
75 Union St.
Super Petro Inc.

Dessant Auto
2405 Westfield St.
Dessant Auto

DMunarge Psychotherapy Services
39 River St., Unit 6
DMunarge Psychotherapy Services

Fast Fill Oil
75 Union St.
Super Petro Inc.

Fuel Co.
75 Union St.
Super Petro Inc.

Gia Catanzarite, LICSW
110 Quarry Road
Gia Catanzarite

Imperial Barbershop
8-16 Chestnut St.
Imperial Barbershop

Liquori’s Pizza
659 Westfield St.
Liquori’s Pizza

Mass Trans Insurance Agency
425 Union St., Suite A1
Mass Trans Insurance Agency

Quick Stop Oil
75 Union St.
Super Petro Inc.

Styles by Jenna
33 Westfield St.
Styles by Jenna

Super Petro Inc.
75 Union St.
Super Petro Inc.

Supreme Oil
75 Union St.
Super Petro Inc.

Therese K. Sarnelli, M.Ed. LMHC
117 Park Ave., Room 205
Therese Sarnelli

Tokyo Asian Cuisine
1152 Riverdale St.
Zheng’s Garden LLC

Vickers Fuel Oil
75 Union St.
Super Petro Inc.

Bankruptcies

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

Arroyo, Joseline Judy
24 Fairmont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/24/2023

Asselin, Wayne D.
Asselin, AnnMarie R.
1226 Center St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/18/2023

Best, Bonnie
38 Birch Hill Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/30/2023

Bowie-Seibles Mary Lou
97 Cloran St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/24/2023

Brothers, Eric M.
21 Hickory Hill
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/18/2023

Carvache, Alexandra Marie
58 Belmont Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/19/2023

Clifford, Nathanie Peter
Jump, Jade Christa
239 East St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/20/2023

Cormier, Wendy L.
972 Tinkham Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/23/2023

Cousineau, Gerald G.
P.O. Box 387
Tuners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/30/2023

Denson, Tiyeara D.
91 Belle St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/23/2023

Fermoso, Jeffrey J.
74 Oak Grove Ave., 1st Floor
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/17/2023

Hernandez, William
HernandezKelly A.
96 Sunflower Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/18/2023

Kalt, William John J.
492 Morgan Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/20/2023

Marchand, Jason W.
64 Haynes Hill Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/30/2023

Marini, Heather Ellen
42 Bristol St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/19/2023

Miller, Lisa M.
41 Poplar St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/25/2023

Moriarty-Ryan,Michele S.
136 Wenonah Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/27/2023

Ramos, Luis
14 Spring St., Apt. 1
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/23/2023

Sage, Dorothy E.
PO Box 1237
Stockbridge, MA 01262
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/30/2023

Trigo, Christopher J.
67 State St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/20/2023

Whittaker, Jennifer Lynn
a/k/a Locklear, Jennifer Lynn
40 Hawks Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/24/2023)

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

BERNARDSTON

72 Bald Mountain Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Justin P. Lawrence
Seller: Denise M. King
Date: 10/20/23

CHARLEMONT

57 East Hawley Road
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Cascade Funding THB4
Seller: Paul Dibenedetto
Date: 10/24/23

CONWAY

1270 Whately Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Richard Ponyer
Seller: Scott K. Sumner
Date: 10/20/23

GREENFIELD

122 Bungalow Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $408,000
Buyer: Kyle M. Artus
Seller: Larry D. Geiser
Date: 10/20/23

12 Cedar St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $253,000
Buyer: Jake Brennan
Seller: Timothy F. Boyle
Date: 10/17/23

8 Cooke St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Erika A. Gasser
Seller: Robert L. Kidder
Date: 10/24/23

250-252 Hope St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $372,900
Buyer: Mitchell W. Herzig
Seller: Mjdb Construction Services LLC
Date: 10/25/23

10 Stone Ridge Lane
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $389,900
Buyer: Gabriel L. Fonseca
Seller: Thomas Rinaldi
Date: 10/16/23

49 Union St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Kara L. Younger
Seller: Julie M. Lemay
Date: 10/20/23

LEVERETT

57 Amherst Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $530,000
Buyer: Danil Tarnovskiy
Seller: Steven P. Woodard
Date: 10/26/23

MONTAGUE

30 3rd St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Colleen M. Deighton
Seller: Marcus J. Campbell
Date: 10/23/23

12 Federal St.
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $131,959
Buyer: Nationstar Mortgage LLC
Seller: Walter A. James
Date: 10/16/23

1 Greenfield Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Joel C. Tognarelli
Seller: Donna L. Gates
Date: 10/27/23

NEW SALEM

34 Cooleyville Road
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Carl Cramm
Seller: Megan R. Whitney
Date: 10/20/23

NORTHFIELD

21 Old Bernardston Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: James Boulton
Seller: Robin Conley
Date: 10/16/23

ORANGE

55 Chase St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $252,500
Buyer: Krista L. Sciucco
Seller: Flare Side RT
Date: 10/17/23

308 East Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $333,000
Buyer: William A. Campuzano
Seller: L5 Development LLC
Date: 10/20/23

52 Hamilton Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Kaitlyn J. Steve
Seller: V&J Real Estate Inc.
Date: 10/27/23

48 Old Cyrus Stage Road
Rowe, MA 01367
Amount: $316,000
Buyer: Arik Olson
Seller: Jeffrey Mcguire
Date: 10/18/23

SHUTESBURY

146 Baker Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $363,000
Buyer: Erin Mcguirl
Seller: Linda A. Scott
Date: 10/17/23

30 Lake Dr.
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Steven C. Mikolajczuk
Seller: Humphriss-Tygard LT
Date: 10/27/23

SUNDERLAND

88 Old Amherst Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $187,500
Buyer: James D. Houle
Seller: Douglas F. Houle
Date: 10/17/23

WARWICK

136 Wendell Road
Warwick, MA 01378
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Andrew J. Whalen
Seller: Jean A. Thibodeau RET
Date: 10/23/23

WHATELY

16 Straits Road
Whately, MA 01038
Amount: $162,000
Buyer: Justin J. Mieczkowski
Seller: Joseph F. Mieczkowski
Date: 10/18/23

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

17 Begley St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Aabj Parrelli LLC
Seller: Abae LLC
Date: 10/16/23

25 Brookline Ave.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Jacob Tryba
Seller: Carolyn M. Lemieux
Date: 10/27/23

56 Brookline Ave.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $276,000
Buyer: Thomas Dandeneau
Seller: Wojnicki, Dorothy, (Estate)
Date: 10/16/23

28 Center St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Silver Snake Properties LLC
Seller: Plata O. Plomo Inc.
Date: 10/16/23

55 Cooper St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $9,880,957
Buyer: Agawam North Propco LLC
Seller: SF 55 Cooper St. Real Properties
Date: 10/19/23

61 Cooper St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $10,018,438
Buyer: Agawam West Propco LLC
Seller: SF 61 Cooper St. Real Properties
Date: 10/20/23

65-67 Cooper St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $8,388,831
Buyer: Agawam South Propco LLC
Seller: SF 61 Cooper St. Real Properties
Date: 10/20/23

Fox Farm Road, Lot 1
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Global Homes Properties LLC
Seller: Susan M. Smith-Malecky
Date: 10/17/23

12 Harvey Johnson Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $201,000
Buyer: Bruce A. Moore
Seller: Owczarski, Lorelei A., (Estate)
Date: 10/16/23

464 Main St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $7,649,773
Buyer: Agawam East Propco LLC
Seller: SF 464 Main St. Real Properties
Date: 10/20/23

25 Monroe St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Matthew J. Casartello
Seller: Douglas Dichard
Date: 10/24/23

18 Mulberry St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Marsha Lee
Seller: William S. Keyes
Date: 10/26/23

443 North West St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $1,095,000
Buyer: Coppola Real Estate Holding Co. LLC
Seller: Gary E. Brown
Date: 10/20/23

118 Parker St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $293,000
Buyer: Walter B. Robinson
Seller: Manning S. Case
Date: 10/19/23

121 Reed St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Tyler M. Lafleur
Seller: Faisal Mukhtar
Date: 10/27/23

593 Southwick St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $485,000
Buyer: Gary Taylor
Seller: Craig Digiacomo
Date: 10/20/23

1661 Suffield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $900,000
Buyer: Diana Shveyko
Seller: Calvin J. McFadden
Date: 10/26/23

BLANDFORD

16 Gore Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $329,000
Buyer: Vitaliy Kiriukhin
Seller: Linda R. Plasse
Date: 10/18/23

BRIMFIELD

43 Apple Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Kerri-Ann Kelly
Seller: Phyllis P. Gorskey
Date: 10/17/23

46 Apple Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $396,000
Buyer: Yvette M. Shrum
Seller: William H. Smith
Date: 10/25/23

1063 Dunhamtown Brimfield Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $366,000
Buyer: Christina M. Beesley
Seller: Mary T. Kozikowski
Date: 10/27/23

19 Lyman Barnes Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $493,000
Buyer: Joseph N. Ciandella
Seller: Chevelle M. English-Bedard
Date: 10/27/23

CHESTER

Kinnebrook Road
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Jan C. Almquist
Seller: Bernard St.Martin
Date: 10/17/23

CHICOPEE

35 Arlington St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: Cordell A. Daniels
Seller: Mark A. Germain
Date: 10/23/23

16 Asinof Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: William J. Stetson
Seller: LKN Realty Investments LLC
Date: 10/18/23

129 Catherine St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: R. Maradiaga-Alvarado
Seller: Sareen Properties LLC
Date: 10/23/23

333 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Luke J. Cabana
Seller: Jessica A. Nicholls
Date: 10/24/23

599 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: 599 Chicopee Street LLC
Seller: Gilles A. Rheaume
Date: 10/16/23

196 Clarendon Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Nexus Apartments LLC
Seller: Bozek FT
Date: 10/24/23

130 Cobb Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Justin Raymond
Seller: Florence Manseau
Date: 10/20/23

238 East Main St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $1,729,500
Buyer: Courageous Lion LLC
Seller: Harty, Richard S., (Estate)
Date: 10/26/23

48 Edgewood Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Pedro Rivera
Seller: Alisha L. Lugo
Date: 10/26/23

58 Edward St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Samuel A. Oliver-Hoff
Seller: Keisha Moore
Date: 10/16/23

49 Elm St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $233,000
Buyer: Richard J. Boyle
Seller: Marilyn Page
Date: 10/27/23

27 Fairmont St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Alyssa Hungate
Seller: Prime Partners LLC
Date: 10/27/23

111 Garland St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Mohammad Albaghdadi
Seller: Joanne M. Laplante
Date: 10/26/23

500 Grattan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $304,000
Buyer: Rovshen Nurmyrat
Seller: Vira Dipon
Date: 10/23/23

370 Grove St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Yassine Zian
Seller: Jeannette M. Marceau
Date: 10/23/23

56 Guerin St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $353,000
Buyer: Scott E. Proulx
Seller: Michael J. Messier
Date: 10/20/23

373 Hampden St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Mason Capital Venturea LLC
Seller: Ffmlt T2006-Ff13
Date: 10/25/23

105 Lachine St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: David J. Gondek
Seller: Krystyna M. Gazda
Date: 10/23/23

15 Lester St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Joseph Rozanski
Seller: Donna J. Guerin
Date: 10/20/23

50 Lorimer St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Bernash Realty LLC
Seller: Claire R. Carriveau
Date: 10/25/23

19 Lucretia Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Rosanny D. Lopez
Seller: Ivan Laureano
Date: 10/17/23

122 Ludlow Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $249,900
Buyer: Brenna Fogarty
Seller: Lee Maisonet
Date: 10/26/23

125 Marten St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Johnathan Lavoie
Seller: Bay Flow LLC
Date: 10/27/23

451 Memorial Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $1,000,000
Buyer: Membos LLC
Seller: Almark Realty LLC
Date: 10/27/23

185 Murphy Lane
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $319,000
Buyer: Brooke Bruneault
Seller: Mhi Properties LLC
Date: 10/19/23

25 Oakwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $307,500
Buyer: Samuel Hadley
Seller: Gloria A. Delude IRT
Date: 10/16/23

25 Oxford Place
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: David Leon
Seller: Joan Thomasini
Date: 10/24/23

72 Paradise St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Amber M. Fillion
Seller: Edward Cianci
Date: 10/27/23

36 Robert St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $127,300
Buyer: Blaize Landry
Seller: Sandra M. Maroney
Date: 10/18/23

83 Rolf Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $1,729,500
Buyer: Courageous Lion LLC
Seller: Harty, Richard S., (Estate)
Date: 10/26/23

34 South St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $1,729,500
Buyer: Courageous Lion LLC
Seller: Harty, Richard S., (Estate)
Date: 10/26/23

56 Thaddeus St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Gloria Murray
Seller: Charlotte Funk
Date: 10/20/23

92 West St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $466,000
Buyer: Alfred Calixte
Seller: 92-94 West Street RT
Date: 10/23/23

4 Wolfe St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $1,729,500
Buyer: Courageous Lion LLC
Seller: Harty, Richard S., (Estate)
Date: 10/26/23

EAST LONGMEADOW

97 Avery St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Gary Williams
Seller: Thomas J. Flanagan
Date: 10/25/23

107 Fernwood Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Bennett J. Middel
Seller: David J. Finkelstein
Date: 10/26/23

31 Hillside Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $387,000
Buyer: John Zanetti
Seller: Elaine J. Chaisson
Date: 10/25/23

Lee St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Christopher M. Cacela
Seller: Marlene Goldstein
Date: 10/20/23

194 Mapleshade Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Avens LLC
Seller: Hassin Realty
Date: 10/23/23

39 Parker St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $770,000
Buyer: Christopher J. Gallagher
Seller: Lizlee LLC
Date: 10/18/23

379 Parker St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Aziz Ahmad
Seller: Hilda L. Pker RET
Date: 10/17/23

144 Patterson Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $368,000
Buyer: Henrymens Real Estate Group LLC
Seller: George J. Kahi
Date: 10/16/23

Pease Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Christopher M. Cacela
Seller: Marlene Goldstein
Date: 10/20/23

393 Pease Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Emily Pack
Seller: Teodoro Torres
Date: 10/26/23

104 Porter Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Cheryl Ricciardi
Seller: Deana M. Calvanese
Date: 10/20/23

208 Shaker Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Nhac Truong
Seller: Lachenauer LLC
Date: 10/25/23

GRANVILLE

715 Main Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: D. M. & Patti A. McGorty LT
Seller: Flagg, Raymond, (Estate)
Date: 10/20/23

557 North Lane
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Patrick Comeau
Seller: Ryan Hall
Date: 10/25/23

15 Old Westfield Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $212,800
Buyer: Clarke C. Boynton
Seller: Lisa A. Freeman
Date: 10/27/23

218 Silver St.
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Elizabeth M. Kuzdzal
Seller: Rosamond J. Campbell TR
Date: 10/27/23

HAMPDEN

93 Allen St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Nicholas Turnberg
Seller: Paul A. Stolar
Date: 10/17/23

8 Bayberry Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Jennifer A. Colglazier
Seller: Frederick W. Orr
Date: 10/24/23

280 Chapin Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Brian C. Drake
Seller: Paul R. Willoughby
Date: 10/24/23

HOLLAND

19 Heritage Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Susan M. Reinstein
Seller: Daniel Cahill
Date: 10/20/23

2 North Leisure Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Steven McCarthy
Seller: Robert J. Kamay
Date: 10/27/23

HOLYOKE

23 Bayberry Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Alfred Estabrook
Seller: Anoush Kayzakian
Date: 10/26/23

105 Dartmouth St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $408,000
Buyer: Mark Lewis
Seller: Brighid Lunney
Date: 10/27/23

26 Dunn Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $448,500
Buyer: Thomas P. Gilchrist
Seller: Seth D. Desnoyers
Date: 10/19/23

275 High St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: 275 High St Holyoke LLC
Seller: Chelten Avenue Assocs. LLC
Date: 10/25/23

85-87 Hitchcock St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: NRES LLC
Seller: Barbara J. Champagne
Date: 10/26/23

220 Linden St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Palante Transformative
Seller: 220 Linden Realty LLC
Date: 10/18/23

1971 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Juan C. Rivera-Baez
Seller: Kelnate Realty LLC
Date: 10/20/23

11 Ross Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Mary Mathers
Seller: James R. Murphy
Date: 10/18/23

LONGMEADOW

15 Belleclaire Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: James K. Woodell
Seller: Elizabeth M. Morgan
Date: 10/27/23

88 Berwick Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $496,580
Buyer: Taylor C. McDonald
Seller: Kevin J. Czaplicki
Date: 10/19/23

75 Hopkins Place
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $465,000
Buyer: Jina Fast
Seller: Stephen M. Shea
Date: 10/19/23

241 Park Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $825,000
Buyer: Elizabeth M. Morgan
Seller: Daniel R. Bergin
Date: 10/19/23

34 Pleasantview Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Robert Dziedzic
Seller: Richard A. Wiseman
Date: 10/16/23

28 South Park Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Aurea L. Tirado Wenzel
Seller: Ahsan Waqas
Date: 10/27/23

LUDLOW

142 Cedar St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Joshua Messier
Seller: Daniel Rowe
Date: 10/18/23

208 East St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Tiago B. Martins
Seller: Mack Servicing TR
Date: 10/27/23

96 John St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $293,500
Buyer: Sean Padykula
Seller: Thomas Dandeneau
Date: 10/16/23

30 Lillian St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $196,000
Buyer: Aem Property Investors LLC
Seller: Roy F. Gelineau
Date: 10/20/23

1388 Lyon St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: David J. Gabanelli
Seller: Chocorua Realty Investments LLC
Date: 10/27/23

39 Ray St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $266,000
Buyer: Nidaa Al-Zubaidy
Seller: Gregory Orlik
Date: 10/24/23

89 Richmond Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $306,000
Buyer: Tyler D. Neveu
Seller: Gardzienski, V. P., (Estate)
Date: 10/20/23

125 Simonds St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Michael R. Sears
Seller: Russell Cable
Date: 10/18/23

54 West Orchard St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Marilyn Page
Seller: Dennis Discawicz
Date: 10/27/23

391 West Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $139,650
Buyer: Sareen Properties LLC
Seller: Cascade Funding Mtg. TR Hb3
Date: 10/24/23

141 Whitney St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Jordan Lawson
Seller: Kennedy Acquisitions LLC
Date: 10/16/23

MONSON

14 Circle Dr.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Dominic A. Pannozzo
Seller: Kristopher Longtin
Date: 10/24/23

13 Old Stafford Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Lee A. Maisonet
Seller: SRV Properties LLC
Date: 10/26/23

Paradise Lake Road, Lot 5
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: H. & L. Tassinari Builders Inc.
Seller: Clifford Farquhar
Date: 10/26/23

Paradise Lake Road, Lot 2
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: H. & L. Tassinari Builders Inc.
Seller: Clifford Farquhar
Date: 10/26/23

Paradise Lake Road, Lot 1
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: H. & L. Tassinari Builders Inc.
Seller: Clifford Farquhar
Date: 10/26/23

Paradise Lake Road, Lot 3
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: H. & L. Tassinari Builders Inc.
Seller: Clifford Farquhar
Date: 10/26/23

20 Paradise Lake Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $539,900
Buyer: Teresa Frykenberg
Seller: Ross W. Overlock
Date: 10/23/23

115 Town Farm Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $590,000
Buyer: Pauline H. Gigee
Seller: William E. Dupuis
Date: 10/20/23

9 Valley View Heights
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $274,000
Buyer: Andrew M. Burkhard
Seller: Teresa L. Unwin
Date: 10/24/23

MONTGOMERY

46 New State Road
Montgomery, MA 01085
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: James T. Kelly
Seller: 46 New State Road Land Trust
Date: 10/26/23

PALMER

1054 Baptist Hill Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Adin Hamzabegovic
Seller: Brent F. Massey
Date: 10/27/23

Belanger St., Lot 5
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: J. & M. Premier Properties LLC
Seller: J. Belanger Assocs.
Date: 10/27/23

141 Boston Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Brandon A. Blaine
Seller: Maria L. Whalen
Date: 10/24/23

9 Cabot St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $283,000
Buyer: Andrew J. Nitka
Seller: Randall J. Cable
Date: 10/25/23

4057 Center St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Carl Trant
Seller: Jehoram RT
Date: 10/27/23

60 Pinney St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $316,000
Buyer: Tracy Julian
Seller: Maureen Gallagher
Date: 10/19/23

103 Pinney St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Maureen Campanale
Seller: Steven L. Monette
Date: 10/18/23

139 Springfield St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Jennifer Potter
Seller: Ronald N. Michaud
Date: 10/20/23

42-48 Stewart St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $242,000
Buyer: Victor A. Kyazze
Seller: Casa Bonita Apts. LLC
Date: 10/26/23

SPRINGFIELD

769 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $221,500
Buyer: Tavernier Investments LLC
Seller: Gmacm Mortgage Loan TR 2005-AA1
Date: 10/25/23

38 Aster St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: J. S. Climes-Rivera
Seller: Craig L. Johnson
Date: 10/27/23

980 Bay St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Jones Dream Catcher Enterprises LLC
Seller: HS Holdings LLC
Date: 10/23/23

43 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $6,250,000
Buyer: Nolava LLC
Seller: Springfield Gardens
Date: 10/27/23

49 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $6,250,000
Buyer: Nolava LLC
Seller: Springfield Gardens
Date: 10/27/23

28 Berbay Circle
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $1,729,500
Buyer: Courageous Lion LLC
Seller: Harty, Richard S., (Estate)
Date: 10/26/23

29 Berbay Circle
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $1,729,500
Buyer: Courageous Lion LLC
Seller: Harty, Richard S., (Estate)
Date: 10/26/23

820 Boston Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Membos LLC
Seller: Almark Realty LLC
Date: 10/27/23

855 Boston Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Samuel Sevelo
Seller: Panther Development LLC
Date: 10/19/23

133 Brandon Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Toni Tirozzi
Seller: Jesus Alicea
Date: 10/20/23

80 Brickett St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $286,000
Buyer: Kayla M. Ortega
Seller: Santana Real Estate Inc.
Date: 10/24/23

27 Briggs St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Richard E. Melendez
Seller: David Vermette
Date: 10/16/23

38-40 Carver St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Margie Quinones-Ortiz
Seller: Magdalena Otero
Date: 10/20/23

78-80 Cherrelyn St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Odalis M. Moreno
Seller: Carolyn A. Kokoski
Date: 10/16/23

47 Craig St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Ernesto Padilla
Seller: E. F. Mcmaster-Marcelina
Date: 10/20/23

64 Denver St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $1,729,500
Buyer: Courageous Lion LLC
Seller: Harty, Richard S., (Estate)
Date: 10/26/23

91 Denver St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $1,729,500
Buyer: Courageous Lion LLC
Seller: Harty, Richard S., (Estate)
Date: 10/26/23

284 Denver St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $1,729,500
Buyer: Courageous Lion LLC
Seller: Harty, Richard S., (Estate)
Date: 10/26/23

178 Dickinson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Irving A. Rodriguez
Seller: Cannata, Josephine M., (Estate)
Date: 10/27/23

121-123 Draper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Yakelin Hidalgo
Seller: Guadalupe Ramos
Date: 10/18/23

143 Draper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $244,000
Buyer: Andreina Urena
Seller: Park Place Securities 2005-W
Date: 10/19/23

37 Dubois St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $131,700
Buyer: Aldo Properties LLC
Seller: Malia Homebuyers LLC
Date: 10/18/23

19 Edendale St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: John Wagner
Seller: Shelby R. Bouchard
Date: 10/17/23

251 Edendale St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Jessica Kuelling
Seller: Edward J. Saint-Vil
Date: 10/19/23

36 Elwood Dr.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Amy Toller
Seller: Nicholas J. Deangelis
Date: 10/27/23

90 Fallston St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Matthew R. Butler
Seller: Cormier, Karen Annie, (Estate)
Date: 10/24/23

40 Feltham Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $332,500
Buyer: Clodine Roland
Seller: Valro Homes LLC
Date: 10/23/23

37 Forest St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Melissa T. Defana
Seller: Rehab Home Buyers LLC
Date: 10/23/23

116 Fort Pleasant Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $559,000
Buyer: Afimi LLC
Seller: Norman Poggio
Date: 10/16/23

172 Garvey Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Kulwinder Kaur
Seller: Anthony Santaniello
Date: 10/16/23

17-19 Governor St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $189,000
Buyer: Santana Real Estate Inc.
Seller: Felix S. Rodriguez
Date: 10/26/23

37 Greaney St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $273,000
Buyer: Tracy A. Harvey-Jean
Seller: Jorge Galicia
Date: 10/27/23

128 Hadley St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Daniel Ayres
Seller: Daniel J. Daponde
Date: 10/16/23

177 Hartford Ter.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Daniel A. Richton
Seller: Finkel, Barbara E., (Estate)
Date: 10/16/23

49 Hillmont St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $1,729,500
Buyer: Courageous Lion LLC
Seller: Harty, Richard S., (Estate)
Date: 10/26/23

226 Jasper St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $259,000
Buyer: Luis C. Ruiz
Seller: Cordell A. Daniels
Date: 10/23/23

128-130 Kensington Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Enmanuel Ventura
Seller: Charles Bogues
Date: 10/24/23

142 Knollwood St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Miriam A. Segarra
Seller: Emi Investments LLC
Date: 10/20/23

93 Lamont St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $1,729,500
Buyer: Courageous Lion LLC
Seller: Harty, Richard S., (Estate)
Date: 10/26/23

21 Lang St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Courageous Lion LLC
Seller: 21 Lang St. TR
Date: 10/26/23

17 Lexington St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Luis A. Cedano
Seller: Carmelo Diaz
Date: 10/18/23

4-8 Leyfred Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $6,250,000
Buyer: Nolava LLC
Seller: Springfield Gardens
Date: 10/27/23

789 Liberty St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Posiadlosc LLC
Seller: Steven E. Zeimbekakis
Date: 10/20/23

126-128 Lowell St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $409,000
Buyer: Markys R. De Jesus
Seller: Phantom Holdings LLC
Date: 10/24/23

297 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Sanky Properties LLC
Seller: Jerzy Krajewski
Date: 10/26/23

32 Margerie St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Raul S. Severino
Seller: Justo Martinez
Date: 10/27/23

80 Margerie St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Paulo Villgas
Seller: Gloria E. Quintana
Date: 10/17/23

31 Meadowlark Lane
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Aislinn M. Manning
Seller: Matthew Dinatale
Date: 10/18/23

73-75 Melrose St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Phoenix Development Inc.
Seller: King Sr., Lenoris Bruce, (Estate)
Date: 10/20/23

45 Merrimac Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Juan Lopez
Seller: Egan, Joseph F., (Estate)
Date: 10/27/23

171 Methuen St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $1,729,500
Buyer: Courageous Lion LLC
Seller: Harty, Richard S., (Estate)
Date: 10/26/23

17 Midway St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Aramis Maldonado
Seller: Borowsky, Samuel J., (Estate)
Date: 10/20/23

11 Nathaniel St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $1,729,500
Buyer: Courageous Lion LLC
Seller: Harty, Richard S., (Estate)
Date: 10/26/23

218 Newton Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Amber D. Peterson
Seller: Anthony Arillotta
Date: 10/23/23

7-9 Noel St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Danalax LLC
Seller: Birch Properties LLC
Date: 10/20/23

202-206 Pearl St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $6,250,000
Buyer: Nolava LLC
Seller: Springfield Gardens
Date: 10/27/23

208-212 Pearl St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $6,250,000
Buyer: Nolava LLC
Seller: Springfield Gardens
Date: 10/27/23

29 Pecousic St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Maritza Sanchez
Seller: Dutil, Lorraine Ann, (Estate)
Date: 10/20/23

26 Peekskill Ave.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Sharonda R. Hector
Seller: David J. Cross
Date: 10/16/23

183 Peekskill Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Plata O. Plomo Inc
Seller: Michael Barwick
Date: 10/17/23

15 Pinebrook Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Zitta N. Serpa
Seller: Jennifer A. Colglazier
Date: 10/24/23

239 Plumtree Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Joseph Candido
Seller: Margaret M. Sullivan
Date: 10/27/23

18 Porter St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $328,000
Buyer: William T. Hallissey
Seller: Lewen Cotte
Date: 10/17/23

126 Prentice St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Green Piranhas LLC
Seller: Gail Maher
Date: 10/25/23

39 Rita St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Richard Sewell
Seller: Benjamin R. Darosa
Date: 10/25/23

90 Rockland St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $313,000
Buyer: Brett H. Albert
Seller: Christopher A. Godaire
Date: 10/20/23

231 Rosewell St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Chad S. Mitchell
Seller: Michael H. Riley
Date: 10/27/23

27-29 Ruskin St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Louis Inomwan
Seller: Agape Mgmt. Group LLC
Date: 10/18/23

38 Rutledge Ave.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Konstantinos Biliouris
Seller: Hwpml Properties LLC
Date: 10/27/23

1229 South Branch Pkwy.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $1,200,000
Buyer: Alethea A. Stevenson
Seller: NNOT Real Estate Holdings LLC
Date: 10/17/23

South Branch Pkwy. (SS)
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $1,200,000
Buyer: Alethea A. Stevenson
Seller: NNOT Real Estate Holdings LLC
Date: 10/17/23

412 Saint James Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Felix A. Gonzalez-Alvarez
Seller: Aziz Ahmed
Date: 10/16/23

186 Santa Barbara St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Denise Cividanes
Seller: OCF II Holdings LLC
Date: 10/17/23

198 Senator St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Le Tran
Seller: Alexander Sierra
Date: 10/17/23

685 State St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $6,250,000
Buyer: Nolava LLC
Seller: Springfield Gardens
Date: 10/27/23

115 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $472,500
Buyer: Joshua Mills
Seller: Stephanie A. Erbe
Date: 10/16/23

136 Tavistock St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Aquino Loayza
Seller: William Raleigh
Date: 10/27/23

11 Timothy Circle
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Doneka V. Johnson
Seller: Douglas A. Desaulnier
Date: 10/27/23

130 Union St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Nell Investments LLC
Seller: Tango Investments LLC
Date: 10/23/23

95 Upton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $1,729,500
Buyer: Courageous Lion LLC
Seller: Harty, Richard S., (Estate)
Date: 10/26/23

125 Verge St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $1,729,500
Buyer: Courageous Lion LLC
Seller: Harty, Richard S., (Estate)
Date: 10/26/23

25 Victoria St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $1,729,500
Buyer: Courageous Lion LLC
Seller: Harty, Richard S., (Estate)
Date: 10/26/23

61 Victoria St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $1,729,500
Buyer: Courageous Lion LLC
Seller: Harty, Richard S., (Estate)
Date: 10/26/23

59 Villa Pkwy.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Jose Santiago
Seller: Thi Tai
Date: 10/23/23

602 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Gladys Y. Orozco
Seller: Kokoleka RT
Date: 10/17/23

477 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Amanda Stevenson
Seller: Carolyn Morera
Date: 10/24/23

257 Winton St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Susan L. Irey
Seller: Jake P. Trombley
Date: 10/20/23

61 Woodmont St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Marcos Minchala
Seller: A&P Capital Group LLC
Date: 10/18/23

1427 Worcester St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Kayla Avilez
Seller: Daisy J. Acosta
Date: 10/19/23

SOUTHWICK

266 Hillside Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $675,000
Buyer: Choua Y. Lee
Seller: Patrick V. Johnstone
Date: 10/25/23

64 Honey Pot Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $640,000
Buyer: Evan V. Serella
Seller: Elizabeth M. Kuzdzal
Date: 10/27/23

WALES

3 Reed Hill Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Garett M. Fulcher
Seller: Frederick J. Rogers
Date: 10/18/23

WEST SPRINGFIELD

106 Adrian Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Rachel Abbott
Seller: Todd Delnegro
Date: 10/20/23

258 Edgewood Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Domenick Villano
Seller: Mark E. Sypek
Date: 10/20/23

5 Ely Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $370,900
Buyer: Donnovan L. Bambury
Seller: Sandro Scirocco
Date: 10/18/23

97 Garden St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: Guy Waterman
Seller: Pauline D. Isabelle
Date: 10/26/23

79 Grove St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Zafarieh Heidari
Seller: Natasha Rodriguez
Date: 10/26/23

50 High St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Jasmin Sanchez
Seller: Abdullah M. Jashaami
Date: 10/24/23

32 Paulson Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Kathleen Devins
Seller: Elida Gashi
Date: 10/18/23

4 Ridgeview Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $269,900
Buyer: Elizabeth R. Rogers
Seller: Kristen M. Cowell
Date: 10/16/23

94 Smyrna St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: James A. Richard
Seller: Brian P. St Amand
Date: 10/27/23

1502 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Pizzaman Investment Realty LLC
Seller: Ann M. Lapalme
Date: 10/16/23

WESTFIELD

5 Bancroft St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $171,000
Buyer: Malia Homebuyers LLC
Seller: Philip A. Dagostino
Date: 10/18/23

117 Berkshire Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Wendi L. Wojick
Seller: Matthew A. Cavallo
Date: 10/23/23

6 Blue Sky Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Jarred A. Difazio
Seller: Timothy H. Haggerty
Date: 10/27/23

36 Colony Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $357,000
Buyer: Pamela M. Butler
Seller: Paul A. Fouche
Date: 10/18/23

10 Furrowtown Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $580,000
Buyer: James Murphy
Seller: Ryan Lavner
Date: 10/19/23

123 Meadow St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: 123 Meadow LLC
Seller: GS Westfield LLC
Date: 10/23/23

131 Meadow St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: 131 Meadow LLC
Seller: GS Westfield LLC
Date: 10/23/23

99 Mountain View St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Manchester Enterprises LLC
Seller: Schubach, Paul W., (Estate)
Date: 10/18/23

25 Saint Paul St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: John D. Bruce
Seller: Sienkiewicz, Marie G., (Estate)
Date: 10/23/23

7 Sherman St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Anna M. Collins
Seller: Florida Development Corp.
Date: 10/23/23

100 Valley View Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: John G. Kyprianos
Seller: Dekarz, Norma, (Estate)
Date: 10/26/23

WILBRAHAM

240 Main St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $669,000
Buyer: Lowell D. Key
Seller: Catherine G. Jurgens
Date: 10/16/23

4 Overlook Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Julius J. Walker
Seller: Boylan, Patricia M., (Estate)
Date: 10/16/23

11 Shirley St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Jeffrey Colten
Seller: Laurette E. Oppedisano
Date: 10/18/23

391 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Christopher T. Wypyszinski
Seller: Deborah J. Jordan
Date: 10/17/23

916 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $384,900
Buyer: Jeremy Forgue
Seller: Katherine L. Granger
Date: 10/20/23

15 Wandering Mdws
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Dayana S. Rodrigues
Seller: Alessandro Markovic
Date: 10/20/23

17 Warren Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Thomas Hebert
Seller: Amy Hebert
Date: 10/23/23

3 Westernview Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Nicholas R. Reed
Seller: Ethan J. Eady
Date: 10/27/23

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

422 Amity St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $2,000,000
Buyer: UDrive Amity LLC
Seller: LCR 422 Amity LLC
Date: 10/25/23

13-15 High St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $2,150,000
Buyer: 13-15 High St LLC
Seller: RET Indenture Of TR
Date: 10/20/23

32 Kendrick Place
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $715,000
Buyer: Kendrick Place Partners LLC
Seller: Roger M. Hewett
Date: 10/25/23

972 North Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: University Of Mass. Amherst Bldg. A
Seller: Josephine B. Keeley
Date: 10/16/23

47 Stagecoach Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Matthew W. Limoges
Seller: David W. Wills
Date: 10/27/23

15 Wildflower Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $558,000
Buyer: Kathryn Pollard
Seller: Katharine V. Geel
Date: 10/16/23

BELCHERTOWN

134 Aldrich St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: David J. Knapp
Seller: Michael J. O’Brien
Date: 10/27/23

22 Clearbrook Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Mustafa Kahraman
Seller: Alexander Tuohy
Date: 10/27/23

91 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Timothy S. Beauchamp
Seller: Expedio Group LLC
Date: 10/20/23

65 Magnolia Lane
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $605,000
Buyer: Jay S. Levine
Seller: Lora Os
Date: 10/23/23

31 South Main St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Christopher B. Loud
Seller: 3133 South Main LLC
Date: 10/16/23

CUMMINGTON

124 Stage Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $493,000
Buyer: Sandra S. Streeter
Seller: E. H. Jr. & M. E. Ster
Date: 10/16/23

EASTHAMPTON

1 Ashley Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $640,000
Buyer: Stephen J. Jadczak
Seller: Edward S. Nalewanski
Date: 10/17/23

43 Bryan Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Conor P. Carey
Seller: Karen L. Palmer RET
Date: 10/27/23

11 Conrad Circle, Lot 11
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $595,000
Buyer: Michael A. Wack
Seller: Loudville Condo LLC
Date: 10/20/23

4 Fleury Court
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $324,900
Buyer: Elizabeth A. Cunningham
Seller: Elizabeth M. Banach FT
Date: 10/16/23

58 Northampton St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Christopher L. Wherry
Seller: Stephen P. Mumblow
Date: 10/19/23

2 Pine Hill Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $610,000
Buyer: Alison Curphey LT
Seller: Stephen M. Yarrows
Date: 10/17/23

13 Steplar Xing, Lot 13
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $549,900
Buyer: Claire Simmons
Seller: Loudville Condo LLC
Date: 10/20/23

9 Truehart Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $227,700
Buyer: Elizabeth M. Loiselle
Seller: Michael P. Dostaler
Date: 10/16/23

GOSHEN

30 Westshore Dr.
Goshen, MA 01032
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Elizabeth K. Takacs
Seller: Ryan P. Fitzgerald
Date: 10/27/23

GRANBY

28 New Ludlow Road
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $195,500
Buyer: Structurel Asset Investment Loan
Seller: Christian E. Canavan
Date: 10/26/23

HADLEY

137 Bay Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Matthew-Weber
Seller: Joseph N. Gallant
Date: 10/20/23

41 Breckenridge Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Matthew A. Waldrip
Seller: Jennifer L. Wuest
Date: 10/16/23

390 River Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Christina E. Antolini
Seller: William E. Dwyer
Date: 10/23/23

HATFIELD

155 Elm St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Christine Andrulis
Seller: Josephine A. Zgrodnik IRT
Date: 10/17/23

HUNTINGTON

4 Sampson Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $427,000
Buyer: Lunping Wang
Seller: Malin Cederquist 2023 TR
Date: 10/18/23

MIDDLEFIELD

113 Chipman Road
Middlefield, MA 01243
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Andrew S. Doherty
Seller: Tci Holdings LLC
Date: 10/27/23

NORTHAMPTON

249 Crescent St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $1,200,000
Buyer: Henry Chen
Seller: Wakin, Eleanor R., (Estate)
Date: 10/17/23

140 Emerson Way
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Matthew Smith
Seller: Lauren Gottschalk
Date: 10/19/23

423 Florence Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $376,000
Buyer: Candace Kao
Seller: Moroney, Georgina L., (Estate)
Date: 10/24/23

5 Franklin St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $760,000
Buyer: Independent Housing Solutions Inc.
Seller: Reliance Holdings Corp
Date: 10/26/23

47 North Farms Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $595,650
Buyer: Sharon Levy
Seller: Betsy P. MacDonald RET
Date: 10/16/23

39 Ridgewood Ter
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Catherine Weiss
Seller: Alison Novack
Date: 10/18/23

120 Woodland Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $635,000
Buyer: Kathryn A. Hardy
Seller: Cynthia Koegler
Date: 10/26/23

SOUTH HADLEY

100 Abbey St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Colin Doyle
Seller: Herman P. Mak
Date: 10/24/23

75 Alvord St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $470,000
Buyer: Nicole Wozniak
Seller: Scheinost, Diane V., (Estate)
Date: 10/18/23

30 Boynton Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $281,000
Buyer: Berry FT
Seller: David A. Stuntz
Date: 10/27/23

8 Burnett Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $499,000
Buyer: Addison T. Beaux
Seller: Christine J. Hare
Date: 10/25/23

22 Easy St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: KMAK LLC
Seller: Orlowski, James F., (Estate)
Date: 10/18/23

42 Ferry St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $406,708
Buyer: Sara Ells
Seller: Greenfield Road LLC
Date: 10/17/23

Lyman St., Lot 1
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $1,300,000
Buyer: WF Real Estate Holdings LLC
Seller: South Hadley Plaza LLC
Date: 10/20/23

Newton St., Lot 1
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $1,300,000
Buyer: WF Real Estate Holdings LLC
Seller: South Hadley Plaza LLC
Date: 10/20/23

 

WARE

7 Aspen St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Nexus Apartments LLC
Seller: James W. Kenyon
Date: 10/24/23

9 Clinton St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Alexandra P. Rojas
Seller: Johnathan Thornton
Date: 10/27/23

59 Greenwich Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Sean Matt
Seller: Glen A. Larue
Date: 10/16/23

131 Greenwich Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Angelina M. Roman
Seller: Jeanne E. Vadnais
Date: 10/25/23

83 Highland St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Atlantis & Terra Properties LLC
Seller: Alison J. Pereira
Date: 10/27/23

10 King St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $426,000
Buyer: Daniel P. Cahill
Seller: Dawn Szczygiel
Date: 10/20/23

15 Sherwin St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Linda Wilson
Seller: Leslie Wozniak
Date: 10/20/23

WILLIAMSBURG

20 Fairfield Ave.
Williamsburg, MA 01039
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: CIL Realty Of Mass. Inc.
Seller: Laurie H. Cote
Date: 10/17/23

WESTHAMPTON

218 North Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $601,500
Buyer: William Christopher
Seller: Zhongqi Yuan
Date: 10/16/23

Opinion

Editorial

 

Second Chance Animal Services calls it a “trifecta of challenges that demand immediate attention.”

First, a rising tide of inflation has led to food insecurity for both people and their furry companions, as the cost of pet-care essentials skyrockets. Housing costs, too, are soaring, forcing families to make wrenching decisions about their living situations, often resulting in the surrender of beloved pets.

Second, a veterinary-care crisis persists, with burnout among professionals causing a shortage of crucial services.

Finally, shelters are reaching capacity across the country — and not just in the South, where overpopulation has long been a problem — forcing many to euthanize perfectly adoptable pets when they are out of space.

North Brookfield-based Second Chance, which runs four community veterinary hospitals, never euthanizes for space and is taking in as many transports as it can, but its space is limited as it grapples with an increase in surrenders from local pet owners.

“We are being stretched to our limits, and I am deeply concerned,” Second Chance CEO Sheryl Blancato said recently.

But there’s hope, too, she added, citing her own organization’s efforts to keep pets with their families, from subsidized rates at its hospitals and a pet food pantry to community vaccine clinics and veterinary care at senior-living residences.

But it needs help: more volunteers, more donations, more awareness of the problem.

Meg Talbert feels the same way, as she told BusinessWest in the story that begins on page 4. The executive director of Dakin Humane Society says volunteers and foster families are critical to the nonprofit’s work, but so is financial support.

“A corporate donation or a foundation or individual giving, they really let us do the work. They are that bridge that allows us to go that extra mile for the animals, and to help people out when they’re coming to us,” she said, whether they’re at the point of surrendering an animal or having trouble affording veterinary care.

The goal, in almost every case, for organizations like Dakin and Second Chance is to keep families and their pets together. Not only is it heartbreaking to have to surrender an animal, but every pet back in the shelter system is one more animal adding to an overcrowding problem that is not letting up.

That’s why, Talbert said, every adoption of a dog, cat, or other critter actually saves two lives: the adopted animal’s life, and the animal that adoption makes room for at the shelter. Just as every surrender compounds the problem, every rescue adoption improves it.

We encourage families who want to add a pet to their home to consider adopting first, not only to reduce the overcrowding issue, but to literally save a life worthy of saving — a pet with plenty of love and appreciation to spare.

Speaking of appreciation, Dakin, Second Chance, and other animal-welfare organizations are always grateful for not only financial gifts, but volunteers. As the season of giving commences, that’s something that should give us all paws — er, pause.